I live for a night of tapas-sharing and wine-drinking. I like it even more when there’s paella involved, which is why I went to new-ish Spanish tapas eatery La Vara in Cobble Hill. First of all, it’s on one of the cutest blocks in Brooklyn, right next to other uber-quaint spot Ted & Honey, adjacent to Cobble Hill Park. La Vara’s cozy– a great spot to take a date, and since the plates are shareable it’s all the more intimate.
Aha! And there’s fried chickpeas. I’m in. So I ordered the chickpeas, olive oil cured imported sardines, a layered salad of imported tuna, olives, endive, marcona almond, and mojama, a cod salad, and a Valencian-style seafood paella. My two favorites were the sardines, a salty start to the meal balanced by grilled bread, and the paella, which was made with noodles instead of rice and served in a creamy aoli.
The prices are reasonable too, with the most expensive dishes topping out at $19. My one disappointment? The chickpeas never arrived at my table. And by the time I was noshing on the paella, I didn’t feel like waiting for them, nor was I hungry anymore. I’ll go back for them, along with the olive oil ice cream, which I also didn’t have a chance to try.
So take your date and check out their Yelp page here.
Wait a minute. Do they have New England-style ice cream?
You’re a funny guy, Carlo.