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(212) 228-1696
345 E 12th St
New York,
NY
10003
40.7312
-73.9848
Neighborhoods: Downtown, East Village
What People Are Saying About Pata Negra
The Editor
Laura Norkin
Citysearch
In Short – Flickering candles and flamenco music make Ostia owner Rafael Mateo's latest wine bar feel more like Southern Spain than the East Village, even before the ex-pat, accented waitress appears at your table. Space is maximized with individual barstool-level tables, which allow for easy conversation among the after-work set and the casual more-wine-less-dine crowd. Each of the more than 30 wines on the list are from Spain, as is the tapas-style small plate menu, which features delicacies like Lomo (cured pork loin) and La Mancha (Butifarra sausage, Mahon cheese and red bell pepper…
12/13/08
ok
by agent99712 at Citysearch
this was a back up restaurant when all the others had an hour wait(needed to get to a movie) for a light, quick bite it's fine. but there isn't any offering of a sizable dish. i don't believe there's even a full kitchen here. most everything was served with pieces of bread. it is tapas, but very limited. the gambas was tasty with good size shrimp and well, you can't go wrong with garlic. the jamon was very young. the pork unmemorable. the sangria was very good. the waitress was pleasant but she was not at all familiar with most everything on the menu. that was disappointing. all the tables are high/bar like, the lighting is a trace bright with candles on the tables, but you can still classify it as romantic. if you're not terribly hungry, stop by.
- Pros: music, cleanliness, quick bite
- Cons: little pricey, too small an offering of food, inexperienced waitress
The Details on Pata Negra
Know Before You Go:
Pata Negra doesn't take reservations, but they can accommodate private parties--call ahead for details or to make arrangements.
Save Money:
The daily siesta's a steal, with $5 glasses of sangria and wine between 5pm and 7:30pm.
Food Served:
Nearly everything on the menu is offered as a small plate: entrepanes (sandwich style, $6) or patitas (think bruscetta, $4). A siesta drink and snack under $12? That's loco!
Fun Fact:
The name Pata Negra is a Spanish idiom refering to a savory Iberian pork found in specific pigs (identified by their black paws). For authenticity's sake the menu even tells which farm the Serrano ham comes from (Navidul) and if it's food history you're after, the staff can fill in any blanks.
