A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life!
Sofrito Lovers,
The mini-review below was originally published in Sofrito Magazine, a wonderful webzine started by Chef Nelson Gonzalez Gonzalez. Nelson has always been supportive of this blog, so I'm returning the love and support.
Sofrito Magazine is simply incredible. It features a wide variety of articles about Latino cuisine, incredible food photography, recipes for Latin American dishes, and interviews with up and coming Latino Chefs.
So if you believe in supporting Latino culinary culture and Latino business, then check out Sofrito Magazine at: sofritomagazine.com
Marcha Cocina: A piece of Spain in Washington Heights.
By
Benjamin Ramos Rosado, Sofrito Magazine
Tapas! For many, this five-letter word evokes
memories of fun filled nights with friends in Madrid enjoying fine wine and
those small dishes of incredible fare.
For those of us who’ve never been to Spain, enjoying the various tapas
bars in New York City is the closest we can get to those raucous Spanish
nights. Whenever I crave those wonderful Spanish flavors, I go to Marcha Cocina
in Washington Heights.
Located
on W. 171st St and Broadway, Marcha Cocina is a cozy restaurant with
a fully stocked bar and several small tables set out through the space. The modern décor features stark white walls
and tables, silver metallic chairs, and a few pieces of Spanish art on the
walls.
Despite
the cold and clinical décor, the ambiance is warm and inviting; you can’t help,
but feel welcomed when smiling servers greet you as you enter and the bartender
goes out of his way to shake your hand. Marcha’s multi-ethnic and
multi-generational clientele gives it a unique appeal that other tapas bars
downtown lack; this isn’t some hipster or yuppie hideout, it’s an open and
inclusive community space.
Marcha’s
menu is divided into 9 sections: Ensaladas, Sopas, Sandwiches, Croquetas,
Tapas, Charcuteria, Quesos, Platos Fuertes (mostly Paellas), and Cocas.
Whenever I visit, I focus primarily on the salads and the tapas. I’ve got nothing against the rest of the
menu, but when I visit Marcha all I can think about are the tapas.
Usually,
I’ll start with one of my two favorite Ensaladas, which are the Marcha Salad
and the Espanola Salad. The Marcha
Salad consists of grilled chicken breast, mixed
greens, hearts of palm, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, croutons, manchego cheese
and lemon dressing. The Espanola Salad consists of mixed greens, grapes, goat cheese,
almonds and white asparagus with passion fruit vinaigrette. Both salads are light, refreshing and
flavorful; they’re the perfect way to start a meal of delicious tapas.
I
could write volumes about the tapas menu, but I’ve chosen to highlight my three
favorite tapas dishes: The Marcha Calamari, Las Papatas Bravas, and the Pollo y
Platano Croquetas. I must mention that
the Gambas Al Ajillo (Shrimp sautéed in garlic, olive oil, and chiles) and the
Albondigas (Beef meatballs served with sofritos, green pepper demi-glaze, creme
fraiche and tomato) almost made the list, except for the fact that I order my
top three far more frequently than I do the others.
Of
the three, the Marcha Calamari is my favorite.
The floured calamari is cooked to perfection; it’s soft and has the
right amount of chew without being too rubbery. Seasoned with a smoked paprika aioli, the calamari has a
wonderful balance of sweetness and smoky piquant flavor.
The
Patatas Bravas are a classic tapas dish, made of fried potato wedges smothered
in Brava sauce. For those not in the
know, Brava sauce is a spicy tomato sauce made with paprika, garlic, olive oil,
and vinegar. The crispy potatoes’
starchy flavor perfectly complements the brava sauce’s spicy flavor. I would advise you to order the dish with
half the amount of sauce, because the chef can be a bit heavy handed with it.
The
Pollo and Platano Croquetas are incredible!
They’re made of plantain dough stuffed with organic chicken and served
with a Tabasco based aioli. The chicken
filling is moist and well seasoned. These croquetas remind me of Alcapurrias,
which is a type of fried Puerto Rican delicacy. The Tabasco based aioli rounds out the dish by providing a
delightful kick of heat and acid.
Marcha
Cocina may not be a popular pub on the streets of Seville, but that doesn’t
matter! You don’t have to travel all
the way to Salamanca to enjoy Spanish pub fare, just take the A train to
Washington Heights and visit Marcha. You won’t regret it! Buen provecho!
Marcha
Cocina
4055
Broadway
New
York, NY 10032
(212)
928-8272
