PULPO, ESPUMA DE PATATA & MOJO PICON

It's not a secret that the pandemic has been tough on so many businesses in New York City. This is why throughout this time, I advocated and still have been advocating to eat out whenever possible. One of the most impressive traits of New Yorkers though is resilience and with that, I have seen many businesses and restaurants that opened during this difficult time. Haizea NYC in the SoHo neighbourhood is one of them and they have the best Spanish cuisine that I have gotten the privilege of eating in this city.

Headed by affable Chef Mikel de Luis, this restaurant serves specifically Basque and Catalan cuisine, mostly contemporary tapas but also offer some plates good enough for two. In one word, I'd describe the dishes as delectable--dish after dish has a distinct flavour synergy. Chef Mikel will arrange the order that the dishes will come out in a way that makes the dishes complement the subsequent plate.

HAIZEA NYC IS LOCATED IN SOHO

To start with, the restaurant gives everyone a complimentary to whet the appetite. It's simple and fresh and bite-sized. If given the chance, I can snack on many pieces of this and I'll be a happy woman. The menu changes, so the items written in this chalkboard might not be the same as what you see when you get there. At the time of the visit, they still didn't have a liquor license but the chef told us that by mid-March 2021, that should change. Of course that will be an even better experience for everyone who likes their food with paired with good wine.

Not in photo: Black squid ink croquettes. This tapa was so delicious that we finished it before getting the chance to take a photo. Growing up in a beach town, I was never a fan of any black squid ink dishes, but this particular recipe made me appreciate squid ink. It was velvety and complemented well with the crispy croquette batter.  

Next came the pulpo (octopus) as seen on the header image of this blog post. The octopus was charred to perfection and very tender. But what really made this dish a stand-out was the deep, savoury taste of the grilled octopus that played well with the bed of sweet and salty potato foam. This dish is absolutely heavenly and you should not make the mistake of not ordering it. I'm so excited about this dish, I'm willing to use double negatives. This dish is also first thing you will see on the Haizea website and Chef Mikel rightly should be proud of it.

TXULETILLAS DE CORDERO CON TXIMITXURRI DE ESPELETTE, GNOCCHIS DE RONCAL

After seafood, we moved on to lamb and chips for the main dish. This is also supposedly a tapa but I'm calling it a main because of how filling it was. I don't even know where to start in describing this beautiful dish. It's mouthwatering and cooked to perfection. All of the elements on this plate... just works. The peppers are not spicy at all and adds another a layer of depth. The chips are homemade and swimming in aromatic oil. The lamb is succulent and perfectly seasoned. When eaten with a little bit of everything, including the salt, this just burst into a party in my mouth. On my next visit to the restaurant, I will make sure to order this again.

PASTEL DE IDIAZABAL CON MIEL DE AVELLANA & TIERRA DE ALMENDRA

For dessert, we went for the creamy cheesecake with chestnut honey and marcona almond crumble. The fruits were a pleasant surprise as it's not mentioned in the menu. This was the perfect ending to this palatable journey that made me feel like I was back in Spain. And really, during a time when travel is so limited, this is a great opportunity to get a small taste of the culture while being stuck in the city. 

There are plenty of great restaurants in New York City, but you're looking for something special, give Haizea a visit. 

You can find Haizea at:

142 Sullivan Street
NY 10012
+1 6464762261
INFO@HAIZEANYC.COM
RESERVATIONS