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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So… $37 + $23 + $18 = $78. What a bargain for a quiet Monday dinner!
Flo, The average rent on the Upper West Side is about $5,339 to $6,174 per month, while the median asking rent sits around $4,500 to $5,000 per month.
Surely you can afford $78 (plus tax and tip 😉) for a Monday night dinner!
The market rents in my w 86th st building range from $8K mos for the smallest to $18K mos for the largest. I posted the cost of the meal with the recommended dish to indicate that the price range makes it out of range for many locals but not for some. I like the place and hope they continue to be here.
“Surely you can afford it”? You know nothing about my finances, and that wasn’t the point. This is supposed to be a column highlighting one notable UWS dish, not a review of the author’s $78 dinner.
Then why was your original comment describing the sum of the cost of the dinner?
You’re the one who called out the prices of each dish instead of focusing on the author’s review.
I am simply following your lead 😇
I mentioned the prices precisely because the review focused on the author’s entire dinner instead of highlighting one specific Dish of the Week.
$100 with tax and tip.
I know restaurants have expenses but I cant relate to this being anything but a special occasion meal.
What would you expect to pay for this particular meal? It sounds about par for the course.
The point is that $78 may be par for the course for dinner, but this column was supposed to highlight a particular UWS dish – not what the author happened to have for dinner.
Exactly that! The column morphed into a description of what the author had for dinner instead of featuring a specific interesting dish.
Huh?
Nice review. I look forward to eating at Tasca. I live around the corner.
This looks delicious!
This review drew me to Tasca last night. I ordered the seafood dish reviewed with 6 oysters for a starter and a class of cava. The service was attentive. The room comfortable. The food delicious. The tab? $104 with tip. This is a very good and very pricey place. Oysters @$4.35 each? a small glass of cava $18? Paella for two @78 is ok.