There are not many fun places to eat out in Charlottesville – fun, like kid’s would enjoy at a Chucky Cheese. Most restaurants are laid back, dull and boring. Many have good food, but fun? Not so much.
There is one restaurant, however, that has both excellent food – not good, excellent – and it’s a super fun place to visit; and that would be MAS Tapas in Belmont. Nancy and I joined our daughter, Laura, and her friend Lisa at MAS this week, and what a delightful treat.
MAS is one of the few words I know in Spanish. It means “more”. More is the perfect word to describe this unique restaurant because when you leave, you want “more” return visits, but you hardly want “more” food because you’re stuffed.
This Spanish-inspired establishment specializes in bringing a wide assortment of edibles to your table where you can experience lots of unique flavors and foods. It is best to have four at your table rather than two so you can enjoy more choices. Once seated, the server helps you make selections and food comes and comes and comes. Everything I ate was outstanding and the sauces and flavors were superb. The “Ensalada” was a perfect start to our dining experience and had one of the best dressings, Queso Manchego, I have ever had.
We were then bombarded with a host of delicacies ranging from Gulf Shrimp Poached in Butter to Bacon Wrapped Dates (delicious) to Grilled Mahi Mahi and other tummy-warming dishes. The Papas Bravas (Spicey and Roasted Yukon Potatoes) were out-of-this-world delicious. We finished with Chocolate Sangria Cake and a Lemon Goat Cheese Cheesecake.
Magnificent.
MAS is located at 904 Monticello Road in Belmont. Reservations (resy.com) are advised and often necessary. It’s a busy place. As the weather warms, MAS has an enticing patio for outside dining. The menu is available at mastapas.com. Call them at 434-979-0990 for more information.
MAS is a truly fun and delicious experience. They get 5 stars from me.