Tasca de Plata

Very unique and enjoyable place to dine! Order a few tapas and watch the flamenco show.

I really like the idea of tapas: I have food ADD, so a lot of choices helps me to stay sane. I am also all about finding non-​chain restaurants off the beaten path, and this definitely qualifies. As other reviewers have shared, Tasca de Plata is in an old diner — yes, OLD, and kind of dirty (crumbs between the seat cushions and a smear of something sticky on the table). The menu ranges from cheese plates to seafood to chicken to lamb, and their drink list was pleasantly lengthy (their sangria is very good; we ordered a pitcher for the table and finished every last drop). There were 4 diners and we ordered 7 dishes (we probably should have ordered at least 8). The food was good, not great; the best menu items I sampled were the calamari and the cheese plate (drunken goat cheese — yum). The table was disappointed when, after quite a bit of time choosing our dishes, our server informed us that they were out of quite a few things; this would have been nice to know ahead of time. Lastly, for the quality of the food and, obviously, the portion size, I thought the cost was above average; I have paid the same for better food at Small Plates in Detroit. Overall, there were some good dishes, but not worth the price. I give this place a big fat *meh*.

Went here with a group of about 10 last Friday night. Place reminds me of a renovated diner, though they’ve done a good job with it.
Food is actually really good. A variety of hot & cold tapas available, and all were tasty. I particularly liked the croquettes — nothing like breaded mashed potatoes. :) while the food was good, it was VERY slow. Make sure you order enough early, as you’ll starve waiting for it.
One fantastic touch was the very authentic Flamenco dancers. A lot of fun — a show not to be missed.
This place is really a gem, and you shouldn’t miss it.

This place is such a great spot just one turn away from all of the chains on Ford Road. The food was wonderful. The omelet dish is crazy good as well as the bruscetta and the sangria is heaven.
It is a fun place to go to on the nights the dancers are there, or not. Tons of fun and great tastes!

Eating tapas is my favorite way to dine — whiling away a couple hours with friends, sampling lots of different foods. Having tapas at Tasca de Plata was a blast! Even though the food itself was not always stellar, the atmosphere and entertainment were top notch.
The restaurant is a refurbished classic diner, with a black and white tile floor and cherry red upholstered booths. Bullfighter capes and photos of flamenco dancers line the walls. We sat in a round corner booth, adjacent to the stage. Tasca de Plata offers a flamenco show on Friday and Saturday nights. A young man plays guitar and Spanish bagpipes (who knew?) and a lovely young lady performs mesmerizing dances (her feet are percussive instruments!). They’re very talented.
I tried several dishes, all of which were at least decent. The bland potatoes with chorizo in red sauce was probably the most disappointing, but the chorizo bits were excellent and substantial. The scallops in brown sauce were a little overcooked, but the sauce was perfect for soaking bread bits. The octopus was perfectly cooked but the sauce was forgettable. My favorites included the tuna empanadas, the cheese tray garnished with quince paste (the mahon was so creamy and salty, mmm), and the green olives stuffed with anchovies and piquillo peppers a.k.a. «Tara’s perfect food». Those three intense flavors stand up to each other, creating an unexpectedly smooth masterpiece of brine.
Oh, the sangria! Best I’ve ever had. For real, I finally understand why this beverage is so popular. When it’s done right, it tastes like wine punch. There was little alcohol flavor, but plenty of alcohol feel!
This is one of the funnest dining experiences I’ve had in ages. I really want to give this place five stars because I hope it sticks around for a long time. If they improve some of the sauces and methods, I think they could be exceptional.

