Pata Negra - Spanish/Tapas - East Village

Food: 7/10
Everything else: 7/10 
We'd travel with a pig in tow on the L-train if it ended up on our plates at this restaurant.

We were aimlessly wandering 12th street in a hungry state when we noticed Pata Negra, a tapas bar devoted to Spanish swine.

As lovers of pig, we just had to explore this spot -- and you should do the same.

With a full but not overwhelming crowd, the bar had pleasant Spanish music and elegant lighting.

The sangria we found a bit dull and uninspired and drove us to worry the place was all talk and no game. But as soon as the pig began to appear, our fears were erased.

We started with blood sausage, or Morcilla as it's called in Spain, and the stuff was black, gooey, and delicious. It lacked the firmness and structure that real Spanish Morcillas tend to have, but the flavors were there, such as they are.

Next were some patitas, or pieces of crisp (but not quite crunchy like crostini) toast with meat and melted cheese. The patitas of the sausage and manchego variety made us quite happy.

Finally, the coup-de-grace was an epic cheese and meat plate, the Dehesa, with lomo (pork loin, very similar in appearance to what Americans think of as ham), chorizo, jamon serrano (much like prosciutto), and manchego.

Huge and a delightful sight to behold, the platter sold us on the place. The meat was just as salty as it needed to be without overwhelming the taste-buds.

All we could see looking around the place were (surprisingly thin) people gorging themselves on big plates of pig -- and this made us existentially happy.

So if you enjoy enormous plates of meat and cheese in a romantic setting -- and you don't have a soft spot for pigs (or maybe you do but it doesn't stop you from eating them) -- this is the place for you. 

TLDR: Plate o' pig.

Curry-Ya - Japanese/Curry - East Village

Food: 5/10
Everything else: 6/10
We would eat Curry-Ya as an appetizer while waiting for our table at Shabu-Tatsu.

We explored Curry-Ya, the twelve-seat East Village open-kitchen bar, on Monday. Progeny of the 10th Street Japanese food Titan Bon Yagi -- he owns several restaurants on the block -- the place was inviting and intimate. The menu was small as expected, especially when you ignore things like hamburger curry and anything vegetarian, which we admit we tend to do. 

Service, as one might expect, was speedy and attentive. We ordered the beef dried curry and the Berkshire pork cutlet curry. Being able to watch our food cooked and plated was definitely a plus, the chefs calmly and professionally doing their thing just inches away.

The dishes themselves were good but far from outstanding. The curry for the pork cutlet was tasty but we both agreed that it lacked heat, despite our having requested it. Silky and brown, the curry bathed the pork nicely, though, and was the highlight. The pork itself was fried well: very crunchy outside and tender inside. The curry was served in a pot on the side which allowed the meat to stay crispy throughout the meal. 

The beef dried curry was rather dull, if serviceable, and did not make an impression; the bits of beef and egg looked better than they tasted.

We just had to try the coffee-flavored jello for desert, and though we found it strange, the flavors were fresh and more authentic than any other jello we'd tried.

The experience here is a pleasant one, then, but unlike the raw-beef phenomenon that is neighbor Shabu-Tatsu (to be reviewed in the near future), not essential.

TLDR: Go here if Shabu-Tatsu has a two hour wait. Otherwise, meh.

Zenkichi - Japanese Brasserie - Williamsburg

Food: 8.5/10
Everything else: 9/10
Price: $$
We would sleep on the L Train for Zenkichi.


We couldn't shake the Japanese Tapas bug this week and tried another spot in Williamsburg.


The atmosphere warrants comment.



An ideal date spot, Zenkichi features tables behind drawn shades; servers won't appear unless summoned via a button on the table, allowing for intimacy with a significant other -- or, in our case, a fellow foodie.

First we tried the jellyfish, served as fettucine-esque tentacles in a white sesame sauce. The server was skeptical we could handle it, confirming more than once that we were sure of what we were getting ourselves into. But it was worth the risk. Delicious, subtle flavor, and great, not-too-stringy texture. It wasn't nearly as weird as anticipated, so order it!


The tuna sashimi carpaccio in a green yuzu pepper sauce was fabulous; the pieces of fish were thick and meaty and the sauce was amazing.

