Tertulia

The first time I dined at Tertulia, I thought these were better tapas than I had when I went to Spain two years ago!  Way better.  Of all the tapas ordered, not one dish was 'off'.  We arrived at 6:30 and no wait, but anytime after 7:30, you will definitely have upwards of an hour, or more.  During our trip, no one really understood the allure of pan con tomate, but somehow ate it everywhere we went.

The simple dish of bread rubbed with tomato, garlic and oil really boiled down to the bread at Tertulia.  I don't know what purveyor they use for the bread, but it is a crusty sensation. 

There is a variation of this oyster special every night

Oysters with fino sherry, celery mignonette, crispy shallots and jamón serrano - if you haven't tried this, it is not to be missed.  It is such a unique way of serving oysters on the halfshell.

Grilled octopus with a hearty kale pistou which I found to be forgettable.

Holy sh****t ham croquettes.  Un.believe.able.  We also ordered the bacalao (I'll get to that in a second) and when I took the first bite of a croquette, it was so smooth and whipped, I thought it was the bacalao.  All who read my blog know how much I love a salty and sweet pairing and this was perfect with the membrillo (quince paste).  Sidebar - for a small, imported and inexpensive Portuguese groceries go to Soho's M&O Market Deli at 124 Thompson...they also have one of the best sandwiches around.

Bacalao with baked egg and roasted peppers - When there is a chance to eat more of that fantastico bread, get it, period.  The bacalao is made with potatoes, oil, garlic and egg for richness...no cream.  Similar to the dish I had in Sintra at Tulhas.

My ears only heard one word...uni.  Anything with uni I will order, so I thought I would keep the richness theme up with Arroz Negro, a frequent special of squid ink rice topped with the delicacy and tiny pieces of squid. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Stick with extra small plates when thinking about desserts. I have yet to have a dessert at Tertulia worth writing about.  Additionally, the service and food have been inconsistent as of late; however, it is worth the money and you should at least go once.

Basta Pasta

It was a last-minute decision to head to Basta Pasta, an Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant in Chelsea. Far more Japanese than Italian, this restaurant represents an interesting union between two cultures so passionate about their culture and cuisine. The industrial sized space favors Eastern minimalism, with the ambiance of a loud, Italian family gathered for dinner. Most patrons were Japanese (always a good sign in a Japanese restaurant) and the waitstaff was attentive and polite.

The bagna cauda appetizer was a simple crudite plate accompanied by a warm anchovy cream dip. The dip was a well-balanced blend of cream and anchovy; not too creamy and the right amount of anchovy that doesn't result in fishiness.

The spaghetti was the lighter of the two pastas served with the tobiko highlighted. Tobiko is versatile in cooking with its slightly sweet, salty flavor followed by crunchiness. The shiso leaf is such an underused ingredient; typically used as a garnish under the ginger and daikon in sushi restaurants (try it on a piece of tai, Japanese snapper, sushi with lemon and salt). It's pretty much used the way for the pasta, but with the shiso shredded on top, it actually has a chance of being consumed with each bite.

The uni linguine didn't sit for more than 20 seconds before I had to dig in, therefore, no photo was taken...next time. The brininess of the uni was lost in the pink sauce with basil, but the richness and creaminess was not. My tastebuds were overhyped and although it wasn't a letdown at all, I expected a little more.

The poached pears covered with vanilla ice cream and zabaglione were...if I may...a light way to end the meal. They somehow managed to play perfectly off one another in a dessert that could have been a sugar overload.

Basta Pasta 37 West 17th Street (212)366-0888
www.bastapastanyc.com