When we set out for New York City on October 29th, my wife and I certainly

didn’t expect the highest snowfall—almost three inches in Central Park—ever recorded

in the city on that date. After trudging several blocks in the slush, a raw wind blowing

snow in our faces, we were happy to nestle into the cozy warmth of Meson Sevilla, with

its deep yellow walls, red and white table cloths, and red chairs. The festive atmosphere

is further enlivened by the art: Picasso-like paintings, wildly colorful, alternate with more

sedate photographs of Northern Spain. Heraldic shields and folk-arty plates and vases

complete the eclectic picture, except for the brightly colored paintings of flamenco

dancers and toreadors and a print of Picasso’s Guernica, an oddly fierce and serious

choice among so much visual amiability.

Our host for the evening was Adolfo Perez, one of the owners, a twinkling,

gentlemanly fellow who looks like he might have been time-machined from the Spain of

fifty years ago. If you take a look over the homey bar, you’ll notice, in addition to photos

of Spanish sports figures, a display of marathon medals. These were all won by Adolfo,

who took up running fifteen years ago at the age of 43. Perhaps this helps explain the

vitality of Meson Sevilla, with its good-natured service and energetic bustle.

The menu at Meson Sevilla is a bit surprising. Amid the anticipated Spanish food

are many Italian selections as well. Adolfo explains that this is the legacy of the previous

owners, something faithful clients came to expect, and perhaps a good idea for mixed

parties of Italian and Spanish food lovers. But since you can’t walk two blocks in any

direction in midtown Manhattan without hitting an Italian ristorante or pizzeria, we

confined ourselves to the Spanish fare. Tapas for us, and nothing but.

We’re glad we did. Meson Sevilla boasts almost 40 tapas dishes. It’s a seafood

lover’s paradise. You’ll find shrimp (grilled or in garlic sauce), calamari (grilled or

fried), octopus, sardines, anchovies, and three preparations of mussels. There are clams

aplenty—raw, in oregano sauce, cooked in brandy, in green sauce, or clams casino.

There’s salmon too, and three kinds of croquettes. Meat lovers won’t be disappointed.

There are various sausage dishes, savory Serrano ham, meat empanadas, and marinated

pork cubes, and vegetables as well, including sliced portabella mushrooms grilled in

balsamic dressing, cubed potatoes with aioli, and artichokes, with or without Serrano

ham.

We put our stomachs in Adolfo’s hands and we were delighted by the well-chosen

mix of foods and flavors. The slight sweetness of Pimientos de Pequillo (red peppers

with crabmeat-lobster stuffing) was beautifully complemented by the smoky, spicy bite

of the Chorizo al Vinotinto (sausage cooked in red wine and onions). The grilled shrimp

with peas in garlic sauce provided a straightforward counterpoint to the buttery-rich

clams casino. Chicken Villaroy—cubes of chicken covered in béchamel sauce, breaded,

fried, and served with an excellent marinara sauce—was delicious, the creamy cheese and

acidic marinara magical together. And we were bowled over by the depth and richness of

squid in black ink sauce. Around the restaurant, we saw the knowledgeable wait staff

talking to diners, the entire restaurant seeming like one big happy family.

Meson Sevilla has a small but carefully selected and very reasonably-priced wine

list. The many pitchers of colorful sangria that adorned other tables proved Adolfo right

when he said that sangria—made with tempranillo (a favorite Spanish red wine grape),

triple-sec, brandy, and a splash of seltzer—was the beverage of choice. We each enjoyed

a glass of the refreshing party drink but preferred a bottle of 2006 Lan Crianza Rioja. Its

medium body and cherry nuances went well with the variety of tapas dishes. There are

bigger, brawnier wines for those who prefer sterner stuff, and a good assortment of

pleasant and inexpensive white wines to go with the seafood.

We loved the variety of the tapas, though diners who prefer more of one good

thing can order off a menu that includes filet mignon, grilled pork chops, sole and tilapia,

and eight veal dishes, including a veal chop stuffed with prosciutto, spinach, eggplant,

and ricotta. There’s also a reasonably-priced three-course prix-fixe.

A measure of the success of this little treasure is that even the party of six behind

us, frantically calling for hotel reservations due to the closure of Metro North for the

night, looked completely relaxed and contented by the end of their meal. Now that’s

some good cookin’!

“Meson Sevilla is a seafood lover’s paradise, with over half of its extensive

list of 40 tapas dishes coming from the sea.”