Crispy chicken wings (yes, we're addicts) were next, and though treated differently than at Kasadela, they earned their place on the menu with great moisture and a sweet glaze.


The White Kukuni, a pork belly and egg soup, contained perhaps the most tender piece of pork we have ever consumed. The broth was delicious and the egg and tofu were very well done. The highlight of this dish was clearly the thick, juicy slab of pork. If you have any aversion to eating fatty foods you will want to skip this dish, as half of the inch-thick piece of pork is pure fat. Mmm.


All in all we had an amazing meal. Great atmosphere, very helpful and friendly server, and of course, fabulous food. Just do it.


TLDR: You should be eating at Zenkichi by now, why are you still reading this?

Kasadela - Japanese Tapas - East Village

Food: 6.5/10
Everything else: 3/10
Price: $$
We would travel 3 stops on the L train for Kasadela.


Kasadela is a Japanese small plate and bar spot in Alphabet City, and though it was empty when we visited on a recent Tuesday evening, the food was worth the rather eerie environment, made all the more bizarre by the funky music choices.

The meal itself, though, was best described as relaxing and enjoyable, and the small plates don't top $15. Even the sake was sanely priced. 


Absolutely amazing wings. We could have ended the blog post here and been satisfied. They were crunchy and beautifully sauced with a salty soy glaze. We wouldn't call them spicy, but there was a feint heat - more black pepper than true spicy.


An octopus special sparked our first disagreement. The dish was bits of raw octopus covered in a wasabi leaf marinade. Noah found the octopus to be nothing special in taste and a bit too chewy in texture. The marinade was nice however, as the wasabi leaf gave you the taste but not the bite of the wasabi. Matt was more of a fan.


Our favorite dish had to be the beef tataki, although we are both a bit biased by the inclusion of ponzu sauce - the greatest flavor ever created (that's factual). Sitting in a pool of ponzu, the beef was rare and beautifully charred. Topped with green apply matchsticks and diced daikon soaked in more ponzu (need we say more?). 


The calamari was decent. It was nicely cooked, well textured, and accompanied by a tasty garlic soy sauce and some kind of mayo. The soy dip was the best part of this dish, as we both felt the calamari was bland in itself. "Meh" overall.


We recommend ordering the roasted nori to snack on in between courses or with drinks. If you're a seaweed fan, or perhaps even if you're not, these are a great salty snack to munch on.


Perhaps it's not fair to hold the fact that the place was deserted against it. It was a Tuesday. But still -- weird.

TLDR: Generally good food but weird atmosphere.

La Superior - Mexican - Williamsburg

Food: 6/10
Everything else: 7/10
Price: $
We would travel 2 stops on the L train for La Superior.


This small, friendly South Williamsburg Mexican we visited on a recent Monday evening serves all the usual suspects, but the most interesting and flavorful dishes are the eccentric ones on the permanent menu.
  
We started with the guacamole, which was chunky, acidic, and tasted like it had been made just seconds before. It made a great first impression.

By far the best dish we tasted was the tostada de pata. We'd never had pig’s foot before, but are immediately ready to try it again. It was hard to pick out individual flavors as everything just melded into one amazing bite. Fresh cheese and avocado with a little bite of jalapeno. Delicious and highly recommended.

The taco specials left us wondering why any of them were being served that way. We tried the steak and garlic shrimp; the steak was bland and served alone on a tortilla in the most bizarre fashion. While flavorful, the garlic shrimp seemed out of place.


The queso fundido was sinfully delicious, a decadent treat, the chorizo having just a hint of heat and great texture.

Unfortunately, the salsas left a lot to be desired. We tried the sampler of house salsas and none had strong flavor; it was quite disappointing.


The margaritas -- we tried two kinds -- were among the highlights, with rich flavor and, in the case of the tamarind variety, easy on the eyes.

Service was solid and friendly, and were able to answer specific questions about the cooking techniques. The vibe was young and chatty, and the place felt like it was frequented by regulars. Only cash is accepted but there is an ATM right outside the door (it only gives ten dollar bills!).




TLDR: Fresh ingredients and authentic flavors. Order the guac, avoid the specials.