El Quinto Pino

El Quinto Pino Restaurant Review:

Chef Alex Raij’s postage stamp-size El Quinto Pino adds quirky flourishes to tapas bar classics. On the don’t-mess-with-success end of the spectrum, the bites of Menorcan-style braised tongue and olive oil-cured mackerel are as Spanish as an afternoon siesta. Things get even more interesting when the kitchen toys with expectations, like a sea urchin sandwich gilded with Korean mustard, and fried eggplant drizzled with honey and speckled with bonito flakes. The ingredients may be of Spanish origin, but the combinations are decidedly local. End a meal by sampling a Spanish cheese of the day or opting for a dessert like rice pudding. Wines are essentially a tribute to the grapes of the Iberian Peninsula.