Pamplona

[Nathan]

Stopped in here on Saturday night.

The decor has been slightly altered...the lighting's better.

Menu is large, lots of tapas, apps and a few "dishes to share" (paella etc.).

Both the tapas and the app portions are quite large. Execution and service are pretty good. So is the ingredient quality.

Especially recommend anything with jamon or chorizo or shrimp. Unfortunately, a tuna dish was overwhelmed by cabrales (it seems like there is cheese in almost every dish...which is a little much). very small wine list by the glass (for a tapas place). don't bother with the cocktails. unfortunately, an octopus dish proved again that there are exactly three restaurants in NY that actually do right by Octopus (Sabry's, Babbo, Bar Room at the Modern)...and this isn't one of them.

Crowd was a mixture of older and a few younger Murray Hillites. Dining room was almost full. the bar was completely empty (except for us). prices are very reasonable.

It's a shame to see Urena go....but Pamplona is immediately better than 90% of the tapas places in NY. it's quite different from Tia Pol and it's not as good as Casa Mono...but it's definitely worth checking out.

[docsconz]

  unfortunately, an octopus dish proved again that there are exactly three restaurants in NY that actually do right by Octopus (Sabry's, Babbo, Bar Room at the Modern)...and this isn't one of them.

←

If the octopus dish at last week's Rising Stars Review is any indication you can add 15 East to that list. It was spectacular and one of the highlights of the evening.

[LPShanet]

  unfortunately, an octopus dish proved again that there are exactly three restaurants in NY that actually do right by Octopus (Sabry's, Babbo, Bar Room at the Modern)...and this isn't one of them.

←

If the octopus dish at last week's Rising Stars Review is any indication you can add 15 East to that list. It was spectacular and one of the highlights of the evening.

←

Masato serves that dish at the sushi bar at 15 East, and it's great.

[Noodlebot]

I went to Pamplona tonight and was uniformly disappointed. I actually found the ingredient quality extremely low. Tuna tapas (served raw) was awful--it had a disgusting chewy consistency. Salt cod croquettes tasted like fish sticks. Only dates in bacon were OK, not great. Paella was salty, shrimp in it was fishy and tasted frozen, "chorizo" tasted like deli salami, and my fiance found a bone from the rabbit's spine as well as another bone in his portion. Service was also slow. Although there were 7-8 people working in the small room that was emptying when we arrived (9:30), we didn't get any service for 15+ minutes after we sat down. Both of the tables sitting immediately around us had to contest extra charges on their bill. Ours was fine. Will not be back.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Noodlebot (log)

[tjdnewyork]

Went here recently. Weird space. Bar counter is very awkwardly designed, with a too narrow front part that is way too small to balance a plate and utensils. The bartender was very nice. The tapas were not so good--we had a number of fried things. The second dishes were superb--a kind of crab lasagna and a poached shrimp dish. The main dish, called a confit of bacalao, was just okay. The one thing that really bothered me was the presence of many many flies. Not a good sign.

[Lenski]

Last week a couple of friends joined me at "Pamplona." I had read a few things about the place but, although it is very close from where I live, I had never eaten there.

I was impressed with what I had and so were my friends. We started with the Buñuelos de Queso(Iberico cheese, Manchego cheese, chorizo and beer fritter) and the Montado de Garbanzo y Guindillas (Chickpea fries, guindilla pepper emulsion) and they were both very good, simple execution but great tasting.

Then we had the gazpacho (with green tomatoes and yogurt sorbet) that was delicious and the Txanguro Lasagna, which was outstanding.

We finished the night with the "bistec" (Hanger Steak, with Patatas bravas) and it was another outstanding dish. I just came back from Spain last month and I went to Etxebarri so my bar for a good steak is pretty high. THis one was very good indeed.

We had the assortment of several desserts and all were delectable (a turron cake, an olive oil cake, an apple upside down sort of thing).

Service was good--if a little on the slow side which I fear might have been the kitchen's fault since it was not very full at all.

I was very impressed with Chef Alex Ureña and I recommend it, very good food and affordable. A lot better than all these ubiquitous "Tapas" places in NYC and Chicago, "Boqueria" in the Flatiron district being another great exception.

[docsconz]

Last week a couple of friends joined me at "Pamplona." I had read a few things about the place but, although it is very close from where I live, I had never eaten there.

I was impressed with what I had and so were my friends.  We started with the Buñuelos de Queso(Iberico cheese, Manchego cheese, chorizo and beer fritter) and the Montado de Garbanzo y Guindillas (Chickpea fries, guindilla pepper emulsion) and they were both very good, simple execution but great tasting.

Then we had the gazpacho (with green tomatoes and yogurt sorbet) that was delicious and the Txanguro Lasagna, which was outstanding.

We finished the night with the "bistec" (Hanger Steak, with Patatas bravas) and it was another outstanding dish.  I just came back from Spain last month and I went to Etxebarri so my bar for a good steak is pretty high. THis one was very good indeed.

We had the assortment of several desserts and all were delectable (a turron cake, an olive oil cake, an apple upside down sort of thing).

Service was good--if a little on the slow side which I fear might have been the kitchen's fault since it was not very full at all.

I was very impressed with Chef Alex Ureña and I recommend it, very good food and affordable. A lot better than all these ubiquitous "Tapas" places in NYC and Chicago, "Boqueria" in the Flatiron district being another great exception.

←

Although other than the service, I was unimpressed with Boqueria when I was there, it is encouraging to hear you speak so highly of Pamplona. I will have to give it a shot some time when in NYC.

[Lenski]

Morning docsconz,

I like "Boqueria" only if I can get there early and avoid the crowds (the noise level when it is packed--and it is always packed-- is beyond my comfort point).

I think they do a few things very well (their fish tends to be outstanding, in my experience), and they have very good "embutidos." It is a fun, unassuming place.

I like their "croquetas" very much.