Boquerones De Zumaia - minced garlic topped fleshy, vinegar-soaked anchovy that rested on crusty slices of bread. Clean, confident flavors left a lasting impression.
Chorizo A La Plancha - grilled spicy Spanish sausages, which we used to make impromptu sandwiches with the bread in our basket.
Pulpo A La Gallega - tender octopus marinated in olive oil and sweet paprika was proclaimed Nai's best dish by our server. I had never tasted warm octopus before, but I enjoyed the buttery texture.
Patatas Bravas- fried potato cubes coated with a spicy, bright tomato sauce
Espárragos Navarro - butter-tender poached white asparagus with onion and pepper vinaigrette was mellow and light.
Churrasco Arriero - seared skirt steak with a red onion salsa. The strips were slightly tough but the zesty, piquant mixture made the dish fun to eat.
Solomillo a la Naranja - pork tenderloin glazed with an orange and prune sauce - I'm not a fan of prunes but the pork was cooked well.
Salteado de Gambas - the small bowl of overcooked shrimp and over-salted oyster mushroom was disappointing.
Pintxo de Morcilla - seared blood sausages topped with a scant squeeze of garlic mayo was dry and hard to chew, but was worth the effort for the nuttiness that I had not expected from a startlingly dark log of protein.
Our server, fearlessly shooting suave Spanish phrases here and there, offered an incredibly warm and attentive service along with the rest of the waitstaff. Small bites (for the most part well prepared) gradually amounted to a satisfying meal full of firsts.
174 1st Ave
New York, NY 10009
