Spanish – Rays Picks NYC

ABaC ***

ABaC
Av. del Tibidabo 1,
08022 Barcelona, Spain
+34 933 19 66 00
Website

These past few years has been very good for Spanish haute cuisine. From 2016 to 2018 there were four restaurants that received three Michelin stars. The city of Barcelona was the biggest winner, as it gained two in back-to-back guide including its first ever, the restaurant Lasarte in 2016 and ABaC in 2017 (Aponiente in Cadiz also was elevated to three stars on the same year). It was merely a matter of time for ABaC, to receive the Michelin three star level since its reigns were handed over to Jordi Cruz. He had a knack for rising above expectations, impressing diners, and receiving rave review for his modern Catalan cuisine.

At the tender age of 26, Chef Cruz became the youngest chef in Spain to earn a Michelin star at the Estany Clar in the outskirt of Barcelona. He started working at that restaurant in his early teens and became the head chef at 18. He then opened Angle, which also gained a Michelin star. In 2010 he was recruited to replace Xavier Pellicer as head chef of the two starred ABaC restaurant. For six years he was able to maintain the rating until 2017 when it was finally awarded the ultimate third star. Presently, Chef Cruz is in partnership with the ABaC group and is in charge of all dining at its hotels. These include the one star Angle,  Ten Tapas in Barcelona, and the recently opened Atempo in Girona.

ABaC is the main dining venue of boutique hotels that bears the same name in the residential neighborhood located outside the city center of Barcelona. Guest are welcomed at their outdoor patio garden area for some pre-dinner drinks before being escorted in to the kitchen. They are then led to the dining room and on to their table. The music less dining rooms can seat up to 56 guest and has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that allow plenty of natural light to come in. Uniformed oval and round tables covered in thick linen are spaced abundantly from each other, while film reel lamps hanging above the ceiling, provide soft lighting. The natural interior tones exude elegance.

The meal began in the kitchen where amuse bouche of Lime cactus, tequila and green leaves, Crunchy bread with spicy tomato sauce and basil and the Galician Salmon and cured egg yolk, trout eggs, soya butter and Nori textures were served in rapid succession. These bite-sized offering were all terrific starters.

For this visit, the “Grand ABaC” menu was the choice. To start a small cup of flavorful broth to excite the palate was presented with the first course of “Sardo/ina”, gurum style sardine tartar on toast with “escalibada”. Served on a crispy toast, the sardine tartare was extremely fresh and tasty. Next, was A reference to tuna marrow, miso soup with tuna belly and wasabi. A tasty fatty cut of raw marinated tuna belly that contains nice hints of wasabi spiciness. That was followed by the Mussels in carrot “escabeche” which has a good mixture of mussel flavor, sweet earthy notes from the carrots and also having a sharp salinity.

Amelie Esmerald oyster with fermented cabbage and smoke piparra was bursting with intense sourness. The oyster was imparted with pleasant acidity and pickled flavors. The Pine: toasted pine nuts ice cream, cure foie gras shaving and pine shoots was a terrific dish with plenty of refreshing features while also possessing a savory nuttiness.

Continuing on with the Tree trunk: boletus consommé, parmesan gnocchi with bread crusts, mushroom and truffle. This course consisted of two dishes that came in a tree trunk like ceramic container. The top is covered in paper thin slices of mushroom resting on a bed a of parmesan cheese. When the top is removed, there is the dark brown savory broth filled with pungent truffle essence. Supplying a pleasing saltiness to the broth were the parmesan gnocchi. The Service of different parts of prawns with infused prawn rice was prepared table side. The prawn infused rice with cream sauce of peanuts and prawns was delightful. The boiled prawn’s head was bursting with flavor. Overall, this dish brilliantly highlighted the prawn’s distinct taste in a variety of ways.

