Zipi Zape Reigns as the City's Best Tapas Joint
One thing is clear: New York City foodies love them some tapas. On a recent Tuesday night, we waited an hour and 45 minutes for a table for two at Tia Pol in West Chelsea, and in the middle of last week, we found ourselves packed like sardines into Boqueria in East Chelsea, which recently…
One thing is clear: New York City foodies love them some tapas. On a recent Tuesday night, we waited an hour and 45 minutes for a table for two at Tia Pol in West Chelsea, and in the middle of last week, we found ourselves packed like sardines into Boqueria in East Chelsea, which recently picked up two stars in the Times. Tia Pol was really good, and Boqueria was okay, but neither compared to Zipi Zape in Williamsburg, where the prices are cheaper, the portions are bigger, the sangria is better, and the food is often superior. Here’s what we don’t understand: Zipi Zape is never too crowded. And that makes us worry…
Located on the corner of Metropolitan and Berry, slightly off the beaten path, Zipi Zape doesn’t see a lot of foot traffic, but it’s definitely worth a visit. On Saturday, the seasonal sangria was a refreshing red, filled with plump, boozy grapes and wine-soaked pears. We feasted on crisp croquettes stuffed with gooey Bechamel cheese and serrano ham, juicy chicken in garlic and white wine, perfectly pan-fried shrimp with lemon and sea salt, lightly battered baby calamari, and impossibly smoky and spicy chorizo. Even their simplest tapas — like their creamy, salty tortilla and potatoes in fiery Romescu sauce — puts Boqueria’s similar offerings to shame.
For dessert, we shared a chocolate soufflé, dusted with powdered sugar and filled with raspberries. It wasn’t especially Spanish, but it sure was delicious — and paired perfectly with our Pedro Ximenez sherry and honeyed Muscadel. Our server spoke limited English, but excitedly gave us bits of travel advice when we mentioned our upcoming trip to Spain and raved about the cities we’ll visit.
All in all, we just don’t understand why this place doesn’t get more press — and why it isn’t busier on Saturday nights. We hate to let the cat out of the bag on our favorite spot, but we don’t want it to go out of business, either. Are there any other Zipi Zape fans out there?
Zipe Zape [Homepage]
Photo by Jack Rawlinson
A much belated post here — hope someone will actually see it! We’ve enjoyed ZZ for years now, and the lady in the above picture (can’t remember her name) mentioned, in the summer of ’06, plans for a ZZ location in Manhattan. Has anyone else heard this?
Why is it empty on Saturday night maybe because Zipi Zape has poorly prepared food, is neither authentic tapas nor innovative and and has a very poor wine list.
Don’t forget La Mancha on Atlantic between Henry and Clinton…real Galician specialities
We’ve also enjoyed many great and reasonably priced meals at ZZ. A friend of ours who lived in Spain said it is the closest he’s ever tasted to real Spanish tapas in NYC. And, as you noted, there’s usually a table available.