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 Winter 2023 #WhomYouKnow #PeachysPicks @ManhattanPeachy #PeachyDeegan
Owner Nicolas Ahuatl with the Chicken and Lobster
It's not who you know, it's Whom You Know and we absolutely know El Pote. It is by far the best Spanish restaurant in Manhattan, and we have been singing its praises for eleven years straight. It was last featured this past summer. Its consistency and excellence through an ownership change in the past few years is highly laudable and it is a rarity to see such a flawless transition and a sincere commitment to keep all winning aspects of a tremendous restaurant in place. Though we miss Enrique and Jose when we walk in the door we love seeing Nicolas and team and their amazing cuisine year-round.
We absolutely adore the garlic soup. We dream about it and no other can compare. It is the best thing you can do for yourself right now particularly because we are approaching zero degree temperatures. You want to order many servings to sip to get yourself through the next few days! It's fragrant without being overpowering and absolutely addictive. We didn't even know we liked garlic soup until we met this years ago. Also, it's nice to know that the Spanish airline association has honored them:
Everyone that is anyone from Spain and the Spanish Embassy comes here and note they all speak English in case you are worried. As you avid readers know, Peachy herself took six years of French and would be lost in Spanish. We are rarely surprised by anything, but this next hit goes to show you that you ought to always ask what is soup of the day:
Oh my goodness, Galician soup where have you been all our life?
Original owners and founders Enrique and Jose started El Pote in 1977 before Peachy could even write, and they are natives of Galicia in Spain. It's the northwest. This puts every other chicken soup to shame because it goes even further and adds pork sausage, collard greens, white beans, pork ribs and potatoes. Any saltiness is derived from the natural intrinsic flavors of the bones of the animals involved (pig, chicken) and you will want to dive in immediately. Note this is just as phenomenal as the garlic soup.
There are many attractive appetizers, and this time we checked the superlative consistency and excellence of the Gambas al Ajillo: Shrimp in garlic sauce. It continues to be a sizzling sensation and a fragrant journey to the higher echelons of European elegance. The Mango Salad is a new Nicolas feature that is a fantastic nutritious pick-me-up. It brightens the winter doldrums with its of course mango highlight, joined by cherry tomatoes, apples, romaine and avocado.
Of course pictures speak louder than words, and this is what dinner is supposed to look like. As always our pictures are never ever edited. You excel like Nicolas or we do not publish. Pollo Al Ajillo is chicken (legs and thighs) sauteed with lemon and garlic, an authentic Galician style. The captivating flavor hits the spot on a cold winter day and this should be your superbowl food: who needs wings. Catch of the day is always great but we opted for the Pollo Con Langosta which is Chicken and Lobster. Why would you ever want Chicken and Waffles at a lesser venue when you can have Chicken and Lobster? A generous portion of two complete lobster tails joins the chicken in a fragrant red sauce that will light up your winter night.
When it is time for dessert, say yes please to the fresh flan, made daily on premises. It is sweet enough without being overbearing. Its consistency and creaminess are wondrous and paired with a coffee and chocolate drizzle, it's amazing.
El Pote continues to Earn Our Highest Recommendation.
