Yeah, I've mentioned how much I love Restaurant Week - I love to try restaurants I wouldn't normally get to; most especially, I like trying the food of chefs I've enjoyed seeing on tv. Chef Seamus Mullen has been a charming judge and contestant on various shows on Food Network and last time I saw him, his restaurant Tertulia was mentioned. When the RW website listed Tertulia as an option, I jumped at the chance. Plus, I really love tapas.
Tertulia was easy to get to from my office, just a few subway stops and it was easy to find once I got off the subway (I admit to getting lost really easily when I'm in the Village, I don't know why). I made a reservation for a late-ish lunch, so the dining room wasn't packed, which was nice. The restaurant is very charming, with a lot of brick and distressed wood. Menus are all around, with daily specials written on chalkboards. The kitchen in the back is open, so you can watch the chefs prepare your dishes. I was sitting pretty close to the back, but I was too lazy to get up. I liked the atmosphere a lot, though, and the staff had a relaxed, breezy attitude.
I love having a RW lunch on a Summer Friday - it means I can linger as long as I want, and have a cocktail, if I so choose. Yesterday, I so chose. Along with the discounted 3-course lunch menu, Tertulia is offering a discounted price on sangria. You don't have to tell me twice to order discounted sangria. It was very yummy with fresh apples and peaches floating on top, and it was a very nice-sized portion. For my appetizer, it was a no-brainer for me. I adore pan con tomate and they're serving it with serrano ham, so it was clear that's what I would order. It was delicious - the bread was crusty and crisp from the broiler, and it was also kind of juicy from the olive oil and tomato pulp. And the serrano ham was deliciously salty and fatty. It was perfectly sized, enough to enjoy and whet my appetite but not too much to make me full. Loved it.
I got the paella of the day - chicken - for my main course. I love paella and it's hard to order it out in a single portion. This came served in an individual paella pan with some charred lettuce, roasted vegetables, wonderfully moist chicken and incredible rice. The crispy rice on the bottom was a delicious bonus. On the side, I was served tasty accompaniments - a charred lemon half and a rich and garlicky aioli. I absolutely loved the paella. Every bite was different, depending on which perfectly seasoned ingredient I happened to get onto my fork. I used the aioli sparingly, because it was really garlicky, but it was a great textural creamy contrast to the crunchy soccarat ('burned' rice) on the bottom. And I loved having that charred citrus flavor on top of the charred lettuce. There were just a ton of delicious and contrasting flavors happening all through that paella.
I almost ordered the churros for dessert and I probably should've, but I thought the almond tart with creme fraiche ice cream and stewed fruit would be a better choice after the paella. The tart was nice, but I didn't think it was spectacular. It was a tad dry, so it could've used more of that slightly sour ice cream or more of the stewed fruit juice to moisten it. It had lovely almond flavor, but was texturally a little too dry and dense for my tastes. Of course, that didn't stop me from eating the whole thing. I'm not that picky. But the next time I go to Tertulia (which will be soon, I think, I really love eating tapas in the summer), I'll get a different dessert.
I definitely give Tertulia a huge thumbs up, both for the food and for the atmosphere. It was a great choice for this RW, especially for a warm summer Friday. I have two more lunches planned for next week, both at 'celebrity' chef establishments. I'll be going to those spots with chums from work, so it will be a fun and different experience to try new places with other people! I'm such a pollyanna on my own...
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