Socarrat Paella Bar

Socarrat Paella Bar Restaurant Review:

Request a table in the more sedate upstairs section of this bi-level Spanish restaurant in Midtown East. Perhaps because of its proximity to the United Nations, this outpost of Socarrat (there are also locations in Chelsea and NoLIta) has an international air. The menu, though, is all Spain. Start with some tapas: roasted suckling pig, which comes in the form of a tiny brick, is fork tender; patatas bravas are crispy in all the right places; and Brussels sprouts boast a welcome cast of almonds and a sweet-and-sour glaze. There are a handful of paellas on offer: splurge and get the lobster variety. The paella pan, the centerpiece of the table, may be empty in no time. Wash it down with a gin and tonic or a glass of Tempranillo.