While Boqueria announces its new head chef, its former chef de cuisine is also making strides. Franco Bario, a Peruvian, moved to Barcelona when he was 21, cooked in a few restaurants there, and then worked as a manager at Casa Mono before he joined Seamus Mullen in shaping Boqueria’s nightly market menu. He left in January and now in November, he and Cynthia Lau (another former Casa Mono manager) will open Caliu Tapas in the former Da Andrea space. “I want to take the Boqueria concept to a different level, kitchen-wise,” Bario tells us. “Seamus and I used to use all local ingredients — that’s what we’re going to do here also. We’re going to have the same seasonal concept, with market menu specials.” That said, the base menu is going to be “straightforward tapas — very classic,” as you can see below.
One particular point of pride: the paella. Caliu says, “The paellas we’ve tasted around town are not really the classic version. They use chicken stock — in Spain, they actually use fish or lobster stock, and it also has more liquid than the ones you see here.” The wine list, says Lau, will be exclusively Spanish, concentrating on relatively unsung regions like Priorat. We’ll take you inside the 65-seat dining room (modeled after a rustic Spanish taberna, with a small bar) once it’s closer to its November opening. In the meantime, here’s a look at the menu.
Carnes y Quesos - 5ea
Jamon Serrano 18 Meses
serrano ham, aged 18 months
Chorizo Cantimpalo
spicy pork sausage cured in pimenton
Salchichon
spiced pork sausage cured with garlic and herbs
Fuet
catalan style hard pork sausage
Manchego 12 Meses
aged sheep’s milk cheese, notes of caramel and almonds
Valdeon
sharp blue cheese from cow, sheep and goat’s milk
Cana de Cabra
mild, creamy goat’s milk cheese
Idiazabal
smoked sheep’s milk cheese
Tapas Frias
Olivas Mixtas - 5
mixed spanish olives
Boquerones y Hongos Marinados - 7
white anchovies and sautéed wild mushrooms
Montado de Romesco con Menta - 6
almond “romesco” and mint salad on toast
Montado de Lomo y Queso de Cabra - 6
dry rubbed pork loin and goat cheese on toast
Crudo de Lenguado - 8
Long Island fluke and “leche de tigre”
Tapas Calientes
Pan con Tomate - 5
grilled bread, garlic, tomatoe, olive oil
Papas Bravas - 8
fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions, guindilla pepper
Tortilla Espanola - 10
classic egg and potatoe Spanish omelette, garlic “ali o li”
Croquetas de Calabaza - 6
sweet pumpkin croquettes, peppered maple yogurt
Croquetas de Cochinillo - 6
pork cheek croquettes, black raisin jam
Bocata de Beicon - 8
house-made lamb bacon, “salsa verde”, pickled scallions
Calamares en Tinta Negra - 11
baby squid, squid ink vinaigrette
Vieiras de Playa - 10
sea scallops, idiazabal cheese, txakoli
Platitos
Ensalada Caliu - 10
shaved fennel and celery salad, olives, capers
Mejillones y Chorizo - 12
mussels, spicy chorizo, txakoli, toast
Caballa Quemada - 13
spanish mackerel, fingerling potatoes, almond “romesco”
Huevo y Carrillada - 14
braised pork cheek, charred tomatoes, farm egg
Paella Caldoza - 15
traditional paella, chorizo, chicken breast, cockles, prawns
Paella a la Plancha - 15
seafood paella “a la plancha”, toast and olives vinaigrette
Menu del Mercado
Rotating Market Menu
ask your server for today’s featured dishes
Caliu Tapas, 557 Hudson St., nr. Perry St.
