Spanish Sangria-Newark

[Rosie]

I have always recommended Spanish Sangria to friends as being one of the better Spanish/Portuguese restaurants in Newark. After our experience last night I am reluctant to return to this restaurant. Food was good, service poor and the smoke was intolerable. We ordered sangria when seated which was very weak--certainly not worth having. We waited over 10 minutes for a waiter to take our order which surprised us as the restaurant was barely filled. It never filled up which is unusual on a Saturday night. We had chicken noodle soup which comes with dinner. I prefer the bean/kale soup that is sometimes served. Then we shared wonderful garlic mushrooms. For entrees I had red snapper and Lowell had broiled short ribs. Both came with the addictive Spanish potatoes. We arrived at 7 and our entrée came after 8. By 9 after we waited to be asked if we wanted coffee and dessert for over 15 minutes we just asked for our check and left.

Spanish Sangria does not have a non-smoking dining room. However with three dining rooms I don't understand why one can't be made smoke free. The manager told me the owner wants to allow smoking in all of the rooms. It's been so long since I have been in a "smoking allowed" restaurant I forgot how nauseating the smoke can be. There were two men smoking cigars and the other four tables that were filled had cigarette smokers. So between the smoke and slooooooooooooow service I am looking for a new favorite besides Casa Vasca.

[Jason Perlow]

Interesting, we were in Newark last night as well, at the recently renovated Seabra's Mediterranean Manor, in their sports bar.

Food was good, nobody was smoking, but the service had some communication issues. Its only been open for a month though.

We had just gotten off a plane from St. Maarten and dealt with an hour wait at US customs, so we ate everything they brought us!

[thereuare]

On a slightly related note, the wife-to-be and I returned from the gym late on Friday nite and decided to stop by Arthur's Tavern (Hoboken) for a burger and a beer since we only live 1/2 block away and it would be quick.

This too is another restaurant with multiple rooms (at least 5 that i know of) and does NOT offer a non-smoking section. We would visit more frequently if they made a non-smoking area available. Does anybody know if their other locations offer no smoking areas? I would think that maybe their Hoboken location is busiest and they don't want to deal with separate waiting lists for smokers and non-smokers, or perhaps they can "get away with it" in Hoboken, as i think that patrons at their "suburb" locations would be less tolerable to putting up with smoke if they are non-smokers. Incidentally, the don't allow pipe and cigar smoke (if they realize that many people don't like to smell that stuff, why don't they realize there are many that don't like to smell cigarette smoke either).

If somebody wants to smoke i have no problems with them doing so and i even appreciate somebody's right to smoke, but it really spoils my meal when the smoke at the table next to mine blows in my direction while i'm eating. Especially in a restaurant with multiple rooms, why not have at least one of them designated "no smoking?" If some customers choose not to wait for a table in the non-smoking area then they could simply designate "first available" when they give their name to the hostess.

[Rachel Perlow]

Yes, the food last night at Mediterranean Manor was great. We were trying to head for Spanish Sangria, ironically, and would have arrived as you were leaving. We got slightly lost and ended up on Jeffereson so we went to MM instead. The renovated rooms are beautiful, the bar area kind of feels like you are eating in a wine cellar. The communications issue Jason is referring to led to the wrong shrimp appetizer (Shimp with a red enchilada sauce instead of Garlic Shrimp), but they were delicious and we were starving so we ate them anyway.

Sounds like we shouldn't bother returning to SS.

[beachcove]

I, too, have been disappointed with Newark restaurants lately. Would you consider a trip to North Bergen instead?

I've found the food at Tapas De Espana to be far far better than anything in the Ironbound, and I believe their dining room is non-smoking.

[Rosie]

I travel for good food!! Give us the address again. Are they open on Sundays?

[beachcove]

They're at 7909 Bergenline Ave., North Bergen. (201) 453-1690.

They are open every day for lunch and dinner, but I've been avoiding them on the weekends because it just gets SO packed! Parking can be tough then, too.

But the food and sangria (!) are worth all the hassle.

Can't wait to hear what you think.

[Rosie]

Would I need a reservation on a weekday night?

[phaelon56]

My ex GF's family is Cuban but also has much family in Spain - her parents love this place and go there at least once a week. She confirms that it's very good.

[beachcove]

Rosie, you might not need a reservation earlier in the week. But I think later in the week you'd definitely want one, if only to avoid a wait at the bar. The bar is beautiful, but smoking is allowed in that section.

[tommy]

spanish and iberian places generally, for whatever reason, allow smoking at the tables. you *rarely* see this anywhere else. it seems to be part of the culture. as someone who has often enjoyed a cigarette after a meal, i can say that it's good for smokers. but it's pretty horrible overall.

[phaelon56]

Just checked with the ex .... she says the place she really likes is

Mundo Latino Restaurant

8619 Bergenline Ave

North Bergen, NJ 07047-5172

Phone:(201)861-6902

She thinks Tapas de Espana is good and definitely better than the Ironbound places but she (and her family) prefer Mundo Latino (it is in fact the one I was originally thinking of but couldn't recall the name). Don't know if they have a non-smoking room but it's a worth checking out - we don't agree on smoe matters but on food our opinions rarely conflict - if she says it's good it is.

