Isle of Wight tapas restaurant serves up top treats

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Paseo Tapas Restaurant, and bar, is a charming and intimate eatery. 

We sat in the window at a table, which would soon be chock-a-block with dishes, that being the nature of tapas. 

The nicely-seasoned caprese salad with pine nuts was spectacularly tasty; the creamy mozzarella, infused with aromatic torn basil. 

Our other vegetable choice was fried aubergine. 

We were a bit sceptical going in, as this can often be too oily, but not so at Paseo; here its flour and sugar-coating gave the plentiful, yet thinly-sliced eggplant a subtle flavour and crunchy texture. 

Carbohydrates were provided by smoky patatas bravas; deeply flavoured, with paprikary notes, yet not drowning in the accompanying sweet tomatoey relish. 

The hot crab ramekin was divine, and we eagerly used wedges of sourdough to mop up the aromatic tarragon and cheese sauce.

The most intriguing dish was oxtail muffin with quail's egg. This modern take on what might once have been seen as an austerity ingredient, was a supremely rich and beefy alternative to hipster favourites pulled pork and jackfruit. 

With a perfectly soft boiled egg nested in the hollow of a toasted muffin, this was a moist delight to savour.

To round off the meat treats was a Spanish rendition of devils on horseback. 

Instead of classic prunes, the 'horses' were warmed succulent medjool dates, ridden by ribbons of salty streaky bacon. 

Our blueberry and almond torte was quite dense, rather than spongy, although it had a nice fruity flavour. 

The manchego baked cheesecake was rendered very light, without a standard biscuit base — almost the texture of a sweet, airy frittata. 

Fluffy cream and an ambient temperature strawberry garnished each pudding.

We found the service personable and attentive and, as one might expect, the food was beautifully presented — with plenty of variety on the menu. 

Another worthy addition to Ryde's evolving restaurant scene.