Whenever someone asks for Spanish Tapas recommendations, if its not in Chelsea it doesn’t enter my mind. Just like Thai restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen, there are mysterious forces that attract some of the top Spanish talents to the neighborhood. As you may know, we are fans of Z-List long timer Tia Pol, but you also got the excellent Salinas, Mercado Little Spain, Casa Dani, El Quijote, Socarrat, and some others. Txikito, smack in the middle of them all, might just be the most important of the bunch.
A 15 y/o in super competitive NYC is approaching legend territory. It’s one of those places Ive been wanting to try for years, but somehow other mysterious forces prevented it, until an impromptu visit the other day. Impromptu and popular places as such means some luck involved. With my Islanders finally winning an important game the other day, and Mrs Z asking me to buy a lottery ticket now that the jackpot is over a Billion (as if 900 mil is pocket change), I might actually do just that.
Two open bar seats had our names on it, though we were asked not to linger for more than two hours. Not only perfectly fine with us, but I had another reason to leave before it got dark. I was sporting new sunglasses and left my regular glasses in the car. We were reminiscing about our California road trip ages ago where I lost my glasses somewhere off route 1 and had to wear prescription sunglasses for the last two days of the trip. I kid you not, the same evening I lost them we heard “I wear my sunglasses at night” on the radio. Yes, it was radio times.
Txikito is Basque, but as with so many ethnic places trying to introduce us to a specific cuisine, it feels more Spanish than Basque. Other than some of the famed Pinxos like Gilda (a skinny homage to Rita Hayworth), the famous Basque cheesecake, and the occasional very Basque mammoth Turbot, my eye didnt spy much Basque. It spied a Russian salad, found all over Spain for some reason. But dont get me wrong, I like this menu. Like a lot…
I dont recall ever eating Octopus Carpaccio this good. A place just outside Taormina’s (Sicily) old town comes to mind but thats about it. Silky smooth buttery perfection. A signature thats been on the menu since 2008. Another winner was a hearty plate of Spanish white beans with shrimp and mussels. The accompanied bread helped us scarpetta the heck out of it.
The expertly cooked Cochinnilo (suckling pig) was exactly as expected. Just crispy enough outside and supremely tender and flavorful inside. Its an ugly looking dish until you start digging in. I care for you readers, just not to the point of videotaping everything like other influencers. But cutting this in slow mo is a droolworthy exercise. Love the Frisée addition but wish it came with another item like potatoes.
The only thing I didnt care for was the pricy white Asparagus special with scallops. Initial bites were good but that one-tone sweetness got boring in a hurry. La Viña-esque cheesecake was satisfying. Esque means “we tried” here, although its been a few years since our visit to La Viña, San Sebastian where the cake was invented. Salinas nearby also serves a fine version.
Other than me still trying to figure out whether I like standalone Spanish red Vermouth, I think I covered everything. Nice atmosphere, smart decor. Although I didnt get a very good look as putting my sunglasses was like announcing “weirdo at seat 12” to the staff. I dont think I’ll wait another 15 years to Basque another move as I do want to try the rice dish and the rest of the menu. Maybe just stay away from the specials
Txikito
240 9th Ave (Chelsea)
Recommended Dishes: Octopus Carpaccio, Beans with shrimp and mussels, Cochinnilo, Cheesecake
Eating With Ziggy 