It’s in a trailer. It’s in Canton. It’s not particularly easy to find without the help of a GPS or Google map. And as another reviewer pointed out, you have to experience the soul-​sucking monotony of driving past a plethora of cookie cutter chains I’d never be caught dead in … just to get there.
So what in the world would possess me to make a nearly 1 hour trek down to one of the most perennial boring and unhip suburbs of Detroit (sorry if I offend the residents of Canton, just one girl’s point of view. And yes, I know you have an Ikea.)
Tapas and Flamenco Dancers!
Not TOPLESS flamenco dancers as my friend Curtis «misheard» when I dished on this place in the office one Monday morning — it’s on Canton Center Road, not 8 Mile, I told him.
Sorry to disappoint the Curtises of the world, but the flamenco dancers DO wear tops. And even though I’m sure there is a «gentleman’s club» concept waiting to happen around topless Flamenco Dancing, the only tips you’ll be leaving at Tasca de Plata are for the wait staff after you sample the well-​prepared Spanish small plates and homemade Sangria.
There is something wonderfully quirky about a setting up a Tapas restaurant in a diner trailer. If you’re expecting an atmosphere similar to Small Plates in Detroit or Royal Oak, you will need to adjust your expectations in advance. Tasca de Plata has very little curb appeal, and the interior is a strange amalgamation of Spanish kitsch and all-​night diner. I kept waiting for James Dean to walk in dressed as a Bull Fighter. Alas, it never happened.
What did happen was six courses of small plates, a salad so big it could feed a super model for three weeks, and about 60 minutes of the most fun I’ve ever had watching two women and a guy with a guitar stomp their feet in unison.
I won’t go as far as some of the other reviewers to say these were the best tapas I’ve ever experienced, but then again, having noshed on my fair share of little plates in Spain over the years, my bar is set pretty high.
I will say they are some of the best in the area and definitely better prepared than I had expected. In terms of Canton, you certainly won’t find a more interesting place with this level of creativeness.
I’ve read a few of the other reviews on the Internet around Tasca de Plata and had to roll my eyes at some of the complaints about serving sizes: It’s called «small plates» for a reason, dear. If you want giant appetizers there’s a place called TGI Fridays down the road that will prepare you a big heaping pile of previously-​frozen potato skins bathed in cheese and sour cream. If it’s your birthday, they’ll even clap their hands for you (although with ¹⁄₃ of the skill of the wine-​filled people who clap along at Tasca to the Flamenco dancers.)
Which brings me back to those dancers. Friday and Saturday nights Tasca has live Flamenco Dancing. Truth be told, this is what has brought me back three times now to the restaurant. It’s fun, it’s boarderline sexy and I want to learn how to do it.
Audience participation is not only encouraged, but pretty much expected. And with enough sangria, you’ll find yourself compelled to clap along as the dancers stomp about the stage.
In terms of dress, this is a casual place, so some Sevens, a pair of stilettos and a peasant top would get you where you want to be without making you overdressed. Same goes for a peasant style dress with some chunky heels. If you’re a male and have some Bullfighter threads just collecting dust in the closet, I highly encourage you to wear them — just on the chance that I’ll be there and find it really amusing.
While Tasca doesn’t get ranked by Sasha for it’s lux-​appeal, it definitely gets four stars for it’s Chutzpah. Canton would be just about the last place on Earth I would expect a little slice of Spanish culture, but I’m glad someone did it.
Now if they’d just go topless maybe I could talk Curtis into making the drive.

Face it. For the longest time you couldn’t get decent tapas anywhere around Ann Arbor. Until now. The food is excellent and on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 you get to see live flamenco! It’s totally worth the trip to Canton for the dancing and music alone.
The décor is a converted 50s style diner with a Spanish flare. In fact, it’s pretty strange at first. But I personally enjoy such a unique mix. After a couple glasses of Sangria and amazing dancing and music who cares anyway?
I’d recommend the gambas al ajillo and patatas bravas. You can’t go wrong with those. The mushrooms and beef in the salteadillo are delicious as well. Mix the patatas with the garlic sauce of the gambas al ajillo. In short, I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve had at Tasca de Plata.