The Parpatana stew and veal with hazelnuts like chickpeas, crispy kale and citrus was a fascinating mixture of veal and tuna that surprisingly produce robust flavors with an element of sweetness. And for texture, crispy dehydrated kale was added as a garnish. Next two courses consisted of duck as the main ingredient, first was the Duck rilletes with spicy blinis and crunchy nervares and tongue salad which was rich and delicious. The blandness of the merengue was the perfect vessel for the rillets, and the side of a duck salad makes a great partner on the plate. Then, there was the Grilled duck magret, pumpkin, spices and lavender. Grilled to perfection the duck was tender, scrumptious and flavorful. It also has a wonderful sauce from pumpkin and vanilla that added an extra depth of flavors.

For the main course Game meats with romesco and beetroot textures with hazel nut oil was served. The pigeon was wonderfully cooked, it had a beautiful outer layer of crispiness and the romesco sauce it sat on yields the right amount of saltiness that was needed. To balance the dish was sweet earthy bitterness of the beetroot puree.

Tea service was a bowl of foam made from earl grey tea and frozen chamomile with a side of frozen yogurt. This was refreshing and citrusy, and a great palate cleanser. While the main dessert was being prepared table side, the server presented the Violet egg with yogurt foam and crunchy biscuit made from blueberry. The server’s instruction was to break it with the spoon, the egg by itself has a tongue pleasing soothing fruitiness while the yogurt and biscuit together provided a certain sweetness to it.

The main dessert of Banana flan cake with carmelized textures was caramel in different forms. There was a caramel ice cream made from caramel syrup frozen in liquid nitrogen. The same syrup was also used to steam the banana cake beforehand giving it a sugary aroma, caramel puree for added sweetness, and caramel crisp for texture. This was a well-made sugary delight, especially when the ice cream is eaten with banana cake. The combination of warmth and cold and sugary sweetness was terrific.

This marathon that lasted for nearly four hours ended with a collection of small confections presented on heavy iron works. They were all wonderful, especially the lipstick from beetroot, roses and strawberry.

Chef Cruz was present at kitchen during this visit. His highly technical cooking techniques was on display in this meal. There was a strong focus on saltiness which can be tasted in almost every course. However, it did not over power everything else on the plate, instead it was able to mingle in harmony. A wine pairing for 105 EUR of Spanish and French wines was opted with this meal. Nine glasses of wines were arranged to help subdue the salty aspect, and also provide balance on every course while also creating an uplifting after taste.

Service at ABaC was formal and a bit stiff. It seems odd since most of the staff are young. However they were willing to engage on a small conversation from time to time. Dressed neatly in black suit and white shirt with black tie, the staff are well-verse and extremely capable. The different faces that came by the table explained each course clearly.

Wine Pairing:

As one of the youngest three star restaurant currently in the world, ABaC price point hasn’t caught up with the rest of its three Michelin compatriots yet. Dining here is accessible to many. The longer tasting menu with wine pairing was less than 300 EUR (the price increase is only a matter of time), cheaper than the other three star restaurant in Barcelona and in Spain.

Both the dining public and the media are in love with ABaC and its young chef. So much so that prior to 2016 both side was in clear consensus that this was the best chance for Barcelona to finally have their very first three Michelin star restaurant. Unfortunately, that did not happened, it had to wait another year to finally join the ranks of only 130 or so worldwide. And after a visit, it is clear that this restaurant was deserving of the three star distinction. ABaC is no doubt, operating at a world class level.

Lasarte ***

Lasarte
Carrer de Mallorca, 259
08008 Barcelona, Spain
+34 934 45 32 42
Website

For as long as the Michelin guide has been publishing in Spain, it has never found a restaurant in Barcelona deemed worthy of its highest honor. This was quiet puzzling especially for city like Barcelona, a place that has garnered more Michelin stars than anywhere else in Spain, while heralding a reputation as among the top gastronomic epicenter. Even its biggest rival, Madrid had Zalacain, (which had three stars from 1987-1995), and DiverXo since 2013. The tides finally turned for Barcelona in 2016, when the then two starred Lasarte was elevated to three, finally giving the Catalan capital its first ever.

