Txikito

Address: 240 9th Avenue, New York (btw 24th and 25th Street)

http://txikitonyc.com

Phone: 212-242-4730

It's been about a month since we visited Spain and we really miss the food there. So for our latest yaokui outing, we decided to check out Txikito, a Basque Tapas bar in NYC own by the famous Alex Raij (previous co-owner of Tia Pol) and her husband Eder Montero.

Whenever a bunch of us yaokuis get together, there's bound to be lots of food, drinks and laughter. Even though we initially wanted to get a table for the nine of us, we ended up eating at the bar. But it turned out to be so much fun because we were actually got to enjoy tapas the same way it's done in Spain.

We tried almost every dish on the menu on the board and Foie, Rusa, Patatak Mentaiko, Pil Pil Txuleton and Conchinillo are some of our favorites. Here're the dishes we ordered at Txikito:

Foie Miscuit - homemade Foie gras terrine
Marijuli - sweet pepper, tomato, Jamón, Basque anchovy
Rusa - classic Russian salad; potato, imported tuna, homemade mayo
Pulpo - octopus carpaccio; lemon oil, marjoram, Piment d'espelette
Kroketas - crispy creamy croquettes
Patatak Mentaiko - crisp fries w/spicy cod roe mayo
Morcilla - crispy blood sausage filled bundles
Piperrak - blistered peppers with sea salt
Albondigas - meatballs with shellfish broth
Pil Pil - legendary Basque salt cod , poached in olive oil w/ kokotxas
Txipiron "Encebollado" - squid ribbons a la plantxa
w/ sweet onion and pine nuts
Lengua -crispy beef tongue with mustard española, cornichons
Txuleton - Cider house rib eye steak
Conchinillo - Slow cooked suckling pig with Tximitxurri
Pulpo Con Grelos - Imported Octopus with Broccoli and Rabe & Pimenton
Rodaballo - Whole Turbot served Elkano style with crispy garlic vinaigrette

Two thumbs up to our waiter/bartender, Brian, who took good care of us, recommended good dishes and served us amazing drinks all night (good job on the Txacholi as well!) We recommend sitting at the bar when dining at Txikito. It's so much more fun.

(Clockwise from the top) Rusa - classic Russian salad with potato, imported tuna, homemade mayo, Foie Miscuit - homemade Foie gras terrine, Marijuli -sweet pepper, tomato, Jamón, Basque anchovy

Yaokui pigout session. Good food, good drinks, good time, good company...a perfect Friday evening.

(Clockwise from the top) Pulpo - octopus carpaccio with lemon oil, marjoram, Piment d'espelette, Patatak Mentaiko - crisp fries w/spicy cod roe mayo, Pil Pil - legendary Basque salt cod , poached in olive oil w/ kokotxas, Piperrak - blistered peppers with sea salt , (Center) fake angulas/baby eel

Good time at Txikito!