Sugarvine

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Ambiente opened in Worsley in January 2008. This Spanish/Mediterranean restaurant is open for dinner six days a week (closed Mondays) and has proved a hit with the locals. There are three distinct dining areas - the main dining area, "the bullring" and al fresco - and the menu is authentically Spanish with a choice of tapas dishes, the larger raciones (great as a starter or for sharing), paellas and a choice of main courses and postres (sweets). Specialities include Gambas Pil Pil & Langostinos (Prawns & Langostines) and Conejo Basco (Braised Rabbit). The wine list has a good selection of Spanish wines, including cavas.

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Blue Ginger Tapas Bar is situated midway between Bolton and Bury on Bradshaw Road and enjoys wonderful views out over the rolling hills. It opened in August 2009 under chef-patron Denny Joy who has bags of industry experience gained in cruise ships, hotels and restaurants. It's a modern-looking restaurant and offers diners a choice of 25 tapas, a selection of Spanish main courses, various paellas and Blue Ginger oven specials such as Cola de Langosta (lobster tail), Gambas Enormes (jumbo prawns) and Corvina al Horno (rock salt-baked sea bass). Blue Ginger is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Sunday and is taking bookings for Christmas.

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Tapas might be all the rage these days but the Bulls Head Inn at Delph, near Saddleworth, has been at it for eight years now. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night between 7pm and 9pm (last food orders) you can choose from a selection of 24 tapas dishes priced between £1.80 and £5.50. The menu choices change throughout the year and there is also a specials board. Although this is a pub as well -- and you can visit any time for just a drink -- the 40-cover dining area is decorated with bright Med-style colours. Plenty of Spanish wines on the wine list and regular gourmet evenings too.

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El Cuba Libre, above the Sportsman pub in Hyde, is run by two Cuban sisters who have converted this former function room into one of the Manchester area's only Cuban restaurants. A large projector shows DVDs of Cuban musicians which along with images of Che Guevera and a full-size Cuban flag helps create a real Cuban vibe. Choose from a tapas menu or a selection of mains with dishes like Yucca con Mojo Criollo (boiled Yucca served with a sauce of extra virgin olive oil, garlic & lemon) and Plá;tanos Verde dos veces fritos con salsas (Green Plantains, twice fried and served with dips). They also do special Cuban desserts as well as a cocktail menu with classics like mojito and, of course, Cuba Libre. If real ale is more your tipple, the owner of the pub below runs his own micro-brewery - Rossendale Brewery - and always has six or seven ales on tap.

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This Spanish wine merchant cum restaurant stocks more than 600 Spanish wines as well as offering both tapas and a la carte menus. House speciality is their Seabass baked in rock salt and you can enjoy authentic queso manchego, chorizo and jamon iberico here. Evuna, which is part of the Great Northern complex, also holds regular wine tastings.

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The opening of Grado restaurant and tapas bar in Piccadilly marks Paul Heathcote's first venture into Spanish cuisine. The focus is on new wave and regional Spanish cooking and the menu choices are both inventive and enticing. There's an all-day tapas menu as well as the main lunch and dinner menu which includes a different Spanish roast from the charcoal oven every day. The all-Spanish wine list stretches to 100 bins with 16 available by the glass. Chefs working from an open kitchen help give this smart and stylish new venue a real buzzy atmosphere. Bookings essential.

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City-centre favourite Harpers Tapas Bar & Restaurant has been serving up authentic, high quality Spanish and English cuisine for over 25 years. The new-look Harpers combines sophisticated, elegant decor with a comfortable, friendly, yet lively atmosphere. Owner Eugenio Fernandez and his team provide a warm welcome to new and long-standing customers alike (their motto -- 'nothings a problem'!). Harpers offers a full a la carte menu alongside an extensive list of traditional Spanish Tapas, with a selection of wines carefully chosen to complement their dishes. Lunchtime menus and a special All Day menu are also available. Friday night is Live Music Night, with special guest musicians providing themed evenings of Swing, Smooth, Easy Listening, and of course, Spanish music. Harpers is situated on Ridgefield Street, off John Dalton Street, in Manchester city centre, and is open all day.

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La Rioja was Altrincham's first Spanish restaurant, opening in 1994. It's still run by the same chef-patron and though recently refurbished, has retained its traditional Spanish feel. La Rioja has one of the largest tapas selections in the northwest and you can choose individual 'tapa', go for the set menu for two which offers a wide range of hot and cold tapas to share, or select from the a la carte menu which includes Spanish classics like paella. La Rioja is now fully airconditioned and has a new ground floor cafe bar. There is also a new outside catering service - La Rioja Outside - which can cater for between 10 and 2,000 people. All kinds of special occasions are catered for, including weddings, and they can even organize a hog roast.

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The chef patron of Bolton's La Salsa may be Norwegian but has a degree in cooking and has worked in tapas restaurants in Oslo and Bilbao. He's now settled in Bolton and offers the freshest tapas in town. It's a relaxed venue that can accommodate 100 diners over two floors and as well as a choice of 40-odd tapas dishes you can also enjoy paella for two as well as wine or sangria. The restaurant offers a delivery service as well as outside catering. It's open seven nights a week from 5pm (3pm at weekends). The Bolton Evening News has awarded La Salsa a five-star rating.

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The Deansgate La Tasca is a careful blend of everything that is good about Spain. Many of the staff are Spanish, giving the restaurant an authentic feel, the warm decor and top quality cuisine create a truly unique atmosphere. The menu features all the Spanish favourites you would expect including paella, lots and lots of different tapas dishes for sharing and plenty of fine Spanish wines. The main dining area is a cavernous room reminiscent of a Spanish bodega with Spanish artefacts covering the walls. There's also a long wooden bar (licensed - so you can just pop in for a cheeky Sangria). Outside, you can dine al fresco and La Tasca also has a large downstairs function room to cater for parties and special events.

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The Didsbury La Tasca - one of five in the Greater Manchester area - is a big favourite with local diners for both lunch and dinner. The large, two-storey building stands out proudly and the interior is equally impressive with its wooden floors, rustic Spanish artefacts and spiral staircase leading to the upper floor. The menu features all the Spanish favourites you would expect including paella, lots and lots of tapas dishes to share and plenty of fine Spanish wines. With the Spanish music accompanying your meal, you could almost be in Spain. There are regular Spanish party nights and theme nights organized here too.

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Bolton's La Tasca is right in the heart of the action on Bradshawgate. As it's open all day, every day, it's very popular for lunch, dinner, a snack or just drinks. Many of the La Tasca team are Spanish, which coupled with the authentic Iberian décor, makes for a real Spanish flavour. The menu features all the Spanish favourites you would expect including paella, lots and lots of tapas dishes to share and plenty of fine Spanish wines. La Tasca tries to source all its food and drink from Spain (they even buy Spanish-brewed San Miguel instead of the British version). If you're organizing a function, La Tasca Bolton is one of only a handful of venues in the town that can accommodate parties of 30 people.

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Los Amigos on London Road in Hazel Grove is a Spanish restaurant that's been in business five years. Expect traditional Spanish décor with wooden flooring and furniture and terracotta walls. The extensive menu offers 52 different tapas dishes (all under a fiver) plus main courses like Roast rack of lamb and Baked sea bass, a choice of paellas and a specials board. There's a Happy Hour discount and a good-value Party Menu for groups of four or more. The wine list is largely Spanish with most available by the glass. The restaurant has its own dance floor and can accommodate functions for up to 60 people. And every Thursday, Los Amigos has live music with a flamenco singer and a three-piece band.