Boqueria

Boqueria is a small Spanish tapas-style restaurant with two locations in NY.  I’ve eaten only at the Flatiron location, and having worked in the area for the past few years, I can tell you this restaurant is always packed.  If you are going to go, go early, as reservations aren’t accepted and the line is out the door as the night progresses.

The proprietor is Chef Seamus Mullen, who is not Spanish himself, but has worked his way around Spain and fell in love with Spanish cooking.  You may have heard of him as a contestant on the first season of “The Next Iron Chef”, on the Food Network.  Chef Mullen doesn’t spend too much time with the restaurants anymore, and now leaves it in the hands of Chef Marc Vidal, who is of Spanish background, and has been running Boqueria for the past year.   

After wanting to come here for years, I finally made my way in last week for lunch.  From the outside the restaurant was seemingly quiet, to the point I thought they were not even open that day, but that thought quickly changed as I walked in and saw every table was full.  Let me also mention, I walked in just 15 minutes after they opened.  The décor is very simple, with beige and dark brown colors running through the room, from the floors to the tables & chairs, and even the waitstaff uniforms.  Serrano hams hang by their legs in the window, and the bar area up front displays a variety of Spanish cured olives and cheeses.  

I sat at the bar up front, and even though I didn’t catch his name, I first want to mention I liked my bartender very much.  This is the type of service you want anywhere and everywhere you go.  He was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, but the kicker for me was how he served a few ladies that walked in after me.  As they nestled into their bar chairs he approached them and said “You ladies were just here yesterday.  Can I get you the same drinks?”  The women didn’t even remember what they had the day before, but he did.  He even remembered their food order, and recommended some other dishes for them to try.  Now that’s good service.

Their lunch menu is huge.  There are well over 30 dishes offered on a two-sided menu, one side of which is dedicated to tapas, and the other to midsize to large portion plates.  I ordered the “lamb meatballs” off the tapas menu, and the “pan con tomate with Serrano ham” (you have a choice of ordering four different types of cured ham) off the other.  My bartender mentioned it might be too much food, but I honestly didn’t believe him as it was only two small dishes.  I should have listened to him.                           

The lamb meatballs arrived first.  They were incredibly soft, melting at the touch of a fork, and swam in a very straightforward tomato sauce.  Melted manchego cheese, a few strands of chiffonade basil, and slices of raw cucumber finished the dish.  Although this was off the tapas menu, it was a pretty large portion for one person.  They attempted to fill me up quickly. 

Lamb Meatballs

Then came the pan con tomate.  It literally translates to bread with tomatoes, and the way most places do it is to grill the bread, and rub it with crushed tomatoes.  I was expecting just that.  A few pieces of bread, topped with tomatoes and ham.  What arrived was a full plate of food, and I was so happy afterwards.  The bread was done panini style, forming a toasted bread sandwich with slices of Serrano ham and tomato.  It was served with a side of their famous patatas bravas (fried and crispy potatoes, tossed in paprika and cayenne pepper, with a cooling cream sauce on top), and a fresh greenmarket salad.  What was even more amazing was the price…this whole plate cost $9.  Yes, that’s right, $9.  Are you freakin kidding me?  You can argue that the sandwich needs more to it, but for $9, who the hell cares?  I would totally come back for lunch and order this plate, as it did its purpose and made me full.  With a beer, tax, and tip, that’s an amazing $20 lunch right there. 

Pan Con Tomate & Serrano Ham

My only complaint about this meal was that I actually left too full afterwards, and didn’t get a chance to try their churros, which I have heard so many great things about.  Oh well, there’s always next time.  And there will be a next time. 

Boqueria

53 W 19th Street

New York, NY 10011