Google Ads

<< previous review   next review >>

reviews

“Boqueria”


  Occasion: Cuisine: Area: Cost: Rating:
  Night Out Spanish Flatiron Moderate Great

t photos of Baby Cruise. But all talk was quieted when our waiter presented the Chuleton de Buey ($62), a gorgeous slab of prime rib cooked on the bone. We waited as the chef sliced it for us and then we passed out the goods, and together experienced the joy of juicy, salty, meaty beef cooked perfectly—tender, but with some strength and substance—sort of like the perfect man. Sadly, the patatas bravas served with the steak were disappointing. Some were underdone and most were not as crispy as they should have been and they need more alioli please. Tia Pol still makes them best.

The paella ($29) was stocked with chicken, shrimp and mussels and served in a very hot (careful) paella pan. But this is not your ordinary bowl of rice. This one, made from Calasparra rice, strains of short-grained rice grown in Spain that have a unique capacity to absorb broth while remaining firm, is soulful and rich with the deep flavors of the sea, brightened with lemon and rounded out with a warming dose of saffron. Mullen’s version is also much more dense than other paella I have had that tends to be fluffier, wetter, and loser. It’s different, and I think depends on how you like your rice, fluffy and lose, or more dense and creamy as Mullen makes it. He also adds an extra element that I love. He cooks the paella so that the rice, a nutty, nubby, chewy grain, gets crunchy on the bottom—the most coveted bits are those crispy ones. As can be the peril of paella, the fish and chicken tends to dry out but here the shrimp and chicken stayed moist and flavorful, though the mussels were a bit withered and sad. But no matter, soon the paella pan was scraped clean, and the steak was chewed to the bone and the table collectively breathed the sigh of full and happy plump bellies.

Desserts ($7) added fuel to the happy bellies. We loved the glossy egg-yolk custard served on a buttery sable cookie and a refreshing garnish of melon granite. The custard was silky, creamy and sweet, and reminded me of Persian Halvah that my Bibi makes. We also liked the chocolate and coffee mousse that Craig and Kiri said reminded them of Hunt’s Snack Packs (this was meant as a compliment)—jiggly and wiggly and quite yummy. Apricot beignets with honey yogurt ice cream were great as well, but they are more accurately fried apricots, and were slightly disappointing only because I expected little donuts.

Despite the slightly ... [more, click below]

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  

 Make a reservation

<< previous review   next review >>

RSS Feed


Other restaurants in Flatiron :
+ Suenos   + Amuse-- Closed   + Dos Caminos   + Lucy-- Closed   + Gramercy Taver   + Veritas   + Fleur De Sel   + Bolo -- CLosed   + City Bakery   + Shake Shack   + Kalustyan's Cafe   + Devi   + BLT Fish   + Sugarcane   + BLT Prime   + Barca 18-- CLOSED   + Beppe   + Barbounia   + Boqueria   + Eleven Madison   + Lonesome Dove-- CLOSED   + Hill Country   + Olana   + Wildwood   + Primehouse   + Allegretti   + Bar Breton   + Aldea   + SD26 by Bao Ong   + ABC Kitchen   + Ciano   + The NoMad   


No comments yet. Be the first to post!

Advertise on the
StrongBuzz site and emails.