The restaurant is owned by superstar Basque chef Martin Berasategui, and is named after the town in the Basque Country where his flagship restaurant resides. This culinary titan is the most decorated chef in the country. His collection of restaurants in Spain and in Latin America has garnered him 10 Michelin stars, including two with three stars, a rare accomplishment only attained by a very select few.  He opened Lasarte in 2006 and quickly won its first Michelin star a year later, then the second came in 2009, But it wasn’t until the arrival of Italian chef Paolo Casagrande as the chef de cuisine in 2012 that elevated this restaurant to three star level.

Chef Casagrande is a veteran of Martin Berasategui’s restaurant group. He gained his first star working at Restaurante MB in Tenerifie. He then moved on to a luxury resort in Italy before returning to work again for Chef Berasategui at Lasarte. In addition to Lasarte, Chef Casagrande is also in charge of the one star Oria, and the Hallo Bar in the Monument Hotel.

Situated on the ground floor of the ultra-luxe Monument Hotel in the heart of Barcelona’s shopping district in Paseig de Gracia, Lasarte’s dining room is spacious, bright with tall wavy ceilings. It has a clean modern décor with plenty of light oak finishing. The oversize tables are covered in extra thick white cloths matched with dark heavy padded chairs that were extremely comfortable and long ivory leather benches. 

Lasarte’s dining option are, the 235 EUR (at the time of my visit) tasting menu, a shorter “Lasarte Menu” and a la carte. The longer menu was the choice on this visit. An array of snacks started the meal, sea anemone with yuzu, Strip of toast with raw shrimp curry and beetroot with caviar and Jerusalem artichoke were both amazing. But the foie gras, eel, and caramelized green apple mille feuille with crème sauce which is also Lasarte signature dish was even better. It was a mouth full of savory pleasure. Not to be outdone, was the cucumber and jalapeno mouse with mussels and its chilled spiciness.

Afterwards, the cart with a variety of warm freshly baked bread was rolled in by the table. The bread was served with regular, mushroom, tomato, spinach and beet root butter along with a special olive oil made from one hundred percent Arbequina olives called Bago Baldios San Carlos.

Butter (regular, mushroom, tomato, spinach and beet root butter)

For the first course, the Slightly marinated warm oyster with iced watercress slush, parsnip and champagne was a pleasant contrast of warm and cold. The warm oyster was strong in flavor, and was nicely accompanied by the soothing pepperiness of the watercress slush. Next was the Sea urchin curd with sautéed scallops and fresh peas, sea cucumber and liquated “radiccio rosso”. Here the sweetness of scallops was paired successfully with the buttery urchin curd. On the other hand, the foam from radiccio added a terrific bitterness. The Wagyu carpaccio with extract of terragon, smoked mullet and frozen cheese powder were cuts of scrumptious beef. There was hints of zest on the beef that wonderfully complemented the smokiness of the mullet. And for added texture frozen cheese was used for garnish.

Sea Urchin Curd With Sautéed Scallops And Fresh Peas, Sea Cucumber And Liquated “Radiccio Rosso”

Wagyu Carpaccio With Extract Of Terragon, Smoked Mullet And Frozen Cheese Powder

The Squid Tartare with liquid egg yolk, onion and kaffir consommé was composed of raw squid topped with warm egg yolk and sprinkled with amaranth toast. I find the yolks thick consistency, the subtleness of the raw squid, and the citrus elements of the kaffir consommé to be an interesting combination. That was followed by a signature Chef Berastegui dish, the Vegetable leaves and petals salad, herbs, sprout with lettuce cream and lobster. A colorful plate of lush vegetables and herbs with delectable lobster meat on top of clear gelatin made from tomato. This amazing dish is full of sublime flavors.

