Did I Land in Barcelona?171 Spring St., New York
SOHO
PH: 212.343.4255
Open daily, noon to midnight
Major credit cards accepted, reservations only for parties of 8 or more
boquerianyc.com
NEW YORK
When I arrive in New York, especially when I’m flying into JFK, I feel like it’s such a journey just to get to Manhattan. So when I finally check into my hotel, I need a lot to replenish myself from my long journey.
Luckily for me, my hotel in Soho is within walking distance to some fancy restaurants. I ended up at this small tapas restaurant that almost looked like it was closed when I approached. But Boqueria Soho is open every day until midnight, so arriving late was no problem.
Boqueria is the second location for the restaurant created by owner Yann de Rochefort and Chef Seamus Mullen. The first location is in the Flatiron district in Manhattan. This tapas restaurant is inspired by La Boqueria, the popular market for tourists and locals in the heart of Barcelona. When traveling in Barcelona, I loved going to the little tapas bars, almost like carts, in the back of the market where they served fresh seafood that were amazingly good.
When I walked into Boqueria Soho, I got a seat at the marble-top bar. The bartender, I have to say, was really friendly and helpful with suggesting wine and food. The dining area was bustling with a lot of diners and I really liked the décor, looking stylish but also approachable and not too formal. It was definitely a casual but fun vibe.I got a glass of Poema Brut cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and ordered up some tapas from both the regular menu and the daily specials.
First up was Pintxo de Pulpo ($8), or grilled octopus on skewers. Along with the octopus chunks were tomatoes, sugar snap peas and artichoke all topped with a green olive vinaigrette. The size was definitely tapas, which is small bar snacks in Spain. There was a lot of contrasting flavors and textures in this starter, from the crunch of the snap peas to the pickling flavor of the vinaigrette.
Next up was Tomates y Sandia ($12), a seasonal salad of heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, basil, goat cheese and radish. The plate looked beautiful when it arrived, and it had the typical summer flavors of tomatoes and basil, even though the basil was so minimally presented as very thinly sliced chiffonades. But you definitely tasted it and the goat cheese was so creamy. Again, nice contrast in textures with the crunchy radishes added in, which I’ve never had in a typical summer tomato salad. But it was a genius addition.
I got a glass of red wine of Mencia grapes and went on to my last dish, which was also the special of the night – suckling pig. Cochinillo Lechal ($15) came with pieces of the suckling pig mixed with purple potatoes, sweet corn, romano beans and a dollop of almond romesco. (I remember eating romesco for the first time at Nopa in San Francisco, so at least this time I recognized that it was the sauce.)The pig meat seemed dry, but when I bit into it, it was so tender. I enjoyed it, although the skin could have been more crispy. Still, I loved all the combination with the beans and potatoes. The romesco sauce didn’t pack a lot of flavor, though, but I didn’t mind. It was just another play in texture on the plate that definitely is a signature of the chef.
At the end of my first meal in Manhattan, I was satisfied and felt rejuvenated. I was ready for my week of dining in Manhattan, and with a start like the meal I had at Boqueria Soho, I knew I was in store for some amazing food.Single guy rating: 3.75 stars (contrasting textures that please)
Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner
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Travel Market: Barcelona
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