“Tomatoes con Miele” says the menu. What arrives are sliced ripe tomatoes, big chunks of Avlanche Ranch goat cheese, toasted pine nuts, fresh mint, sherry vinegar and honey.

Evening flamenco show demands Spanish food

With Valentine’s Day (evening) tickets to Paco Peña’s “Flamenco Vivo!” as part of the CU Artists Series, Spanish tapas seemed like the prefect prelude. My husband and I headed for Boulder’s Mediterranean Restaurant, which everyone calls “The Med,” for happy hour tapas — well priced menu, atmospheric enough for February 14 and early enough so that we had no problem making the 7:30 p.m. curtain. First, some Spanish bubbly called Cava, and then a few delicious small plates from the extensive and well priced happy hour menu.

A basket holding four thick slabs of rustic bread — two dark, two white — along with olive oil for dipping.

Prosciutto and melon, not a particularly appealing presentation but excellent ham and amazingly ripe cantelope for mid-February.

A small bowl of plump tail-on Gulf shrimp sauteed in butter with crushed garlic, a few red pepper flakes, lemon juice and parsley.

Well-grilled chicken skewer with “Calabrian Dijon” and a wedge of pita.

Price check: At happy hour, small-plate tapas, hot are $2.95-$4.50, plus individual margherita pizza, $5, and cold are $2.50-$5.50.