Vegetable leaves and petals salad, herbs, sprout with lettuce cream and lobster

Red prawn on a seabed, fennel and coral emulsion was a giant prawn presented whole. The prawn was extremely tasty and the translucent watery broth with coral emulsion and sea weed cream that it sat on yields a profound features of the sea. The Black truffle glazed Hare ravioli with sautéed artichokes and trompette mushroom were raviolis stuffed with delicious hare and covered in foam of black truffle. The foams pungent truffleness was elegantly fused with other earthy component on the plate. Virrey fish with iodized sauce, king crab, raw tomatoes and saffron was cooked perfectly. It was tender and contained a wonderful amount of salinity. The basil and saffron cream gave the fish an extra layer of flavors while the different composition of tasty crab meat serves as an enticing supplement.

Black truffle glazed Hare ravioli with sautéed artichokes and trompette mushroom

Virrey fish with iodized sauce, king crab, raw tomatoes and saffron

For the main course marinated and charcoal, grilled venison, winter vegetables, persimmon and “biancoperla’ con cream was served. Succulent venison meat came with fresh salad with persimmon and blood orange and corn cream made from special type of corn from Italy. The mildness of the corn cream and the lightness of the salad was a great companion to the venison.

Finally, on to sweet courses! Shiso and mint leaves sorbet, acid touches and milk crisp has a palatable richness and refreshing acidity. The pistachio sponge cake was particularly delightful. Almonds and salt praline, apricot and rum ice cream was the main dessert. The sugary sweetness from the salted praline with caramel was curbed by the alcohol from therum ice cream and also helps balance this dessert. As a bonus, petites fours of classic Catalonian sweets concluded the meal.

Almonds and salt praline, apricot and rum ice cream

This tasting menu was well put together. From the beginning to the end, one course after another it has myriad of flavors and textures that comes together. Each dish has complexity, balance and an abundance of colors. Their interpretation of Modern Spanish cuisine was less experimental than the kinds that is currently sweeping the dining world. The wine pairing for 135 EUR comprised of six glasses of local Spanish wines were consummately designed to complement the food.

Joan Carles Ibáñez, the manager in charge of the dining room was on hand during this visit. Under his supervision the dining room operated flawlessly offering impeccable hospitality to the guest. Although the service was uptight, and almost robotic, the staff were extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. They explained every course and answered any questions clearly.

Wine Pairing:

A complete meal at Lasarte with the wine pairing will set you back 370 EUR per person which is still a tad below compared to other three star places in Paris and in the US. This is one of the priciest restaurant (if not the most) in Barcelona and in Spain. It caters to wealthy locals and tourist alike, but if taken to account the high level of cooking and professionalism of the personnel it was worth the amount paid.

The kitchen staff and the front of the house of a three Michelin star restaurant has a great deal of pressure to deliver perfection every day. However as the first restaurant in Barcelona to receive such accolade it has an added pressure that Chef Casagrande and his partner Joan Carles Ibáñez managed very well. They exceeded expectation by providing a stellar dining from start to finish.

Despana SOHO

Despaña SOHO
408 Broome St
New York, NY 10013
212 219 5050
Official Site

In New York City you can travel the globe without using a passport, from Japan to France. Food has a way of allowing an individual to enjoy a culture through its native dishes. Luckily we live in a city that is a melting pot of cultures. All that is needed is a metro card.

Spanish fare is a favorite amongst many and right here in the popular SOHO, Despana is a few short steps to Spain.

From the moment you walk through the doors, it feels like you’ve just travelled to Spain in mere seconds. There’s Jamon Iberco – cured hams – on display by the entrance. Refrigerated counter tops with an array of manchego cheese, meats, and chorizo that were made at Despana’s original location in Queens. On the opposite side of the store are bottles of olive oils stacked neatly on the wall, along with vinegars and jams imported directly from Spain as well as various canned sea foods that the region is well known for producing.

Despana is not just like any other boutique store in the neighborhood but rather a food journey of the different Spanish regions. The staff is well informed and willing to educate those that are unfamiliar with this particular type of food. Samples are available throughout the store to tantalize the taste buds prior to purchasing.

