Café Español

Spanish / $$

78 Carmine St. between 7th Ave. So.-Bedford St.
1 train to Christopher St.-Sheridan Sq.
(212) 675-3312
www.cafeespanolcarmine.com

Sun-Thur noon-midnight, Fri-Sat noon-1 AM
Reservations suggested for dinner
Takeout & delivery available
Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover, Diner’s

2nd location: 172 Bleecker St., (212) 505-0657

Old-world Spanish cuisine rules at this quiet neighborhood eatery, where everything exceeds expectation. The Paella Valencia is loaded with mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, and chicken—the waiter will thoughtfully ask if you'd rather skip the chicken—and there's enough for two. Order it with lobster and it's even better. Red snapper is succulent and pan-fried potato slices make a nice side order. The Café is so adept at fish that we neglected the veal and other dishes (but don’t let that stop you). Stuffed clams are subtle and gazpacho is thick and good. Sangria comes in a choice of white or red and our strawberry margarita was lovely. Finish with flan, drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream.

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