Table Talk: Tia Pol

Tia Pol
205 10th Ave
New York, NY 10011
(212) 675-8805

The moment I entered Tia Pol I could see it was a cozy and quaint tapas bistro that happened to be very popular with the locals as well as tourists. Because of the small size, there may be a wait at times, but owners Heather Belz and Mani Dawes make sure you are comfy and happy while at the bar.

I ordered a refreshing pitcher of sangria and some Garbanzos Fritos (fried chickpeas, $4) that I couldn’t stop popping in my mouth—after that, it seemed as if I was seated in no time! For my main tapas, I ordered the brandada (salt cod and potato puree, $7) a simple yet wonderful combo of saltiness with potato for balance. I followed that up with txipirones en su tinta (squid ink with rice, 12) which is a bit visually intimidating as it’s completely black, but once you taste it, the appearance doesn't matter. The grilled trout had minimal seasoning, which really allowed the freshness of the fish to come through, and my final dish, the paquetitos de jamón con alcachofa (jamón serrano, artichoke, manchego, $9) was delish.

Although this quaint bistro is crowded most nights, the way it manages to transport you back to Spain makes it well worth the wait.

www.tiapol.com