Looking from the outside you would not know that this cute dinner offered authentic Spanish tapas and show cased very talented Flamenco dancers and guitarists on the wk ends. The Paella Valenciana had perfectly cooked rice and seafood. This dish takes approx. 40 mins to make so call ahead and enjoy some tapas before the main entrée. I had the Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and alioli), Salteadillo de Res (a hot bowl of caramelized onions, beef, and onions in a wine sauce), and Serrano and Chicken croquettes. All of the tapas were delicious. For dessert– please order the flan it is homemade. You can see and taste the black specks of real vanilla beans in the custard. The live entertainment definitely heightens the culinary experience at Tasca de Plata. The performers are so graceful and talented. Authentic Spanish cuisine and entertainment under one roof? Yes, it’s possible.

A Tapas bar in Canton?
Who would have thunk.
In an area that is otherwise dominated by the same predictable corporate chains that seem to have sprouted up all over Metro-​Detroit, Tasca de Plata is is one of those rare and unique gems that gets props simply for trying to bring something new and interesting to the area. It takes a crazy dream or at least some major cajones to serve traditional Spanish food out of a converted diner in Canton.
The good news is that the place delivers. And while it’s a bit off the beaten track, it’s an excursion with some definite rewards. Between the food and the fantastic Flamenco dancing on Friday and Saturday nights (as well as some mean drink and wine specials during the week), this is the kind of place that just makes you want to tell everyone you know. In other words, the joint has heart and soul and you can feel the passion in everyone who works there, so you want them to succeed.
We found Tasca de Plata thanks to some old-​fashioned small business hustle from the owners, who went out into the community and left fliers at local businesses (relax, they weren’t placed on cars.) So last night, instead of heading to the local pub, we decided to give the place a shot. We’ve eaten at probably a dozen Tapas bars over the years (alas, never in Spain) while traveling, so I would say we have a pretty good sense for well-​prepared Spanish food. To be honest, my expectations were actually fairly low — but as soon as the first course of salads hit the table, I was feeling pretty good about things. It only got better from there.
We started with the Ensalada Meson and the house Caesar. Caesar was very good, but I found myself dipping into my wife’s Ensalada Meson frequently. The salad was über fresh, with romaine, tomato, serrano ham, slivered manchego cheese and olives. Portion was very large, so this could serve as an entrée if needed.
Just as the small plates started arriving, the Flamenco Dancers and guitarist took the stage. This was one of the highlights of the evening, and it’s worth dropping by on a Friday or Saturday night just to have a pitcher of homemade Sangria and watch the show. It makes for one of the most unique dining experiences in metro-​Detroit, and is far more dramatic and entertaining than a bunch of fake gauchos walking around with meat on a spit. Later in the show, one of the dancers and a niece of the owner, pointed out a group of vintage photos over one of the booths and explained that they were of her grandmother, who taught the women in the family how to Flamenco dance. It doesn’t get any more «real» than that.
In terms of tapas, we orderd the Salteadillo de Res (18), Queso de Cabra Grantinado (21), Croquetas de Jamon Serrano y Pollo (27 and a favorite of another Unilocal reviewer) and Patas a la Riojana (25). Between this, the salads and Sangria, there was plenty of food for 2 – 3 people. The Croquetas and Patas were especially good, and come highly recommended.
In terms of price, the bill ended up being around $ 70 — that included several glasses of wine and sangria, which probably accounted for about $ 30 of the bill in our case. However, the food was very well prepared and the Flamenco dancers made the entire experience memorable, so if a dinner and a movie has lost it’s luster, you might try Tasca de Plata. It probably would cost about the same.
Also, Tasca runs a number of specials during the week, including 50% off wines on Wednesdays, $ 4.99 lunch specials, and Two on Tuesdays, where you get a third tapas or entrée free when you buy two tapas or entrees with two drinks. So there are definitely ways to try this place out without breaking the bank. Regardless, make sure you hit this place at least one time on the weekend for the Flamenco show. It’s worth it.
Overall, we dug this place. Great food, amazing Sangria and even more amazing entertainment. Tasca de Plata has been in business for just over a year, and it deserves to live many more. Check it out …