Despaña SOHO
408 Broome St
New York, NY 10013
212 219 5050
Official Site
In New York City you can travel the globe without using a passport, from Japan to France. Food has a way of allowing an individual to enjoy a culture through its native dishes. Luckily we live in a city that is a melting pot of cultures. All that is needed is a metro card.
Spanish fare is a favorite amongst many and right here in the popular SOHO, Despana is a few short steps to Spain.
From the moment you walk through the doors, it feels like you’ve just travelled to Spain in mere seconds. There’s Jamon Iberco – cured hams – on display by the entrance. Refrigerated counter tops with an array of manchego cheese, meats, and chorizo that were made at Despana’s original location in Queens. On the opposite side of the store are bottles of olive oils stacked neatly on the wall, along with vinegars and jams imported directly from Spain as well as various canned sea foods that the region is well known for producing.
Despana is not just like any other boutique store in the neighborhood but rather a food journey of the different Spanish regions. The staff is well informed and willing to educate those that are unfamiliar with this particular type of food. Samples are available throughout the store to tantalize the taste buds prior to purchasing.
Aside from being a store, Despana also boasts a café where customers can experience authentic Spanish flavors. It offers excellent tapas and bocadillos, a type of Spanish sandwich, as well as premade pinxtos and tortillas (also known as a Spanish omelette) that are on display behind the counter.
Located in the back the café is fitted with a dining area where guests can enjoy these delectable dishes. The space has three communal marbled topped tables paired with metal red chairs, its white tiled walls are decorated with two large mirrors and industrial pendant lamps provide a well lit area for a casual sit down meal.
Not only does everything look good and with the price of the most expensive item on the menu not exceeding more than $10 it is easy to over indulge.
Pintxos are similar to bruschetta that takes about two to three bites to consume. The Bacalao Croquette, Tortilla, Manchego, Spicy Sardine, and Boqarones are all very good considering they’re pre-made. The Piquillo Rebozado made with Piquillo peppers stuffed with cod and the omelette with shrimp salad called Tortilla and Gambas were my favorites.
There are 15 different kinds of Bocadillos to choose from. Most of the sandwiches contain pork ingredients like ham and chorizo served on delicious Ciabatta bread. Since I don’t eat pork (personal preference), my choices were limited. They also have a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables. The bocadillos I had an opportunity to taste were the Pescador and the Torilla Bocadillo, both were delightful, but the Pescador stood out most. I enjoyed the flavor combination of the Aioli, white tuna, and anchovies in this.
They also have stellar tapas offerings like the Boquarones, white anchovies with garlic and parsley and for the olive lover the Spanish Olives is a must. It’s a mix of the country’s different kinds of marinated olives. There is an Octopus and Olive Oil tapas, one of the best octopus dish that I’ve had in New York City. The octopus meat has a soft texture while the paprika added a wonderful flavor. I like that the ingredients used in their food is also available in the store. This allows the customers to be creative and design their own tapas in the comfort of their own home.
Despana offers Spanish vinos and beer from their wine store located right next door. They serve tasty sangria, which is as good as the one I’ve had in Spain. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and thickness of the red wine.
Unfortunately, Despana in SOHO is only open till 7pm, so I usually come for a late lunch or an early dinner. During that time the café is empty and not as crowded on the weekend where hoards of tourist visiting Little Italy and Chinatown tend to pack this place. How I wished they would stay open later.
Who would have thought that Despana, a store that sells high quality edible products from Spain, also offers food that is even better than some of these so called “Spanish” restaurants in New York City?
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