Txikito - the Secret is Out

My husband was craving NY and something new. He did some homework and brought us to Txikito, which features the cuisine of the Basque Country. It's a casual little restaurant on an unassuming block in Chelsea. I had no clue what I was walking into, since I didn't do the research. Let me tell you, I've never had food like this in NY. It made my tummy very happy. I wished I could say the same for our wallet.

Txikito's menu is dominated by small plates at non-small plate prices. My favorite item by far was their squid ribbons with a sweet onion and pine nut sauce (Txipiron "Encebollado"). The lovely ribbons cut from squids were cooked a la plancha, giving it a nice delicate grilled taste. The sauce added the perfect richness to the dish, which looked clean and simple but tasted far more than that. It was so good, I had to hold myself back from ordering another one.


Everything else we had were just as good. The Bouqueron (anchovy), served on bite sized toasts, had just the right amount of sweetness and acidity from a sliver of piquillo pepper. The Gambas Plantxa (shrimp), was tasty and simple in its preparation - I only wished the giant shrimps had a fresher taste. As for the meat dishes, my husband declared that Txikito had the best tongue (Lengua) he's ever had. Morros Prensados (veal jowl terrine) and its delicious fattiness completed his meal.

Unfortunately for us, we're not the only fans of this restaurant. Turns out that David Chang of Momofuku is one too. Look out for the stampede!