Aside from being a store, Despana also boasts a café where customers can experience authentic Spanish flavors. It offers excellent tapas and bocadillos, a type of Spanish sandwich, as well as premade pinxtos and tortillas (also known as a Spanish omelette) that are on display behind the counter.

Located in the back the café is fitted with a dining area where guests can enjoy these delectable dishes. The space has three communal marbled topped tables paired with metal red chairs, its white tiled walls are decorated with two large mirrors and industrial pendant lamps provide a well lit area for a casual sit down meal.

Not only does everything look good and with the price of the most expensive item on the menu not exceeding more than $10 it is easy to over indulge.

Pintxos are similar to bruschetta that takes about two to three bites to consume. The Bacalao Croquette, Tortilla, Manchego, Spicy Sardine, and Boqarones are all very good considering they’re pre-made. The Piquillo Rebozado made with Piquillo peppers stuffed with cod and the omelette with shrimp salad called Tortilla and Gambas were my favorites.

There are 15 different kinds of Bocadillos to choose from. Most of the sandwiches contain pork ingredients like ham and chorizo served on delicious Ciabatta bread. Since I don’t eat pork (personal preference), my choices were limited. They also have a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables. The bocadillos I had an opportunity to taste were the Pescador and the Torilla Bocadillo, both were delightful, but the Pescador stood out most. I enjoyed the flavor combination of the Aioli, white tuna, and anchovies in this.

They also have stellar tapas offerings like the Boquarones, white anchovies with garlic and parsley and for the olive lover the Spanish Olives is a must. It’s a mix of the country’s different kinds of marinated olives. There is an Octopus and Olive Oil tapas, one of the best octopus dish that I’ve had in New York City. The octopus meat has a soft texture while the paprika added a wonderful flavor. I like that the ingredients used in their food is also available in the store. This allows the customers to be creative and design their own tapas in the comfort of their own home.

Despana offers Spanish vinos and beer from their wine store located right next door. They serve tasty sangria, which is as good as the one I’ve had in Spain. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and thickness of the red wine.

Unfortunately, Despana in SOHO is only open till 7pm, so I usually come for a late lunch or an early dinner. During that time the café is empty and not as crowded on the weekend where hoards of tourist visiting Little Italy and Chinatown tend to pack this place. How I wished they would stay open later.

Who would have thought that Despana, a store that sells high quality edible products from Spain, also offers food that is even better than some of these so called “Spanish” restaurants in New York City?

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SUAC Restaurant

SAUC Restaurant
Via Laietana 49
08003 Barcelona, Spain
933 21 01 89
Official Site

*This restaurant is now closed

When I was in Barcelona a few months ago I wanted to visit a Michelin Star restaurant, of course I’ve heard all about the great restaurants that the region possessed, like the now closed El Buli and El Celler de Can Roca.The closest restaurant to my hotel was SAUC restaurant at the Ohla Hotel. A one Michelin star restaurant, it is known for its classic Catalonian cuisine prepared with a modern technique by Chef Xavier Franco.

Located on the mezzanine of the Ohla Hotel, SAUC is small and has a clean modern décor. The interior is designed with hard wood flooring, a black wall that serves as separator between the kitchen and dining room as well as counter, and it is surrounded by glass windows overlooking the street. While the covered tables and the low ceilings provided a dim lighting giving it an intimate atmosphere. Oddly enough the space and atmosphere reminded me of SHO Shaun Hergatt and Ai Fiori here in New York City.

Now on to the food, I began with an amouse bouche of olives in different textures. The one that left a lasting impression were the black olives that looked and had the texture of a gummy bear but with a black olive taste. My first course was the Spanish mackerel with almond milk poured over it. Surprisingly enough the almond milk and mackerel created a milky fish flavor. The second course, was the potato artichoke with poached egg, it was good but nothing spectacular. The entrée, cod fish with beans was very enjoyable.The salty flavor of the fish was neutralized by the beans when eaten together. To finish the meal I had Milfull and Cream with strawberries for dessert. It was very good, the dessert wasn’t as sweet as I expected and was well balanced. I paired my meal with a handpicked white wine by their sommelier which enhanced each of the flavors in my meal.

