By Morgan Schare

When parent’s weekend comes along it’s an opportunity for us to escape the dining hall and enjoy some fine dining on someone else’s dime. As college students we are broke, so it’s nice to have our parents here to treat us to something special once in awhile. Pro tip: Avoid the common parent’s weekend traps like Pastabilities or basically anything in Armory Square. Opt for a different experience, maybe something on the smaller (plate) side.

Laci’s Tapas Bar, located at 304 Hawley Avenue, is about a ten minute drive from campus. It may not look like much from the outside, but what matters most is what’s on the inside and at Laci’s it was beyond delicious.

Laci’s serves tapas, which are small plates of food. Popular in Spain, tapas, are appetizers or snacks that can be hot or cold. There are tapas bars all over Spain, so it’s nice to have a nice slice of Spain in Syracuse, but this is different, it’s tapas ‘Cuse style.

This style of eating allows everyone to try many different dishes. The menu is broken up into six categories: carnivorous tapas, tapas of the sea, flatbreads, salads & soups, herbivorous tapas and sliders.

The slogan of “Eat Small, Live Large” is a statement that can’t be more true at Laci’s.  There is something for everyone at Laci’s from regional favorites like chicken riggies to unique dishes like the Mac ‘n Cheese Egg Rolls served with a smoky paprika aioli. My roommate is a very picky eater and Laci’s was accommodating enough to bring her a bowl of plain pasta as one of the tapas. If you ever cannot decide what to eat for dinner, Laci’s has a little bit of everything. There are various vegan, gluten free options like the Roasted Root Veggies and the Luscious Shrimp. I tried the Mac ’n Cheese Egg Rolls, Garlic Chicken Flatbread, and the Ravioli Caprese. The Garlic Chicken Flatbread was by far my favorite.

The restaurant itself has a very homey feel which makes it a great place for a cute date or dining with your family. Both outdoor and indoor seating are available both offering an intimate dining experience. If you’re going for a date, I would suggest the upper-level seating. There’s even a private dining room with  blue walls, luxurious leather chairs, which gives off a unique dining experience.

Overall, fantastic experience at Laci’s! Whether you’re going for a date or just a nice dinner to treat yourself at the end of a long week, escape Armory Square and try something on a small plate, but with big flavor.