"We’d like to meet Tomiño Taberna Gallega’s tomato guy. The Spanish restaurant in Little Italy has two of the most simple, memorable tomato dishes we’ve tasted, maybe ever: a bright pan con tomate and ice cold gazpacho—and we’d like to know what blood magic their farmer is using to create such juiciness. We could get as dewy-eyed about a lot of the produce and seafood at Tomiño Taberna—not to mention the legs of jamón Iberico strung up behind the bar. The Galician food alone makes this the kind of restaurant where you’ll want to become a regular. photo credit: Juan Ude It's atmospheric too, with a few worn wooden rafters on the ceiling recalling the inside of an old ship, transporting you and your friends to a land of tinto casks and bouncy prawns. There are plenty of large tables for big groups, and a long menu full of tapas that are ripe for the picking. It works equally well for a date with several glasses of wine. Get some seafood, get some meat, and definitely get something with raw tomatoes. And if you know anything about who their purveyor is, please let us know. They can’t keep all the good tomatoes for themselves. Food Rundown photo credit: Will Hartman Pan Con Tomate Welcome to the pan con tomate of our dreams. Hard grilled bread that’s been softened by a fat pile of tomato guts, with the faintest hint of garlic and enough olive oil to bring it all together. There’s just enough salt in every bite to make the whole dish pop. Get an order for every two people at your table. photo credit: Will Hartman Arroz Negro Ever had a late night bonfire on a particularly breezy beach? Imagine that, but you’re standing in the cleanest ocean water you’ve ever been in. That’s the first whiff of the arroz negro, which comes with charred squid legs and rice that might stain your teeth black with squid ink. photo credit: Will Hartman Gazpacho The gazpacho is just as memorable as the pan con tomate. With the right amount tomato pulp and graininess to signal that it’s being made fresh, this gazpacho tastes like summer in a Spanish farmhouse, plussed up with a little bite of sherry vinegar. Churrasco If you like to gnaw on a rib bone for just a few bites of porky goodness, this dish is for you. If not, it doesn’t need to be on your table." - Will Hartman