SAUC was a good choice to have a Michelin Star meal in Barcelona. The food was very good and the service was not less than spectacular while the setting was subdued and intimate.The question I would like to ask is, can this restaurant be as successful in New York City as it is in Barcelona? New York diners and critics are thorough when it comes to Spanish cuisine, just ask Miguel Romera. Then again Gastroate, on the Upper West Side, has been well received here. There’s only one way to find out and that is to dine there and have your own opinion like I did. In my opinion (SAUC Restaurant) will do very well here in NYC.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a curing prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In complement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.

Quimet Y Quimet

During my week long vacation in Barcelona Spain, I wined and dined myself with some of the freshest seafood that the Mediterranean had to offer. I ate through the tapas bar and drank the wines from the Catalonian Region. Oddly enough, I enjoyed their wine. I wandered around Barcelona and discovered places to eat and towards the end of my trip I asked my hotel concierge for a restaurant recommendation. At first he gave me a list of touristy spots but after I asked him where would he eat if he wanted a very good meal, that’s when he recommended Quimet Y Quimet.

Quimet Y Quimet is a tapas bar that has been run by the Quim family for generations. I was told by one of the staff that the gentleman making the food behind the bar is a fourth generation Quim. The space is small, standing room only, and cubed in with walls full of various wines all the way to ceiling, and a stainless steel bar where guests can park themselves and enjoy their food. Getting to the wooded table in the center of the space can be quite challenging since this place is packed with locals and a few tourists. While some waited outside, sipping their wine, until a space opened up. You will be rubbing elbows, literally, with fellow patrons like I did.

The tapas and montaditos (open face sandwiches) at Quimet Y Quimet are made from the highest quality and most expensive canned seafood’s and meats. I was really impressed at how good the canned foods are, Spain produces some of the best canned foods on the market. The menu is abundant and most of the dishes are priced between 1 to 3.50 Euro and the cheese plates will run around 9 Euro. I had a memorable feast here.Beginning with “olivas rellenas” or stuffed olives. The olives were stuffed with a seafood mixture making it a great starter. Then I had the “Combinado de queso” or cheese combination. I enjoyed the flavor of these Spanish cheeses, from sweet to sour, it was amazing–except of course the goat cheese, just a personal preference.

After my cheese plate, I ordered mostly the montaditos. I tried mainly seafood plates, except for the Pate con Setas which was made with pulled meat topped off with mushroom. The pulled meat was soft and moist while the mushroom was somewhat sautéed and tasted very good. Then the Salmon, yogurt y miel trufada, it is a version of salmon cream cheese in America but instead of cream cheese they use yogurt and top it off with truffle honey. This was the best plate I had. The truffle honey and its distinct sweetness combined with salmon along with the light texture of yogurt was enough to come back to Quimet y Quimet. Next was the “Langostinos Con Piquillo”, the red peppers (which are grown in Spain) along with the caviar is packed with flavor. Then there was the Sardinas Con Erizo, a whole sardine topped off with sea urchin, and the Sardina Ahumada y Tomate Seco, chopped sardines with tomato sauce. Both were amazing.

I left Quimet Y Quimet satisfied; there wasn’t a single dish that I did not like. Their wine list was extensive, but I enjoyed the local white wine that went well with my dishes and it did not disappoint.

The only regret I had on my trip was that I didn’t find out about Quimet Y Quimet earlier. It was the best tapas/ restaurant I had the opportunity to enjoy in Barcelona. It was also a great way to end my trip. If I ever come back to Barcelona, Spain I will definitely try to visit this place again. Hopefully they stay open; then again it has been open for four generations!