[beachcove]

I love Mundo Latino too! They have a very nice cheese platter appetizer, and a dish called "Solomillo al Mundo Latino" that I enjoy. It's basically two huge filets mignon with a lot of mushroom gravy. Sort of comfort food, with the boiled potatoes. We used to go there about once a month.

There's only one dining room, and it is not non-smoking, which is fine with me, but I know is awful for others.

My husband and I started visiting Tapas rather than Mundo for a few reasons:

Tapas' menu changes seasonally, i.e. the baby squid in ink sauce appetizer that was occasionally available this summer, but is now, sadly, gone.

The appetizers and entrees are a bit more assertive in use of spices, seasonings, and vegetables.

Tapas has a bar that welcomes and accommodates diners - the bartenders are as knowledgeable about the food as the waiters are - Mundo has a sort of garishly lit lunch counter instead. But, you can get Cuban sandwiches at that lunch counter!

But those are all very personal kinds of quibbles, and I wouldn't expect anyone to agree with us necessarily.

That said, I love both places, and I don't think you could go wrong in either one!

[phaelon56]

She seems to agree with you that both are good and in particular, are better than the typical Ironbound place. I'll have to check a few of them out soon - North Bergen is just as close for me as Ironbound (15 minute drive). have you tried any of the Peruvian places up there? Have any reccomendations?

[beachcove]

I'm afraid we haven't tried any of the Peruvian places - and if we did, it would be our first experience with that cuisine, so I don't think we'd be in much of a position to recommend...sorry.

What can you tell me about Peruvian? Any places that you especially like?

[Jason Perlow]

Some new Spanish Sangria pics:

The complimentary Caldo Gallego to start you off.

Champiniones Ajillo. By far one of my favorite renditions of this dish.

Spanish Sangria excels at Shrimp Ajillo as well.

Scallops Sangria, which was sort of a miss. Scallops shells stuffed with scallops and crabmeat, with cheese melted on top.

Sangria's Paella Valenciana. Despite the fact that this particular paella had the addition of both pork and squid w/tentacles, in addition to the usual chicken, lobster, clams, scallops, mussels and chorizo, I felt this dish was pretty bland. I prefer Casa Vasca's version better, which uses more chicken stock. I couldnt detect a saffron flavor here, if they used any at all, and I felt most of the seafood was overcooked.

Paella Valenciana, plated.

[Rachel Perlow]

Just in case you've noticed, yes, we keep trying new Ironbound places and keep preferring Casa Vasca. In fact, last night we attempted to try Galicia of Spain (about one block into Lafayette on the right), but I was spooked by a really bad vibe about the place: at 6:45 on a Sunday night, the dining room was empty save for one other table, and the restroom was poorly maintained. So we plead "paged" and left to give Spanish Sangria another try. The bar and dining room were busy, plus a party going on in the back. The apps were great, I was really in the mood for those mushrooms, but that scallop thing was poor, and the paella was lacking. Where should we go next?

[Rich Pawlak]

Just in case you've noticed, yes, we keep trying new Ironbound places and keep preferring Casa Vasca. In fact, last night we attempted to try Galicia of Spain (about one block into Lafayette on the right), but I was spooked by a really bad vibe about the place: at 6:45 on a Sunday night, the dining room was empty save for one other table, and the restroom was poorly maintained. So we plead "paged" and left to give Spanish Sangria another try. The bar and dining room were busy, plus a party going on in the back. The apps were great, I was really in the mood for those mushrooms, but that scallop thing was poor, and the paella was lacking. Where should we go next?

←

I found Brasilia Grill to be quite good, for the rodizio/salad bar thing.

[Jason Perlow]

Has anyone had the Paella at Marisqueria? Being a Portuguese restaurant, I tend to eat the native seafood dishes there, but I would imagine they'd do a good job with Paella. Do they even have Paella on the menu?

Edited May 22, 2006 by Jason Perlow (log)

[JohnL]

Just in case you've noticed, yes, we keep trying new Ironbound places and keep preferring Casa Vasca. In fact, last night we attempted to try Galicia of Spain (about one block into Lafayette on the right), but I was spooked by a really bad vibe about the place: at 6:45 on a Sunday night, the dining room was empty save for one other table, and the restroom was poorly maintained. So we plead "paged" and left to give Spanish Sangria another try. The bar and dining room were busy, plus a party going on in the back. The apps were great, I was really in the mood for those mushrooms, but that scallop thing was poor, and the paella was lacking. Where should we go next?

←

Where to go next?

I would drive into Newark. park at the Train Station, take AMTRAK to Philadelphia and go to AMADA!

Seriously, I know this thread is about NJ (isn't Philly a suburb of Camden?) and there is a thread about Amada here at eGullet but I had a meal there last Friday and can't help kvelling!

I love Spanish food (my all time favorite--though I haven't been in a while--is Tio Pepe in Baltimore) and have been very disappointed in what we have here in the tri state area including most of the places in the Newark area--I like Meigas in Norwalk CT and both Solera's are ok also

La Camelia in Mt Kisco in addition to a couple mentioned in this thread.

After Friday though--I will have a really hard time in any place but Amada.

WOW!