Boqueria

by Mik

It appears to be Tapas week here on the Gastronomist.

Boqueria, a relatively new spanish restaurant in the historic Flatiron district. Ever since its arrival, it has been earned rave reviews from numerous New York media, including but not limited to the New York Times, New York Post and the New York Magazine.

The restaurant is simply designed, enhanced by the warm glow of overhanging light bulbs. Named after the Boqueria market in Barcelona, it was no surprise that the menu names reflected its strong spanish influence.

Unfortunately, the famous quail eggs were sold out by the time we got there. Nevertheless, the rest of the Tapas did not fail to impress. Served up quickly, the exquisite arrangement of each individual dish was colorful and full of texture, whipping up one’s appetite instantaneously.

The Patatas Bravas (crispy potatoes) was crispy and hot with just enough seasoning to tantalizes one’s taste buds. Meanwhile, the Croquetas Cremosas (creamy croquettes) was absolutely perfect, melting in the mouth almost immediately after biting into it. The Pintxos Morunos (grilled lamb), served up on toasted bread, was one of the best lamb-on-a-stick I have ever eaten. The only complaint here would be that it was not served warm.

 

As for the specials of the day, the Coles de Bruselas (brussels sprouts) made me fall in love with brussels sprouts. It was not overcooked, a common problem with brussels sprouts, and was seasoned just enough to make it tasty. The Sardina y Alubias (Sardine) was given a thumbs up by those who ate it and the Soldaditos de Pavia (Saffron battered Hake) was definitely the best fried fish I have eaten in the longest time.

 

The Parlla Valenciana, the other thing on the menu that we tried that wasn’t Tapas was also absolutely fabulous. The rice was cooked to perfection, with a sauce that was both tangy and tantalizing. The mussels and clams were so fresh and did not require any lemon to mask the usual seafood smell.

All in all, Boqueria was a great experience and for its prices, it is definitely a great bargain. You will definitely see me visiting this wonderful, charming little restaurant soon enough.

Boqueria
53 west 19th Street

Just the Taste

by Nathan

The idea of tapas has always appealed to me. I mean, there is so much variety and everyone eats from the same plate, what more could one ask for right? I think we tried up to fifteen different dishes. The better ones (and the ones that simply photograph better- the brie was delish but just wasn’t photogenic) are featured here.

A wine flight to start the meal off. I chose a selection of white wine–the riesling was a tad sweet, and I also ordered sangria, which was alright.

My favorite dish from spain–patata bravas. They were tasty but I was a little concerned about the burnt skin.

Definitely one of the highlights–shrimp sauteed with garlic and sherry.

The clams were nice too. But since we were sharing, I only got to eat one.

Salmon with beetroot. I’m just not a fan of beetroot. The fish was unspectacular.

My all time favorite dessert–panna cotta. Garnished with grapefruit and tangerine, it simply melted in my mouth.

Jac’s favorite, the chocolate souffle. Honestly, it was more like a molten lava cake. The flavor also wasn’t consistent from one souffle to another. Hah hah.

116 N Aurora St
Ithaca, NY