The name says Basque. The menu, going by the restaurant's own description, is broader than that. Basque Tapas Bar at 61 Main St. in Tarrytown, New York, describes its tapas as influenced by the northern regions of Spain, "from Galicia to Cataluña and the Basque country".
That is a useful thing to know before you sit down. Northern Spain is not one cuisine, and a bar that draws on all three regions is closer to a tour than a single regional kitchen.
What the restaurant says it serves
Here is what the listing in our directory covers:
- Tapas drawn from northern Spain: Galicia, the Basque Country and Catalonia.
- Paella, which it describes as authentically prepared.
- Wines and sangria.
- "Old Spanish classic favorites", in the restaurant's words.
The record doesn't name individual dishes, so we won't guess at them here. Ask your server which plates come from which region.
Reading a northern Spanish menu
If the menu does split by region, these are the things each one is best known for in Spain. Treat this as a guide to the regions, not a description of this kitchen.
- Galicia: octopus (pulpo a feira), shellfish, Padrón peppers and empanada.
- Basque Country: pintxos, salt cod and grilled meat and fish.
- Catalonia: pan con tomate, romesco sauce and crema catalana.
For more on each, see our guides to Basque food and Galician food.
When to go
The listed hours are Tuesday to Friday from 17:00 to 22:00, Saturday from 13:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 13:00 to 21:00. No Monday hours are listed, so check the restaurant's website before planning a Monday visit.
The restaurant describes the setting as relaxed and says it aims to make guests feel at home and never rushed. Saturday and Sunday are the only days with a 13:00 opening, so those are the days for lunch.
If you're heading into the city
Tarrytown is in Westchester County, up the Hudson from Manhattan. If you want to compare it with New York City restaurants that are built around one region's identity, two in our directory make a good contrast:
- Txikito, in Chelsea, which describes itself as a Basque restaurant, open since 2008. Its listing mentions salt cod croquettes, octopus carpaccio and txakoli poured from a height.
- Tomiño Taberna Gallega, a Galician taberna; its listing says its centre is the cuisine of Galicia and names pulpo a feira, almejas a la marinera, tortilla de Betanzos and pimientos de Padrón.
Trying one of those as well as Tarrytown is a quick way to compare a menu that ranges across northern Spain with one built around a single region.
