http://www.lanacionalrestaurant.com
239 West 14th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
917-388-2888
Spanish. When you think hamburger or mac and cheese, is Spanish food the first thing that springs to mind? Then let me introduce La Nacional Restaurant. Their spin on both is nothing less than true wizardry!
The secret? Manchego cheese (which now that I think of it, should be mandatory on all macs forevermore).
Baked with spinach and zucchini, it’s a self described light and creamy Spanish version of the American classic. And, to me, light years beyond.
And the chorizo burger? Made with a unique blend of beef and Ibérico chorizo. Served on a brioche bun, it’s topped with fresh greens, tomatoes, grilled onions and that mind blowing manchego. Listed on the menu as Chorizo Burger!, the punctuation could not be more deserved.
Their croquetas caseras are a choice of two, wild mushroom and jamon Ibérico. Whether to mix and match is up to you. Speaking from experience, the mushroom is eye poppingly delicious.
If you’re into lobster and rice, you won’t regret the arroz con bogavante. It’s a Valencian dish served with asparagus and an herb aioli. Or go full on paella with any one of several temptations (seafood, veggie, chicken).
There are also plenty of traditional desserts. I committed to the volcan de chocolate. As you might guess, it’s a warm chocolate lava cake, but they go beyond with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. The combination so decadently unforgettable.
Setting La Nacional even further apart, it’s not for profit and the chef in residence resides above. They even offer tango upstairs. Whether you’re into that or not, dance your way over to West 14th Street for an authentic taste of Spain’s very best.