Socarrat

9/30/2008

Chelsea: 259 W. 19th St (near 8th Ave) - (212) 462-1000

Price Range: High End

Rating (1-10): 9

Soccarat is one of the most exciting restaurants I have been to in a while and I recommend it without hesitation. It's not often that I'm sitting at the table not even mid-way through my food and thinking, "I can't wait to come back here." Socarrat is a cozy, narrow restaurant with a long communal table down the middle, friendly service, classy, quirky interior design, and food you love to love.

Prior to this experience, I don't believe that I had ever had true paella, despite having ordered it off of numerous menus in multiple countries, including Spain. The great search is now over as this crusty pan of seafood-essence soaked rice lived up to the image I had always held for what it could and should be. The paella comes served in a large, circular black pan that is layered with rice (squid ink black rice also available) and mixed with various types of meats and veggies depending on your selection. It's quite a sight and the pictures on this website or the restaurants don't do the dishes justice. True to the name Socarrat, which refers to the cripy rice baked onto the bottom of the pan, there is delicious crunch, especially around the edge of the pan where it gets hottest. The rice has soaked up the seafood flavor which also is the smell you get as you walk into the wonderfully aromatic room. In terms of basic ingredients, paella is actually fairly simple - rice is the star of this dish. Just goes to show that sometimes, in fact, often times, the most basic thing done right is the most delicious thing.

Our "Socarrat Paella" came with mussels, clams, beef, chicken, cuttlefish, and squid. The seafood was somehow tender and not overcooked and rubbery like it often comes out with inauthentic paella. It's strongly seasoned, perhaps a bit on the salty side, but I found myself scraping the pan for every last bit I could scoop. Other mouth-watering varieties are also available and come in serving sizes that have a minimum of 2 people. It's filling and little heavy so you'll be happy with these generous portions.

The prelude to the paella is a "I want it all" selection of tapas that entertains and satifies while you wait for your paella, which takes 30 minutes to prepare (a good sign) . The Calamar a la Plancha squid dish with garlicky butter sauce and lemon is flavorful, tastes of the sea, and leaves you with a pool of sauce that you can clean off with a piece of bread, like you would with some great mussels. The Tocino con Datiles - braised pork belly with slices of green apple, date puree and roasted potatoes - is wonderfully fatty, hearty pork seared to a fox-brown color. The date puree and potato are perhaps a bit superfluous, or just fail to come thru, but the apple adds a nice fresh crispy sweetness to the savory pork. Usually in a menu, there are a few dishes that just don't seem that interesting or appealing, but that wasn't the case with this tapas - I'd put my money on any item.

Either there's someone at Socarrat with a design background or a great eye for decor, as this thoughtfully adorned restaurant incorporates art, rustic ornamentation, and also some sleek features like a mirrored table. (Only downside is that it's not good for large groups unless you can get the round table at the front.) If you look around and in the bathroom, you'll see evidence of a lot of attention to detail. This kind of conscientiousness is also a feature of the service, which is hospitable, and relaxed. At one point, a server came by to help us scoop out the paella, encouraging us to keep eating. There was no pressure, and instead just friendly staff occasionally checking in while bustling around this busy little joint. If you get a chance, look around for a portly gentleman named Lolo (real name: Jesus Manso) - he's the owner of Socarrat (as well as nearby tapas bar La Nacional). A quick conversation with him and how he got here 24 years ago from northwestern Spain will reveal to you where the warmth, character, and passion of this place come from.

On the cover of the menu, is a definition of the word soccarat and on the restaurant website is this description: "The delectable crust that forms on the bottom of the paella pan when the liquid is rendered and the rice reaches its peak of succulence." I couldn't have said it better. THIS is paella. Does this restaurant have soul? Yes, and it shows through in every facet of the experience.

Lucali

9/28/2008

Carroll Gardens: 575 Henry St (near Carroll St) - (718) 858-4086

Price: Mid-Range

Rating (1-10): 8

Lucali pizza is a top notch pizza operation with a cozy, fragrant, rustic setting. This is the kind of place that could easily be in the running for the oft-discusssed "best pizza in New York" distinction. In combination with the pizza itself, a very pleasant dining area, and it's one of the best pizza joints I've ever been to.

