Spanish tapas receive an upscale makeover with the gorgeous San Francisco Bay Bridge in the background. Too often, this now extremely popular cuisine, can feel exactly the same, just a different location, different named place, same menu. Coqueta completely breaks the mold, reinventing traditional tapas with surprises and utilization of contemporary techniques in each and every dish. Therefore, it’s no surprise that famed chef Michael Chiarello’s year … Continue reading Coqueta
Who would’ve thought Gin and Tonics could be so fun? The vibe at Cata, a relatively new addition to the Lower East Side, makes the art of drinking and eating tapas completely different then the rest. Twenty-two different varieties of Gin and Tonics fill an entire long menu. You’ll find numerous traditional Spanish dishes, each with their own playful presentation and slightly twist. You’ll also … Continue reading Cata
The hottest implant from Boston quickly gained serious praise, celebrity sightings and attractive crowds. Snagging a reservation at Toro requires advanced planning and flexibility with time, since this West Village tapas bar has been generating buzz since opening day. Fans of the Boston location complain about the significantly higher prices in New York, which owners blame on rent. The tapas are equally delicious and innovative, … Continue reading Toro
Downtown Los Angeles lacks the glitz and glamor associated with the city. Most avoid the area when the lights go down, and even in the daytime people go straight from their car to their destination and scurry back to their car. It’s slowly working its way up into culinary relevance and Main Street in The Old Bank District is leading the charge. Bäco Mercat is … Continue reading Bäco Mercat
It’s become slightly cliche to love The Stanton Social, a Lower East Side restaurant that began the small plate phenomenon almost a decade ago. But even though the restaurant now attracts a slightly different crowd – a slightly older clientele mixed in with attractive foreigners – the food still keeps this Chris Santos’ first venture a fan favorite. His second restaurant, Beauty & Essex, has … Continue reading Stanton Social
If you can’t afford a private jet to fly to Barcelona, Spain for Tapas, like myself, you are forced to find alternatives in New York City. This brings me to Tia Pol, one of my favorite, authentic tapas restaurants. The food served here is the real deal, with a variety of dishes that could easily grace any menu throughout Barcelona. Unless you live in Chelsea … Continue reading Tia Pol
When my friend suggested Chez Sardine, the last addition to the Little Wisco empire, for dinner, I expected fancy French food. However, I was shocked to look at the menu to see Sushi and other Japanese inspired dishes. With an extremely open mind, we headed to the West Village extremely early, in anticipation of a long wait for the a table. Two hours later, and … Continue reading Chez Sardine (CLOSED)
You could walk past this place one hundred times and not know that you did. And that’s the point. Death & Co is so well hidden, even my friend who suggested it thought this speak easy-type restaurant was new to the block. However, I discovered this hidden gem in 2010 when an old boyfriend and I went through our trendy drink and tapas phase and … Continue reading Death & Co
Getting off the M train at Essex Street, my sister posed the question about up and coming areas in NYC. “What determines what is in and what is out? This whole area seems kind of sketchy.” At 10pm on a Wednesday night, without alcohol goggles and groups of friends, the Lower East Side gives off an unwelcoming vibe. The dark, unlit sidewalks, garbage on the … Continue reading Beauty & Essex
During our spontaneous trip to Atlantic City for the Kanye West concert at Revel, my sister, Leigh and I decided a fabulous meal was a necessity. We sat in our dark hotel room with Open Table as our guide searching for the perfect culinary experience to kick off our night. We found Amada, Iron Chef Jose Garces’ restaurant. I loved his Chicago tapas spot, Mercat … Continue reading Amada
The Political Foodie 