Jamón Ibérico (Iberico Ham)

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
January 30, 2008

EL QUINTO PINO
401 W 24th St
(9th & 10th Aves)
New York, NY 10011
212-206-6900

Charmed, charmed, charmed! El Quinto Pino is just so charming, it’s hard not to fall in love instantly with this new tapas bar from the owners of Manhattan’s other favorite, Tia Pol.

The tiny box of a space only seats twenty-six, and it’s situated on a quiet block on 24th Street near Ninth Avenue. Slang for out in the middle of nowhere, El Quinto Pino, despite a short food and drink menu, has the perfect laid back Spanish tapas bar ambiance that will bring patrons back repeatedly.

The décor is minimal with beautifully ornate tiles on the wall that separates the dining room from the kitchen. And the combination of soft lighting and three cream-colored walls creates a soothing and relaxing atmosphere. But this bar is in no way lethargic. On the contrary, most nights, this new hot spot brings in high levels of energy with patrons who love to hang out, sitting or standing.

I had been advised to go on the early side. So I showed up at 6pm on a Sunday night. It was perfect as my friend and I were the first ones there and had our choice of any seat in the house. We sat at the half circle bar in front of the chalkboard menu, enjoyed our tapas and wines, and chatted with fellow diners. I can’t remember a merrier night out that was this easygoing and rewarding.

Since the menu is short and the place is small, it makes for a short stop on a night out. Our time at the bar was leisurely, but when I checked my watch, it turned out that we had only spent an hour and a half there, though we had enjoyed two glasses of wine and six tapas besides making friends with our neighbors!

We tried the famous uni panini ($15) — sea urchin served in a crisply pressed Tom Cat ficelle slathered with a Korean mustard-oil-infused butter. Being the uni fanatic that I am, I was slightly disappointed by this sandwich. Mainly because the “Korean mustard-oil-infused butter,” which tastes exactly like wasabi, overpowered the uni. Sadly, I could hardly taste my beloved pungent sea urchin. But still, it was a change of pace from the ubiquitous ham panini.

Two of my favorite dishes were the Iberico ham ($16) and the Spanish-style cracklings ($6). It’s truly a blessing that the U.S. has finally allowed importation of Iberico ham; it was about time. A bottle of wine and some Iberico ham with bread would serve as a nice dinner any night. The cracklings are a little more decadent — in consistency, not price — as they are a confit of pork belly, slow roasted, then deep fried, and served in a paper box. They look like, and go down like, fries — can’t be good for the cholesterol, but they sure are tasty!

The garbanzo stew with spinach and Spanish paprika ($6) was also lovely. While it is vegetarian, the consistency of the stew is dense, meaty and fulfilling. The garlicky shrimp ($9), on the other hand, was not to my taste as the pieces of shrimp wallowed in a garlic sauce that was too thin in taste, even if there was ginger in it.

Even though some of the dishes weren’t suited to my particular palate, I loved El Quinto Pino. It’s just what we need: a comfortable bar to grab a quick snack and drink, pre-dinner, post-dinner or as dinner. When eating out, I prefer dining at the bar of a restaurant and tend to order several appetizers over entrées anyway, so El Quinto Pino suits me well. El Quinto Pino has the right formula for a successful restaurant, the menu, space, atmosphere and concept are well planned and executed. So even if there’s only a short list of items to try, or if it’s standing-room only at this busy bar, it’s cozy and memorable, and will make you want to become a regular. Now, if only there was one in my neighborhood.

Also in Chelsea, Spanish, Tapas