A Peachy's Pick Since 2012 and #Best #Spanish #Restaurant in #Manhattan, El Pote Espanol #ElPote #ElPoteEspanol @elPoteEspanol Since 1977 by New Owners Nicolas Ahuatl and Juan Costa Fall 2021 #WhomYouKnow #PeachysPicks @ManhattanPeachy #PeachyDeegan
El Pote Owner Nicolas Ahuatl with the quality Branzino, catch of the day!
Garlic soup will warm you up as the temperature drops!
It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas everywhere we go!
And, as you come to the city and celebrate or just celebrate because you are smart enough to be here in the first place like us, you want to hit your favorite hot spots whether you've been naughty or nice.
We totally lucked out and saw Former Executive Chef and Founder of El Pote, Jose Larino, left, who comes to visit often although he is retired. As you remember he is famous for being a chef for both the Spanish Navy and the Spanish Merchant Marines where he traveled along with them for two years. Among the many aspects of El Pote that we love is that there was a flawless transition in ownership. This practically NEVER happens, however, it did here because Nicholas is dedicated to maintaining the Galician authenticity that originated in 1977. El Pote has been a Peachy's Pick since 2012 and is always one of our favorites.
It was most recently featured this past summer:
The weather outside is frightful, and it's not getting any warmer in New York. Not only is the garlic soup delicious any of the 365 days a year and on top of that, super healthy, but it is going to absolutely hit the spot as the temperature drops and it gets chillier and chillier and ultimately freezes. This is the best for a cold day! And, if you are sick we bet if you have enough of this your immune system will be invigorated and you will get better. Better yet, eat this in the first place to strengthen your immune system. The egg, bread and obviously garlic ingredients are simple and in perfect proportion. If you have not had this, you have not lived.
The avocado salad at El Pote continues to be amazingly fresh and absolutely outstanding. It is part of all balanced meals and you need to make it a priority starter. With greens, mango, cherry tomato and of course avocado, this tropical delight will take your appetite to a sunny, warm spot if only on your plate. It is a newer item that is popular at brunch. We like it at dinner too.
The difference between run-of-the mill restaurants or places that are overly trendy and quality places like El Pote is that the lesser venues use low performance ingredients and overwork poor ideas. Great places like El Pote commit to quality ingredients and know that as Coco Chanel said: less is more. To that end we deviated from our Garlic Shrimp appetizer obsession (we almost always have to have that for an appetizer) and we branched out. Meet the Jamon Serrano above: it's Spanish ham. Sourced from Navarra, a region in Spain, this succulent carnivorous delight is joined by green anchovy olives. These same olives come to the Queso Manchego party below. This is not ordinary ham and cheese my friends (as Steve Schirripa would say. We read his whole book this weekend stay tuned and we have his words in our head now.) Too bad you couldn't join us, Willie Boy Schirripa, a doggie with human qualities we have learned on Twitter. We surmise you would adore these plates.
Manchego glamour shot! It is from La Mancha.
Peachy just loves garlic. If you love Peachy, you also must love garlic. The Pollo al Ajillo is another winner and this entree is so succulently flavored you will dream about it. And if you get a second order to take home, you can wake up in the middle of the night and make your dreams come true. (And read another chapter of Woke Up this Morning and then go back to bed...so you eventually will wake up the next morning.) The chicken sauteed with lemon and garlic is executed to perfection and the flavor that this dish emanates is second to none.
Nicholas tells us the Scallops Galician Style is a dish that is in his top two favorites of the menu. The decadent delight is a symphony of luxury with the scallops waltzing in bechamel sauce with premium onions and mushrooms in perfect proportion. Though it is a heavier dish it is not overwhelming and is just right for a dinner party on a plate. Note you can also have lunch at El Pote and now that Manhattan is back to work they are really popular at lunch so do make your reservation.
The final entree we chose was the Catch of the Day: Branzino. Note because this is El Pote they have not only one catch of the day but three: you also could have had Cod or Salmon. The Branzino was majestic and a whole fish: it was light and flavorful and a winning combination with sauteed green beans.
Flan is the perfect ending and a total classic at El Pote! Indulge. Santa said so.
El Pote continues to Earn Our Highest Recommendation.
