Here’s the UWS Dish: Tasca’s Codicia de Pescado y Mariscos

By Yana Krasnitskaya 

On a quiet Monday night a couple of weeks ago, I visited Tasca, a restaurant tucked into that stretch of the West 80s on Columbus Avenue that’s lined with delicious spots to grab a bite.

Tasca is an eclectic restaurant, inspired by both Spanish and Latin American influences. Yes, there are tapas and paellas that look and smell divine, but there are also ceviches, and a myriad of other dishes that pay homage to the cuisines of these countries, including a seafood stew, Codicia de Pescado y Mariscos ($37) that blew me away.

I leaned into the warm, candlelit atmosphere and started my evening with a beautiful glass of Beronia Reserva ($18), a medium-bodied Tempranillo that ended up pairing really well with my dinner. (I don’t subscribe to the idea that you can’t have red wine with fish!)

The menu description of the Codicia de Pescado y Mariscos is straightforward: mixed seafood, fennel, lobster brandy reduction, and saffron rice. But what you get is a deceptively simple plate of light, buttery broth with a diverse offering of shellfish laid out neatly next to each other.

There are beautiful curved shrimps, clams and mussels that have been steamed half-open, and a pair of scallops floating side by side, with calamari at the center of the plate. What really makes the dish stand out is the light, beautiful broth. From the first sip, I could taste the lobster in it — and that distinct flavor that could only come from having been simmered for quite some time.

I went for the bivalves first, scooping out the meat of the mussels and clams and eating both with the broth. The mussels are naturally sweet. Don’t forget the saffron rice, which comes as a side dish. I paired the rice with the succulent shrimp, pouring the broth on top. 

In addition to the Codicia de Pescado y Mariscos, I really enjoyed Tasca’s grilled octopus – Pulpo a la parilla ($23). The portion is generous, served on a bed of roasted potato bits with a garlicky, smoky sauce called mojo gallejo. The sauce hails from the Canary Islands and is a perfect counterpart, bringing out the innate sweetness and tenderness of the octopus. 

I found this to be a worthy opening act for the stew – in fact I had trouble deciding which one to spotlight. The Codicia de Pescado y Mariscos won me over. It is a simple dish, but so representative of the cuisine from those parts of the world.

After all, isn’t that what we hope for when we venture out to eat? A couple of hours of escape from our usual tastes and routines. Tasca’s Codicia de Pescado y Mariscos did that for me, and if you check it out, I hope it does the same for you. 

Tasca: 505 Columbus Avenue, between 84th  and 85th, (212) 362-2211

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