Eclipse di Luna - Dunwoody

I tried Eclipse di Luna - Dunwoody this past Saturday night with friends new and old. We had tried to make a last minute reservation on Open Table, but it seems they don't take weekend reservations after 5p on the same day. Oh well, cocktail time! The decor in the space is pretty granola; the ceiling has several Pier1-esque hanging lanters and I think I spotted a few Christmas ornaments too. My favorite part was the large wooden tables - I like that farmhouse feel. For a Saturday night, this place was definitely hoppin' and vibrant -- people were everywhere. Tapas is probably one of my favorite ways of eating. I love all the small plates and just having little nibbles and noshes here and there. There were three of us, and all in all I think we ordered about 8 tapas which ended up being a perfectly sized meal. I'll go through all of them quickly here: Queso Frito con Miel: Fried goat cheese with honey. I think I'm the only foodie in the world who doesn't love goat cheese, but this was good. I liked the bit of caramelized crispiness on the outside. Aceitunas y Almendras: Assorted spanish olives and marcona almonds. Loved the almonds. The olives were a bit salty for me - I prefer a fresher less salty olive. Quesos Espanoles: Spanish cheese tasting served with dates and a chili honey. The machego was fantastic and the chili honey.... omg. I will be making it at home. Elote al Fuego: Fire roasted corn salad in endive. Light and slightly creamy... it had a fresh summer flavor. The sun dried tomatoes were a nice addition. Ejotes Crujientes Peixinhos da Horta: Sherry battered flash fried green beans with sea salt. Good, but kind of bland. Needed a dipping sauce. Empanaditas: Black Bean & Banana filled Savory Pastries with Spiced Caramel. Lovely. Great for the salty/sweet fan. This was one of my favorite dishes. Costillas Espanolas: Spanish-style Ribs in Aged Balsamic Vinegar. The aged balsamic was perfect; it made the dish. I am really loving aged balsamics on meat lately. Brocheta de Bistec: Beef Tenders with Chimichuri. Tender but nothing out of this world. I would have preferred the chimichuri with a bit more spice. Service Overall: The service was a B overall. Not too bad but not stellar. Our waiter had on a Georgia Bulldogs t-shirt, untucked with a pair of jeans and he was another profuse sweater. Not my fave, but he did take good care of us. Price-wise, this place is hard to beat. We each got out of there for around $25 including wine. I love tapas and it's nice to have several tapas restaurants to choose from in Atlanta. I'll definitely be going back to try more nibbles... especially one of their paellas.