Quimet Y Quimet
Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25
08004 Barcelona Spain
934 423 142

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a treatment prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you have to ask your druggist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are as a rule able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile dysfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other men even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.

Gastroarte

* This venue is now closed.

When it comes to fine dining in NYC it’s usually dominated by Italian, French and Japanese cuisine. However, within the past year numerous Spanish restaurants have opened throughout the city. New Yorkers have seen the second coming of the Spanish Armada. The Upper West Side of Manhattan has experienced this wave firsthand with the opening of Gastroarte (aka Graffit,) “gastronomic arts” or “edible art” as I call it. Executive Chef/ Owner, Jesus Nunez is a native of Spain and a former graffiti artist. His love of art is apparent in his beautiful and colorful presentations as well as his playful modern approach to the cuisine.

I have dined at Gastroarte a few times – months have passed in between visits so I was able to witness improvements and menu changes. Some of the dishes that I had on my initial visits are no longer available; for instance: the “Shrimp Marble” carpaccio style dish which has a great texture and is very fresh and flavorful; and the “Fake Truffles” made with falafel that tasted just ok, but had an amazing presentation. Among the entrées I really enjoyed “Hake” with zuchinni cream and shrimp puree, which sadly is no longer on the menu. I also enjoyed the “Not So Average Egg,’ which is very tasty and well-seasoned; and the”Serrano Wrapped Monk Fish,” both of which are currently on the menu. The restaurant originally had a policy that the tapas menu was only available in the Tapas Bar, but I was glad that it can now be ordered in the main dining room as well.

On my most recent visit, my dining partner and I decided to share (from the tapas menu) the Albondigas De La Abuela made of meatballs with sweet potatoes cream and purple potatoes confit. We both agreed it was delicious and the sauce complemented the meatballs very well. A special chicken entrée was presented that night that was not on the menu – “Chcken Pepitoria,” pulled chicken meat placed on top of a sunny side up egg and baby zucchini with crispy fried chicken skin. The chicken was moist and meticulously prepared. Hopefully it will be a regular on the menu. And finally, I had their cheese plate consisting of 3 cheeses, Machega, pasteurized sheep milk from Machega, Tetila, a pasteurized cow’s milk and the Valdeo from pasteruzied cow and sheep’s milk. All three were very good but the Valdeo stood out with a sublime taste that I’ve never experienced in a cheese. The desserts were equally impressive like the Convertion of Bouley made with peaches and wheat. It has an interesting combination of natural sweetness from the peaches complemented by the texture of the wheat. Gastroarte complements its great tasting food with an extensive wine list from Spain.

Located on a quiet residential street this sunken restaurant is about three steps below street level. Its sleek wooden floor extends throughout the space creating an atmosphere of sexiness. The restaurant has a long layout which begins with the Tapas Bar and the Bar Room; both are visible as soon as you enter. The long white stone toped bar table is accompanied by steel metal framed high chairs completing the section . Behind the marble top bar there is an exposed brick wall with a mural mimicking urban street art. Towards the dining room there is more seating which is ideal for couples. There are booth seats directly beneath a mural of a bull and a matador over exposed brick; and fiberglass orange seats ,uncovered marble top tables completes the dining room. The soft music combined with soft lighting gives the dining room a smooth atmosphere. Glass enclosed seating at the very end of the restaurant where the sky can be seen is ideal for dinner under the stars. The crowd varies from pre and post Theater to foodies and locals enjoying the atmosphere and cuisine. The service is unpretentious and pleasant.

Chef Nunez has invaded the Upper West Side with his beautiful presentation and savory flavored dishes that New Yorkers can enjoy. His modern twist on Spanish cuisine is a great way to try something new in the neighborhood’s ever growing gastronomic scene.

Gastroarte
141 W 69th St
New York, NY 10023
646 692 8762
Official Site

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication set to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you have to ask your druggist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In complement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may switch on erectile dysfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.