The bubbly, slightly burnt crust of the brick-oven pizza is fairly thin and crusty but also has a layer of soft doughy-ness to it as well. The sauce is a slightly sweet tomato sauce with a range of basic toppings: basil, mushrooms, artichoke, onions, olives, garlic, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, etc. But they keep it refreshingly simple, emphasizing the quality of the ingredients and the pizza crust. This pizza was light and I didn't feel weighted down like I had eaten a pizza dinner; in this respect, it reminded me a lot of Franny's, another outstanding Brooklyn pizzeria.

Other offerings on the menu are limited to calzones. So if you're not looking for pizza or calzone, obviously Lucali's is not the place to go. I appreciate the focus here as I think it only makes their craft better and more consistent. There is genuine effort put into a high quality product here - stemming from owner Mark Iacono, who built and opened the restaurant two years ago after deciding to jump into the world of pizza on no experience.

The eating area is separated from the kitchen by only a counter where uncut vegetables are displayed. Perhaps the radiant heat from the brick over is the reason it's a bit toasty in here. But it also adds to a nice sense of kitchen cozyness because you are in the kitchen. The dimly lit room is romantic and fun, with a slight buzz echoing through the high-ceilinged room. The decor is rustic, wood, just what you'd expect. Service at Lucali is relaxed, responsive, and very friendly. It's casual joint and the service keeps it chill as well.

A few other helpful tidbits: it's byob (which means you have to bring drinks and perhaps risk that they'll get warm while you're waiting - but also means a cheaper bill! There's a few bodega's a couple blocks away); it's cash only; and you'll have to wait, outside. Call ahead. You can also get to-go pizzas, although it's never nearly as good as eating it there.

No way around it, Lucali's is awesome. If you're serious about pizza, you should make a visit.

Buddy's Burrito & Taco Bar

9/26/2008
Carroll Gardens: 260 Court St (near Butler St) - (718) 488-8695
Price: Cheap Eats
Rating (1-10): 5


Buddy's Burrito & Taco Bar is a slightly above average Mexican food joint. It's better than a Chipotle or some kind of chain Mexican and affordable at about $3 per taco. But I also think it's more for the "I need to eat" situation rather than a "I want something awesome" situation.

The tacos come with two, tasty soft shells and you can get beef, chicken, shrimp, or fish. The chicken is fine, the beef was probably best, and the fish was not good. The steak is marinated and thin sliced with a nice char from the grill. The fish taco comes with a deep fried rectangular rod of fish. It always confuses me why a company would produce a product like this since we all know that there are no right angles on a fish. In any case, it tastes fishy and just reminds of what one might find in the frozen foods section of Costco. On the fish is a pinkish, spiced mayo-like sauce which does not add appeal to the taco.

My favorite part is probably the availability of several different types of sauces, red and green in varying degrees of hotness. I always find that these sauces are essential in adding a bit of flavor and heat, fresh feeling, and moisture to tacos. The eatery part of Buddie's is sort of hot and doesn't seem that clean - not the most pleasant dining area although not entirely objectionable either. If I had a nice spot outside or at a nearby friend's place, I'd get it to go.

Overall, I'd say I haven't found a better quick grab n' go style Mexican food joint (other than the Mexican ballfields in Red Hook) in Brooklyn.

Pinche Taqueria

9/21/2008

Soho: 227 Mott St (and Spring St) - (212) 625-0090

Price: Cheap Eats

Rating (1-10): 6

Pinche Taqueria is a fun spot to drop in and grab some cheap eats done well and light. It's casual and kind of hipster New Yorky but not in an annoying way. Prices are very fair and for around $10, you can grab a filling meal, and hang out in the small eating area or just outside (if weather is nice) and enjoy the SoHo scene.

The menu is pleasantly varied selection of tacos, burritos, salads, and other fixins - with fish, pork (braised and grilled), beef, shrimp, chicken - and the food comes out quick. It's mostly good but it's not a homerun. The braised pork taco (carnitas) has a porky flavor although tougher than most things braised. The chicken (pollo asado) had char flavor but a bit on the rubbery side and the fish taco (pescado), a deep fried piece of fish, is soft and tasty, especially with a squeeze of lime. The tacos are served with crispy onions, cilantro, a pleasantly unadorned guac, and a side of green or red salsa. (If you can get extra salsa, I'd recommend giving it an extra douse for extra flavor.) What's nice is that, thanks to the toppings, these tacos have a light, fresh feeling, even the deep fried fish. For what is essentially street food, it's comfortably above average in quality, taste and healthiness.

If you're looking for a quick and affordable bite or if you got a hankerin' for some Mexican food, I'd recommend popping in on Pinche Taqueria. Chances are, you'll at least think it's worth the ~$10 you spend.