Chow Now NYC Edition: Alta

With the stagnant New York City heat heavy in my head and the persistent sangria craving on my mind, it was the kind of night where only tapas would do. Now, I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I have high standards for tapas. After dining at tiny Catalonian cafés in Barcelona and savoring traditional Basque pinchos at counters in Valencia last summer, I wasn’t about to walk into any place in New York City that claimed to serve tapas. So I did what any dedicated 21st century foodie would do, and consulted the online culinary bible—Zagat. My research led me to a barely-marked sliver of a restaurant on a mostly residential street in the West Village.

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Alta, as it’s called, doesn’t claim much. You would most likely pass it on the street if you weren’t looking for it. It’s not even Spanish, rather it’s Mediterranean, and the menu is an overwhelming list of about fifty small plates. As I sat down in semi-awe of the selection, I took in the warm, rustic ambiance of the bi-level dining room. Each knotty wood table in the dimly lit room was illuminated by the glow of a disfigured white wax candle.

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The sangria seemed too fruity for our liking (the waitress told us it was citrus-based), so we chose wine instead. With two glasses of red Casa Castillo wine set on our table, we were ready to order. The sweet and smoky Spanish jumilla was the perfect way to start off our Mediterranean meal.

We started out small—or tried to, anyhow. One of the best parts of the tapas menu is its lack of form. It begs to be shared and ordered without structure. We kept one of the endless menus within arms reach after ordering, just in case we wanted to add on.

The warm vegetable salad with artichoke hearts, haricots verts, and roasted red peppers was the perfect light dish to start with. Tossed in a light sundried pepper and currant vinaigrette, the salad perfectly highlighted the fresh summer flavors of the veggies.

Next came the Prince Edward Island mussels with harissa lobster broth, preserved lemon, tarragon and basil. A steaming metal pot of shiny black mussels in an aromatic, terracotta-colored broth arrived at our table. It was a much larger plate than we had expected for the price. The mussels were tender and meaty, and the harissa gave the broth a kick of heat.

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Our favorite dish was the crispy Brussels sprouts with granny smith apples, crème fraiche, and pistachios. The outer layers of the sprouts were perfectly caramelized and complimented by the acidic crunch of the apples.

Surprisingly full from our three not-so-small plates, we left without dessert. Or maybe we just needed one more reason to go back.

Alta, located at 64 West 10th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues (closer to 6th),  features Mediterranean tapas and is open for dinner Monday-Thursday from 6:00pm-11:00pm, Friday-Saturday from 5:30pm to 12:00am, and Sunday from 6:00pm to 10:30pm.  The bar opens at 5:30pm daily.  Reservations can be made up to one month in advance by calling 212.505.7777 after 11am.  All reservations must be confirmed verbally on the day of the reservation before 3pm.  Alta only accepts American Express and cash.

–Jillian Di Filippo

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