Any recs for casual Spanish recommendations i.e. Tapas, paella etc? Stuff you can’t find in LA
Not a restaurant, but Despana is a great little shop.
Donostia has a very interesting Basque menu, as does XyZ Pintxos y Botanas, both in the East Villiage, with the former stronger on wine cocktails and the latter better on wines.
Also Yerba Buena another spot in the East Village offers up a fusion-y take on Spanish cuisine. I like the oxtail noodles.
I’d like to give this thread a bump as my wife and I are looking for a good Spanish meal and we’re pretty flexible; it could be anything from refined and creative “Nuevo Latino” dining at the higher end, or rustic Basque style / simple tapas menu.
Someone on HungryOnion recommended El Quinto Pino, which is a strong consideration. It looks like a great neighborhood spot although the tapas seem very basic.
The missus liked the idea of Casa Mono, but I’ve read so many mixed reviews (overly salted dished, rushed service) that I’m not sold on the idea. There’s also Degustation, which seems to elicit polarizing reviews (more negative than positive lately).
Txikito gets tossed around a lot on this forum and while the food looks great, the space itself seems rather boring and generic. For my money, ambiance (preferably dark and quaint) shares equal merit as the kitchen when choosing to dine out.
Donostia looks great (except for the flat screen TV in the corner of the room-major detractor!) but it also seems to be mostly bar/counter seating and probably better suited for lunch or afternoon noshing; I could be wrong. The tapas menu seems very simple and straightforward in a good way. This one is a strong maybe!
ABC Cocina is another place that’s on my radar, though I’m really not partial to the interior/decor, so it’ll most probably get scratched from the list.
XyZ Pintxos y Botanas which was recommended earlier in this thread appears to be closed, unfortunately. It looked fantastic.
There’s also Boqueria (multiple locations-usually not a promising sign) which we’ve never been to… and Tía Pol, which looks better suited to wine and tapas rather than a full meal; also kind of boring inside.
What am I missing and what would you recommend given the criteria?
I should add that we’re staying at The Marlton in Greenwich Village and we’d much prefer to stick around Lower Manhattan, if possible.
For a good Basque/tapas restaurant, consider Tia Pol in Chelsea.
For Spanish tapas, go to Tablao in Tribeca.
Neither of which are really Lower Manhattan. I know, I suck.
It’s been ~5 years since I’ve been to Casa Mono but we’ve had great meals here. Did not have any issues with over salted food or service. The room is tight and dark but lively. A much better atmosphere than Txikito if choosing between the two. I’d pass on Degustation. It’s much more expensive than either of these two options. Sitting in front of a counter eating a prix fixe meal doesn’t really seem very “Spanish” to me. Always more fun to order a bunch of tapas and share lots of plates.