Whenever I say I'm going to a tapas restaurant, people ask, "Topless?!" Either I don't enunciate, or I know a lot of pervy morons. Whatever the case may be, the subject of this post is a perfectly lovely Spanish restaurant, where all guests and staff are fully clothed.
Sala One Nine is logically situated on West 19th Street. West One Nine Street. Yeah, it took me entirely too long to piece that together. There is another Sala located in NoHo on Bowery, and it is sometimes cleverly referred to as Sala Bowery. Though the two locations exhibit similarities, today's focus is on the Flatiron location.
I have been to Sala One Nine countless times, and the food has always been consistent. The menu includes sopas, ensalada, tostas, raciones, plancha, and horno. In other words: soups, salads, toasted bread with various toppings, small plates, larger grilled items, and equally large oven baked dishes. Basically everything is intended to be shared, so the size of your party should determine how many plates you order. Or, you can do what my friends and I do, which is order entirely too much food, because we can't resist certain dishes (hello, fried goat cheese with honey and caramelized onions [insert wink here]). The prices are reasonable, but it is possible to both rack up a sizable bill (see, night out with my girls) or get out unscathed (see, "Paella Sunday's," 2-for-1 happy hour, and any night without all my girls).
The atmosphere in the restaurant is lively, which is why it's tempting to round up the whole crew for an evening out. With two bars in the room (one up front, and one in the middle) and upbeat music playing overhead, the buzz is constant and, at times, outright loud. The lights are dim without being dark, and the rustic look (pockets of exposed brick peeking from behind painted plaster, arches framing the kitchen at the back as well as the stairwell down to the bathrooms, and dark wood tables and chairs) gives the impression of late night dining in Spain. It is also a great spot for a date, as banquets in the back allow for cozying up in the corners as well as face-to-face quality time across small candlelit tables.
I would recommend Sala One Nine to anyone looking for a fun night out with good food (multiple dishes feature serrano ham, yet vegetarian options are plentiful as well) and a substantial wine list (sangria too, of course). Before stopping in, however, it is best to make a reservation, as the restaurant's popularity does not appear to be waning. If you can't get a table until late, try to snag a spot at one of the bars, or pop next door to the Flatiron Lounge for a finely crafted cocktail while you wait. You don't have to be buzzed to enjoy the food at Sala One Nine, but it usually doesn't hurt.
Sala One Nine - 35 West 19th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues
Sala One Nine is logically situated on West 19th Street. West One Nine Street. Yeah, it took me entirely too long to piece that together. There is another Sala located in NoHo on Bowery, and it is sometimes cleverly referred to as Sala Bowery. Though the two locations exhibit similarities, today's focus is on the Flatiron location.
I have been to Sala One Nine countless times, and the food has always been consistent. The menu includes sopas, ensalada, tostas, raciones, plancha, and horno. In other words: soups, salads, toasted bread with various toppings, small plates, larger grilled items, and equally large oven baked dishes. Basically everything is intended to be shared, so the size of your party should determine how many plates you order. Or, you can do what my friends and I do, which is order entirely too much food, because we can't resist certain dishes (hello, fried goat cheese with honey and caramelized onions [insert wink here]). The prices are reasonable, but it is possible to both rack up a sizable bill (see, night out with my girls) or get out unscathed (see, "Paella Sunday's," 2-for-1 happy hour, and any night without all my girls).
The atmosphere in the restaurant is lively, which is why it's tempting to round up the whole crew for an evening out. With two bars in the room (one up front, and one in the middle) and upbeat music playing overhead, the buzz is constant and, at times, outright loud. The lights are dim without being dark, and the rustic look (pockets of exposed brick peeking from behind painted plaster, arches framing the kitchen at the back as well as the stairwell down to the bathrooms, and dark wood tables and chairs) gives the impression of late night dining in Spain. It is also a great spot for a date, as banquets in the back allow for cozying up in the corners as well as face-to-face quality time across small candlelit tables.
I would recommend Sala One Nine to anyone looking for a fun night out with good food (multiple dishes feature serrano ham, yet vegetarian options are plentiful as well) and a substantial wine list (sangria too, of course). Before stopping in, however, it is best to make a reservation, as the restaurant's popularity does not appear to be waning. If you can't get a table until late, try to snag a spot at one of the bars, or pop next door to the Flatiron Lounge for a finely crafted cocktail while you wait. You don't have to be buzzed to enjoy the food at Sala One Nine, but it usually doesn't hurt.
Sala One Nine - 35 West 19th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues
I had a great experience at the Bowery location (back when I lived in NYC!). The waitress suggested we try the bacon wrapped figs because they were "F-ing amazing!" She then quickly realized she had dropped the f-bomb in front of customers and gasped. Clearly, we weren't offended. We all laughed, ordered the figs, and they were indeed f-ing amazing! :)
ReplyDeleteThis post made me think of my Latin teacher, Ms. Cella, from high school.
ReplyDeleteEvery year, she'd whip out the same joke, saying that we were going to have the "topless" dinner right around Christmas time.
She's wait for the one idiot who fell for the stupid joke, thinking that at a high school party girls were going to show up without tops. Then Ms. Cella would be like, "Johnny, behave yourself."
(The dinner just meant everyone was supposed to bring some homemade sauce to the part.)
This post has nothing to do with restaurants. But that's because I have nothing insightful to add on that topic.
Rather, I just wanted to send a quick rant to people who use the same lame jokes year after year. Especially ones that weren't ever funny.
And no, I was never Johnny.