Boqueria- Soho

Boqueria is a market place in Barcelona which is surrounded by restaurants and bars. Inspired by the market fresh food, Yann de Rochefort and Chef Partner Seamus Mullen opened Boqueria to present the cuisine of Spain in the form of tapas, media raciones and raciones. According to legend the tapas tradition began when the King of Castile Alfonso X ordered that taverns were not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages unless sold with a serving of food. Tapas or 'lid' in English were small plates that covered glasses of beer, wine or other alcoholic beverages and helped in not getting the drinker drunk too quickly!

Boqueria has two locations, one is in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, NY and the other location is in Soho. Both are similarly designed- a bar section with tall tables and then further inside is the dining room equipped with an open kitchen, some communal tables and regular seating. The food is delicious, you must try the the charcuterie plate with Jamon Serrano and a cheese called La Serena, made from Merino sheep milk in La Serena, Spain. The pure sheep milk is curdled using a coagulant found in the pistils of artichoke (Cynara cardunculus). This ingredient lends a light bitterness to the otherwise slightly salty tasting cheese. It is aged for at least sixty days. Along with this plate try a slightly effervescent Rose from Txacoli, Spain, perfect for a summer afternoon or evening.

Boqueria Soho
171 Spring Street
New York, NY

Tel: 212 343 4255

open: every day noon to midnight
tapa: $ 6.00 plus
Raciones: $ 28.00 plus

Alfama

On a visit to Lisbon with my family, there are memories of sitting in a tiny restaurant off a cobble-stoned street a few steps from the sea and being served at-least 5 different kinds of fish. All very different from each other, and each dish was had been so very flavourful.

Alfama, in the West Village is a small restaurant that follows the Portuguese tradition of delicious fish preparations. Portuguese cuisine has always had influences from African countries like Mozambique, Angola and of course countries from South America. With their long history of colonisation that began in the 14-15th centuries when Portugal was the leading power in the world for trade and commerce, before the British and before the French. Throughout the 15th century, Portuguese explorers sailed the coast of Africa, establishing trading posts as they looked for a route to India and its spices, which were coveted greedily in Europe.

The current chef, Mark Twersky, a veteran of Per Se's kitchen, reflects attempts to create a more contemporary kind of Portuguese cooking using influences from Africa and Asia.

This restaurant is a must try not just for the cuisine but because the food is absolutely fantastic by itself. The wine-list is overlooked by Tarcísio Costa, the Wine Director and has incredible values with some Portuguese wines that are not found anywhere else. (The restaurant has relocated, the photos and article are from the old Alfama location in the West Village).


214 East 52nd Street,
New York, NY
Tel: 212 759-5552