Yesterday, my friend Charles, an avowed tapas hater, (“I like the my plate piled with food; it’s the American way,” he explained), agreed to meet me for lunch at Boqueria, a new tapas place on 19th street that’s won some plaudits from both the New York Times and New York magazine.

After we were seated, Charles scrutinized the menu, shrugged with resignation, and said, “You order.” Croquetas Cremosa, creamy croquettes of Serrano ham, chicken and mushrooms, won his grudging praise for their crispy exterior and buttery filling. Charles declared the grilled lamb just fine; I found the chunks marinated in lemon and cumin, tough and tasteless. Two open-faced sandwiches, one topped with a fried egg, the other with roaster peppers, garlic, eggplant, and garrotxa, were satisfying, he said, though the thick slabs of bread were too much for the thin layer of topping, which should have assumed the starring role.

Despite the shortfalls, Charles declared the meal a success. “That was really good,” he said, with a hint of surprise in his voice.

Boqueria
63 W. 19th Street
NY, NY
212 255 4160

Related posts:

1. Chelsea: Boqueria for Great Tapas
2. Tapas and Wine Bar Hits the Right Note on the Upper West Side
3. Gramercy: Red Velvet Cake at Duke’s Rocks…Maybe. And the Top 5 Red Velvet Cupcake Places in NY