![]() ![]() I read that in Valencia paella is cooked over orange and pine wood which makes it aromatic. I think you need that aioli and then some. It arrives in a paellera so big I think it must be for four, but no, it's for two. It's rice with carrots, mushrooms, parsley, broccoli rabe, onion, squash and Brussels sprouts topped with garlic aioli. ![]() Our Garnacha is oak-y with raspberry Vouvray is fruity and bright.Īnother night we have the verduras, or vegetable paella that's $16 per eater. Calamari's one of a number of tapas that's fish-based along with skate wing, lobster fideos, mussels and prawns à la plancha. We like aioli with habit-forming hot peppers. However, if there's calamari in the kitchen and you ask just right, the chef will make it for you, our server says. It used to be on the menu but I don't see it now. Olives, yes, olives are olives but not a bite of cheese: Gallego, Romao, Malvarosa, Mahón and Valdeón.įried, sometimes crispy, calamari with no peanuts, no peppers or garlic is how we like it. So is it because it's green or that it goes with meat and cheese tapas? Funny, in all our meals with a changing cast of characters only some of whom are vegetarian, no one orders any cheese. Spinach and chickpea cazuela: each time I order it, everyone who's not a regular spinach imbiber hogs it. ![]() It's not on the menu now but there are others: kale with anchovies greens with goat cheese and raisins raddichio with raisins shaved mushrooms with celery and mustard plus ensalada with onion and no raisins. It's light and filling and if they make this in Spain, authentic. Julie is having carrot salad with arugula and avocado. There is beer and there are cocktails and there is wine by the glass. The Viognier is fruity and the Rioja is um, boring, but not as boring as the Nutcracker. We choose a Viognier from Argentina and white Rioja from Spain. What nails it for us: they have tastes of wine.īarcelona's taste is half a glass and this is after the sips they bring first so you can pick a taste. Our first visit comes after an interminable Urban Nutcracker. We're talking three deep at the bar Friday and Saturday and reservations all week. It's a big deal with something for everyone. ![]() It's a place your very own New Jersey food-wise cousins pick from online reviews. Where there was nothing, there are heady times. What used to be a quiet street is now where it's at. High Tech, Low Tech, and On-line Afflictions.I'll definitely be back to try more plates, but I'll try to go at off-hours when you don't need a reservation and you can easily converse with your dinner companions. When we left around 6:30pm the restaurant was really starting to fill up and the noise level was going up - that would be the one thing I didn't like, how noisy the space gets when it's full. The plates all came out quickly (we ordered two at a time) and the food was so hot we had to wait a few minutes for it to cool down to eat. The two of us were full after only four plates because of the bread and sauce. The truffled bikini was my second favorite, basically a delicate grilled cheese and ham sandwich with a delicious aioli dipping sauce. The crusty artisan bread is complementary, comes out warm and fresh, and my advice is to save the bread for the fantastic sauces! My favorite sauce came with the albondigas the meatballs themselves weren't anything special but the tomato sauce was just slightly spicy and so flavorful. We're not big wine drinkers so we went with beer - the beer list isn't extensive, only 4 beers on tap and maybe 20 bottles, but I appreciate that it had off-beat options and not the same old-same old. The attention almost bordered on annoying, especially when they tried to clear plates before we were done soaking up the delicious sauce on bread! But everyone was very friendly and attentive, and seemed knowledgeable about the menu options. I was very impressed with the service - we sat at a table in the bar area because it seemed cozier, and we had a server walk by every few minutes to refill water or bring something out or ask if we needed anything or clear plates. We tried to get in on a Friday night in January at 7pm, but the estimated wait was 2 hrs (lesson - make a reservation on a weekend night!) We came back this President's Day at 5pm and had better luck - although even then the restaurant was shortly half-full. I was prepared to not like this place, since I was a big fan of American Craft and very disappointed when they sold the space. ![]()
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