49 replies to this topic

[Sneakeater]

I think Steve has something he wants to tell us.

[Steve R.]

In the interview with her on Eater, Alex says of La Vara "It's not completely inexpensive, but there's lots of value". A very honest and accurate statement based on the meal we had there a couple of nights ago. Three of us ate at the bar and racked up a sizable $180 tab (before tip) without drinking very much (a $30-something bottle of white and a glass of red for Ginny) but all 3 of us came out satisfied and sure that we'll go back. The menu is deep enough to eat differently each visit for awhile or to bring a small group and sample a variety. And each dish is a relatively unique, interesting well executed plate that you won't find in any of the duplicative places opening up everywhere. Yes, the portions are not large (even "medium" might stretch it with some of them), but everything we sampled was tasty and satisfying. And, cumulatively, they provided enough food to leave happy. We spent some time talking to Alex while we ate and it seems like she's happy there and tinkering with the menu regularly, trying to gauge what the neighborhood wants (& needs) from her. And, based on the full house that we were part of (we left after 9pm and there was a wait for tables and bar seats), it looks like its going just fine. A nice addition to the area, especially since they're not growing their veggies on the roof.

Oh yeah, one more thing... there's olive oil gelato (ice cream?) being served for dessert and it was ok. Sorry Alex, we'll stick with Meredith on this one and remain with Otto. But the riff on poached pear, using a peach instead, was damn good.

[Steve R.]

Nice review by Wells in today's NYT.

[Lex]

Two stars. What a surprise.

[Daniel]

Small plates, big money. The place is ok. There is a large menu, there is an array of options to choose from. We ordered a few things. The plates were tiny and overpriced in my opinion.


Besides the pricing bordering on gouging, my other complaint is the wine. When I found out this place was run by the same people who own Quinto Pino and Txicito, I was expecting the same focus on wine. And while their bottle selections are nice, the by the glass kind of sucks.. And what is worse, the glasses they serve the wine in are not the great either I had a few glasses of the house white.. It was on tap. It was a decent wine but, they served it in these thick scotch glasses. Not to mention the glass is so large and they fill it like a quarter way.. So, the wine looks pretty sad in the glass.

Some things we liked was the eggplant dish.. It was sitting in a few cheeses with a honey. I very nice dish. There was also squid with Canadian Caviar. This too was a lovely dish. All very tiny but, nice.

When I lived in Manhattan, I would frequent Quinto Pino and their other locations.. You can pop in for a drink, have a little snack and bounce. Here, it just seems less approachable, more serious, more expensive and more uptight. I


it's Brooklyn.. They need to lighten up a bit.. They can lower the price on everything by a lot. They should shake up the by the glass wine list, get some real freaking glasses, get the Cidre and some Txacoli.


They had the suckling pig last night but, it was 30 bucks.. Not to mention, they started giving us the bums rush at 1050 at night.

[jmoranmoya]

Agree with Daniel. Muy caro!

[Wilfrid]

Is it the Brooklyn location that makes the prices seem high? It doesn't look more expensive than Txikito (but I haven't seen how small the plates are).

[Anthony Bonner]

I like Txikito enough that I used to get treated like a regular there, but I think its pricey by Manhattan standards for what it is. Its sort of a poster child for how small plates can add up cost wise.

they aren't doing Txacoli and Cider because it isn't a basque themed place.

[Wilfrid]

Back on my hobby-horse, it's next to impossible to do real tapas in Manhattan, because you need to turn the equivalent of dinner covers. You can't have people occupying real estate while they eat two shrimp. Guess it's that way in Brooklyn too.

I'm used to it now, but I do recall being startled at going out for tapas and finding I'd spent what I'd spend for dinner.

[Daniel]

I like Txikito enough that I used to get treated like a regular there, but I think its pricey by Manhattan standards for what it is. Its sort of a poster child for how small plates can add up cost wise.

they aren't doing Txacoli and Cider because it isn't a basque themed place.

I don't know how specific they are being with the bar. Like do they carry hard alcohol or beer or even wines outside of one particular region of Spain.. If that were the case, it would make sense then.

[Wilfrid]

You can drink cider all over Spain. That doesn't necessarily make any difference to New York restaurateurs and publicists thinking about their "proffer."

[Suzanne F]

Is it the Brooklyn location that makes the prices seem high? It doesn't look more expensive than Txikito (but I haven't seen how small the plates are).

It's around the corner from where Paul lived in the early 1970s. Back then the neighborhood okay (old Italians, mostly, renting to a mix of folks) but definitely not as chi-chi as the Heights. I'm guessing that it's moved up the socio-economic scale, but can it really be that high-rent now? I mean, Mile End?

[Anthony Bonner]

You can drink cider all over Spain. That doesn't necessarily make any difference to New York restaurateurs and publicists thinking about their "proffer."

sure sure. I'd guess the story is that cider and even more so, Txacoli has been "done". Any pseudo-tapas place in town has bottles of it on the menu. I think La Vera is trying to hop on the new hipness trend - Sherry.

Remember when Tertulia was going to be Asturian? Good times good times. Hey they have that one bottle of Asturian Wine that comes into the US.

[AaronS]

that neighborhood isn't cheap.

[Daniel]

sure sure. I'd guess the story is that cider and even more so, Txacoli has been "done". Any pseudo-tapas place in town has bottles of it on the menu. I think La Vera is trying to hop on the new hipness trend - Sherry.

I am just remembering last night! I was drinking some pretty average Vinho Verde from Portugal last night.. It was 10 dollars out of a tap, they poured what looked like a quarter of a glass.. Definitely not breaking any molds with that nonsense.