New York Spanish Cuisine 🍝

📍 La Nacional, 14 St/8th. This place has been around since about 1868! If it’s not booked by the Spanish Embassy, seats are usually not too hard to come by. 🏛️ 💰 Fun fact: The family behind this place runs a non-profit organization and even gets some 💸government support from Spain, which keeps the prices surprisingly low. Last time, a group of six or seven of us had a few drinks and still left full for just $40 per person. This time, without drinks, three of us ate our fill for only $30. In today’s New York, that’s a steal! 💰 Recommendations: -Manchego Mac & Cheese: The first time I’ve ever had green Mac & cheese! It’s filled with spinach and zucchini, so it’s super fragrant and not greasy at all. 🍟 -Pollo al Ajillo: A pot of chicken that’s both aromatic and tender! The garlic, white wine, and mushroom sauce is a perfect combination, and it comes with patatas bravas. 🍗 -Patatas Bravas: This classic dish is just flawless. The sauce is so good you’ll want to lick the plate. 🍟 -Croquetas: These daily-made croquetas are a house specialty. The creamy wild mushroom filling is just divine. 🍔 -Pulpo a la Plancha: 🐙 This time, it was even better than last time! -Paellas: Last time, we tried the mixta (seafood + chicken) and the Negra (squid ink seafood). Even the small size is a huge pot, with plenty of seafood. It’s very authentic, but compared to the tapas, it wasn’t as mind-blowing. 🍳 -Salads: I’ve tried a few, and the vegetables are always super fresh. 🥗 As for dessert, I tried churros and flan last time, but they were pretty average, so I skipped them this time. 🍰 #SavoringTheFlavorsOfLife 🌟