Pintxos 2002   

510 Greenwich St
New York, NY 10013
212-343-9923

Directions   Email   Send to Cell  

Pronounced "pinchos," you'll have to pinch yourself just to make sure you remember that the tasty tapas at Javier Ortega's downtown delicacy are actually real. For the uninitiated, tapas are traditional Spanish tasting dishes from the Andalusian region. What started as a piece of bread covering your wine glass to protect it from fruit flies ("tapa" in Spanish means "cover") has now become a full-course offering that can be eaten as an ensemble-like piece-meal -- hot or cold, seafood or veggie. The selections here include flatbreads, croquettes, mussels and stuffed peppers, all beefed up with aromatic oils, garlic and spices. Ortega's cuisine also includes some exquisite entrees, so it's well worth it to save room. The main draw is squid in its ink, and grilled prawns, grilled lamb chops and codfish are all equally worth the wait. Add an all-Spanish wine list, and before you know it, you'll be back in Barcelona basking in the glow of an authentic Basque bastion of delight. -- Yon Motskin