NAI TAPAS BAR Comes to the East Village

Nai Tapas Bar the NYC eatery that combines its roots in traditional Galician tapas with the flare of molecular gastronomy has just opened in the East Village.

Leading the helm at Nai Tapas Bar is Galicia - native Chef Ruben Rodriguez, whose inspiration stems from his nai (meaning mother in Gallego). Rodriguez has been in the kitchen since he was a child, honing his skills in his mother's restaurant. His creative culinary process begins with a sketch, which comes to life on the plate using sous-vide, emulsions, and other contemporary techniques with the ultimate goal of always heightening flavor and presentation. Operations and Wine Directors, Raul Oleaga and David Martinez, who have been with the chef for ten years, can be found in the front of the house, guiding guests through the menus.

The new Nai space was designed by Amy Mach, a fashion stylist and creative director, in collaboration with Chef Rodriguez. It evokes the essence of a traditional tapas bar and occupies two floors. The ground floor features a marble bar with a vertical garden, which will be used for cocktails and a front window opening onto Second Avenue for tapas and batidos (shakes) to go. The dining room is rustic and inviting with raw cement walls and copper accents, highlighted with artwork including an aerial view of the chef's mother's original restaurant in Spain and a series of works on glass of the chef's family portraits. Upstairs guests will find floor to ceiling windows and live Flamenco dancers on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The restaurant will feature a menu divided into Tapas Modernas and Tapas Traditionales, all designed to be shared.

Tapas Modernas include:

-Crujiente de Rabo y Trucha, oxtail toast with smoked trout and black ink aioli

-Pollo al la Brasa, which is artfully plated at the table and built from sweet mustard marinated broiled chicken thighs with tobiko, seaweed and Champagne-pickled shallots

-A modern take on Huevos Estrellados with Muchos Huevos!!, a rustic egg dish, which is transformed into an arrangement of confited, sous-vide potatoes, with egg yolk, in chorizo oil emulsion, dotted with more eggs: salmon and flying fish roe.

Tapas Traditionales include:

-Pulpo a la Gallega, boiled Galician-style octopus

-Cordero Estofado, lamb stew with potatoes

-Rabo Guisado, braised oxtail with potatoes

Brunch and lunch are also served every day with selections including Fried Whiting Fillet with lemon butter brioche, cabbage and radicchio aioli slaw and sous-vide fries or basmati beet rice with pickled beets, shaved manchego cheese, poached egg and micro herbs.

Apart from an a la carte menu, a tasting menu as well as a reservation only customizable Chef's tasting menu will also be offered.

The menu is carefully paired with Sommelier Daniel Proveda's (2009 Best Sommelier of Madrid) Spanish wine list as well as eight flavors of Sangria and vegetable-based low-alcohol cocktails.

Nai Tapas Bar is located at 85 Second Avenue at the corner of 5th Street, New York, NY 10009. For more information, call 212.677.1030 and visit https://www.naitapas.nyc/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Nai Tapas Bar

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