(between Seventh and
Eighth Avenues)
Had wanted to try this tapas bar for a while, but it usually
is very crowded and hard to get in for walk-in dinner. So I was happily
surprised that we were able to get in on a Tuesday night.
Describing the décor, my dining companion felt we had been
transported into a rustic tapas bar in Spain. (She had visited Spain a year
ago.)
Though seating is rather tight, I felt that I was able to
have a private conversation without the need to shout or fear that I’d be
overheard. Might have been that we were seated in the back, so not sure if that
would have been the case if I were seated at one of the communal tables.
In keeping with that sentiment, we ordered a variety of
tapas for our meal. We ordered Almendras y Aceitunas ($8)—almonds and olives.
Never thought of pairing olives with nuts!
Pan con tomate ($7), which my friend swears is a must-order
in any “real” tapas experience. It’s a fresh tomato spread on country toast.
My must-order dishes are the Gambas al Ajillo ($13),
sizzling garlic shrimp. Delicious!
And the grilled calamari ($14). I always try to order the
grilled calamari if it’s on any menu. As I prefer my calamari grilled, as
opposed to fried.
To add some salty heat to our meal, we ordered the Pimientos ($8), shishito peppers and sea salt.
For dessert, we ordered a cheese board (3 cheeses for $15).
We ordered the manchego (What other cheese would one order in a Spanish bar?),
fontina, and I honestly cannot recall the third cheese we selected.
To wash down our meal, we ordered a bottle of the Proyeto
Garnacha ($42), a fruity wine. A nice, drinkable wine, but nothing
extraordinary.
Pros:
Learned that I am a fan of shishito peppers!
Cons:
A bit pricey. Tapas can add up!
Final Thoughts
Would return to order their well-known paella.
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