Bar Carrera: Getting to the Bottom of Tapas

Let it be known that in 7 days, I will be getting my international travel on when I embark upon a week-long journey to Catalonia with Meghan, my brother the Uberchef, and 3 of my cousins, each much more worldly than myself. Though I plan to the spend the lion's share of this Iberian itinerary on a gastronomic gallivant of sorts in, out, and along the labyrinth of Barcelona's millenia-old streets, I have every intention of leaving the confines of the city proper at least once in order to explore the countryside. Be it along La Rambla, or at the foothills of Basque country, I can most certainly assure you that every waking moment of the day I'll be taking part in some sort of activity that relates to eating food and lots of it.

This should be no surprise coming from the guy who forwent a 30 minute wait at the Sistine Chapel so he could quaff Campari and crush multiple panini on an afternoon-long cafe crawl at the behest of perfect spring day in Rome.

Sorry Michaelangelo...there's always next time.

So as I conjure up ways to skip out on seeing the priceless architectural influences of Gaudi' and the like for some super-salty cured meat and hours-old fresh seafood doused in garlic and oil, I thought what better way to prepare myself for this upcoming journey to the land of the almighty Bocadillo than to dedicate my next post to an indisputably charming tapas bar. A tapas bar that is steadily making its way to the top of my Best of 2009 list.

I speak of Bar Carrera.

With its flagship East Village location enjoying a vibrant business, the masterminds behind Bar Carrera (and its predecessor Bar Veloce) made the wise decision about a year ago, to sprout a second location on the West Village corner of MacDougal and West Houston Street - mere yards from my humble, falafel joint-flanked abode.

Eager to celebrate my 28th birthday, Meghan and The Uberchef joined me at this titillating tapas bar for what would become one of this year's most unforgettable meals.

First off the vibe here is totally relaxed, made wholly possible by its Houston street entrance which slides open to introduce the restaurant to the sidewalk, creating an open-air dining experience that is perfect for a cool summer's night. Inside, a tiled wall on one side does its best to capture the scarce light that can be had from the votive candles that adorn the high-tables which run the length of the narrow space. To your right a handsome bar defends a charming exposed brick backdrop as well as a fully stocked wine shelf, anchored in the front by a large flat-screen TV that often has the Godfather Part 1 (or 2) on mute, This is simply outstanding in my book. Who wouldn't want to see a young Vito Corleone whack Don Fanucci at the San Gennaro festival while noshing on some thinly-sliced chorizo?! I know I would.







And speaking of food...

We commenced the meal with a pitcher of one of my favorite drinks in all of the City, Kalimotxo, a sanguine Basque concoction of red wine and cola, in what I purport to be about a 60/40 split, garnished with a fresh cinnamon stick that is as much there for flavor as it is appearance. Neither terribly tannic, nor troublesomely carbonated from the cola, this is a refreshing alternative to heavy reds that can slow you down on an evening when you need to be at your best. And we can't have that can we.















As the birthday boy my guests were so kind as to allow me to do most of the ordering, which at Bar Carrera is easy since you are leather-faced Nancy Pelosi-insane not to get 1 of everything - at the very least.

We began with the Chorizo (below), a sprawling plate of spicy, fat-flecked coins of the classic Spanish sausage. Salty and spicy and gone before you we knew it; there is no better way to whet the palate for what's to come.


As is customary with any tapas experience, the plates arrive in no particular order, and in a continuous flow. In this case, it was the Pan Con Tomate , that peculiar second cousin to Bruschetta that employs a slightly toasted brioche to bear the weight of a bold yet delicate relish that featured perfectly stewed tomatoes, graced with copious amounts of powdered olive oil. This is without question a must order and easily one of the plates you'll remember at the end of the night.
With our engines started we proudly dug into the paprika-dusted goat cheese (below right) which was accompanied by a remarkably delicious, oven-warm baguette for easy dipping. Neither complicated, nor presumptuous in presentation, this particular plate is Carrera's simplest, and yet easily one of its most popular -with much thanks to the bread of course.















