Cafe Espanol: Flushing restaurant offers cuisine of Mexico and Spain

By Carol Brock

But it was really a dinner Espanol that hooked us.

This newly opened restaurant (a mere month and a half), Cafe Espanol, a block or two north of the LIE has a dark, shiny, jet black, wood interior up front by the old-fashioned bar. It looked so Spanish to me, but I learned that it had formerly been an Irish pub. Sebastian & Pepe kept the bar and the look.

The tables for four bar-side are delightful spots, and even the stools at one end of the bar are nice to sit on.

Sangria, red or white, was of course in order and we went with the white. It was very fruity, possibly a pear brandy was used and the orange and apple were just the right, bite size. We noted lots of salt rimmed margaritas being served in impressively large, handsome, coupes. If you like margaritas, that could be the way to go.

Crisp tortilla triangles were in a basket accompanied by a smooth, distinctive, un-salsa-like dip. It was on the hot side, judged by the first tortilla, but mellowed out delightfully after that. Not the usual – they were great.

I will leave the Mexican menu for you to discover. (Picadillo – chopped meat Creole style – served with fried green bananas, intrigued me. And then there was guacamole tostados served with rice and beans.

The Cafe Espanol salad with green peppers, onions, lettuce, tomato, asparagus, olives and Spanish sausage seemed like a worthy starter, but we lucked into a sensational one – the mussels vinaigrette. Now, they were not what you'd expect; instead of mussels on the half-shell bathed in a vinaigrette dressing, these were ultra, ultra plump and topped with finely minced green peppers and onion with olive oil. And were they good! By itself it would make a great lunch. We both swooned with each and every one we sampled. Fortunately the serving was ultra generous.

My Galician soup – and that's from where the chef hails, an area close to Portugal – was chock full of melt-in-your-mouth cubed potatoes, white beans, sausage, and more, all in a flavorful broth.

The house salad followed, and I took a fancy to the long curls of red cabbage. I surmised that an outer leaf had been slit lengthwise a quarter of an inch thick. The purple-red contrasted delightfully to orange carrot curls and red onion rings.

Along with the paella Valencia, Valencia with langusta, marinara, the shrimp in green sauce, in garlic sauce, creole, and diable, the lobster (34 pounds $11.95, 131 pounds $15.95 and two for $18.95), there is mariscada. It's a glorious scallop, shrimp, clam and mussel affair. At Cafe Espanol, it's prepared al ajillo in green sauce, diablo or in an egg sauce. But we chose a special of red snapper done Espanol, with shrimp. It was a trifle salty but delicious, with kudos going to the Spanish potatoes. These are made-to- order potato chips-pale gold, crisp, each one perfect.

There was veal aplenty. Veal sevillana with onions and mushrooms in sauce; veal extremena with onions, peppers and sausage; veal plancha, and my choice, veal with almonds. The crunch of the sliced almond was welcome and went so well with the green beans, whole, stir-fried with onion and tomato and garlic. Lovely. All dishes are served with rice or Spanish potatoes or green beans and salad.

Flan was dessert for us served dramatically, Cafe Espanol. An unmolded, individual flan is centered on a dinner plate, embellished with whipped cream and a scroll of caramel. Impressive.

Your hosts are Sebastian and Pepe, who operate another Cafe Espanol on Carmine Street in Manhattan.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Spanish cuisine and Mexican platters. Simple setting with old-fashioned bar. Honest food exceptionallywell-prepared. Genuinely caring staff. Newly opened.

CHEF'S CHOICE

Pulpo a la Galician (octopus in olive oil, paprika & salt…$6.25

Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp)…$6.50

Caldo Gallego (Galician soup)…$3.25

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Sauce…$17.95

Paella Valenciana (chicken, sausage & seafood)…$13.95

Mariscada al Ajillo..$16.50

Mariscada in Green Sauce (mixed seafood)…$16.50

Mariscada Diablo (red hot sauce: scal

lops, clams, shrimp & mussels)…$16.50

Mariscada Creole (scallops, shrimp, mussels)…$16.50

Homemade Flan…S3.00

Food: Spanish cuisine & Mexican combinations

Setting: Old-fashioned bar with jet-black wood surroundings

Service: Genuinely caring

Hours: L & D 7 days

Reservations: Yes

Location: Two blocks north of LIE

Parking: Street

Dress: Casual

Children: Welcome

Credit cards: All major

Takeout: Yes

Private rooms: Upstairs, to come

Noise level: Medium to noisy