Reveling in the simplicity of quality cheese and bread, out came one of the night's stars - the Patatas Bravas. Probably on every tapas bar menu in the country at this point, this classic dish has somewhat become the poster child for the overall tapas experience in this country, having quietly infiltrated the American palate quite successfully over the last 10 years while managing to avoid a commercial raping and pillaging of its authenticity a la Sushi - so far anyway. Like anything else you plan on putting in your mouth, popularity should beget quality, not compromise it, and while every establishment has its own take on this Spanish staple, Bar Carrera's is the best I've yet to encounter. As a mound of plump triangular morsels of buttery smooth potatoes fully clad in a crunchy, crispy layer of salty goodness, the Patatas Bravas is the kind small plate you wish was big - very big. A wonderful display of starchy stardom, made even better when dipped into Carrera's spicy, paprika-loaded aioli that is nothing short of addictive.

If you don't like these Patatas Bravas, then I can't help you.
Not letting up, we shifted our focus to the albondigas, or "meatballs" (below), which in this case consisted of hearty spheres of grassy lamb resting in a precariously precious puddle of tomato jus that was somewhere between a thick ragu and a rendered brodo. Four lovely slices of the baguette come to rescue in terms of affording you to chance to get every last bit of that wonderful broth off the plate. God only knows the meatballs were long gone before that.

In the interest of serving my self-righteous birthday need to order everything the menu, we were next graced with the Chorizo Stew (below). This hearty, robust tomato-based elixir was jam-packed with bulbous bits of zingy chorizo and garlic that made for a great topping for the ever so crucial bread with which it comes. If you like Giambotta, you'll absolutely love this.
Getting a bit more decadent with things, the Pork Belly (below), caramelized with juniper sugar, was succulent, sweet, and salty all at once.
Near the top of the tapas Totem pole, perhaps even above Patatas Bravas, sits Gambas con Ajillo, or Shrimp with Garlic. Best described as the Spanish Tapas world's take on Shrimp Scampi, Carrera's version wisely takes few, if any liberties in adding its own flare, and instead does right by its classic form: incredibly fresh shrimp flash sauteed in garlic and oil, then doused in that same oil, and of course more garlic. Teeming with minced garlic and ample amounts of oil for the always obligatory dipping, this plate makes my top 5 of the night.

After a couple lamb meatball plates that were tasty and somewhat effective in numbing my indifference towards lamb in general, came the final two plates of the night, which also happened to be the best 2 plates of the night.

First, the Jamon Bocadillo (below), is a sensual, almost erotic combination of paper-thin cured ham and cheese on a thoroughly buttered, semi-sweet brioche bun. Warmed through just enough to encourage full-on intercourse between the cheese and the ham, this sandwich (you actually get 2) is not only one of the best plates at BC, but probably one of the best bites in all of the city - especially at $6. And while I rarely exercise such literary liberalness and coronate anything truly "craveworthy", the Jamon Bocadillo at Bar Carrera is one of those culinary treasures that is always on my mind. It both aids me in getting through the morning while simultaneously making my afternoon seem endless.


As heartbreaking, and even more lascivious in layout is the Egg in a Blanket (below), a yolky, oven-kissed package of serrano ham, egg, and manchego cheese nestled comfortably in a crunchy mini-brioche. I unconditionally adore this particular dish, first for its complex collective flavor drawn from simple ingredients, and second for its incredibly varied texture that ranges from crunchy to smooth to crunchy again in one bite.

Notwithstanding my upcoming trip to Barcelona, Bar Carrera, as its own entity, in its own light, has come to represent what today's New York dining scene is all about for me. Salty - sweet - spicy - delicious and affordable. Furthermore, my birthday dinner, which was my 3rd trip to this wonderful establishment, fully affirms my feeling that Bar Carrera is one of those eateries where its identity is transcended by its genuineness - where an eater, or better yet, an Ubereater, can appreciate quality food, that is made with the utmost of care. Thankfully, the BC folks have stayed true to the Spanish tradition and chosen to highlight and promote this wonderful age old culinary experience as opposed to bastardizing it. For that, I am greatly appreciative.

My affinity for Bar Carrera runs much deeper than my qualifying it as a superb tapas bar (though it is), in that I am wholeheartedly flattered by the notion that a handsome tapas bar in Greenwich Village won't just have you pining for Patatas Bravas, but urge you to realize that nothing tastes better than honoring the tradition of an ancient culture.

Though the Jamon Bocadillo and the Egg in a Blanket do come awfully close.

Bar Carrera (map it)
Food: A
Service: A (you check off what you want at the table and bring it to the bartender)
Ambiance: A (romantic, charming, and relaxing)
I love swine - flu or not!