Ways to Charm Me

Eating Underground. Seriously, you can feed me a bologna sandwich in your basement and I am yours forever. One of my favorite things about NYC is the way that every bit of space is utilized and there are stores and restaurants (not to even get into the size of some bathrooms) in the smallest spaces imaginable. There are also countless places that you can walk by for weeks and never realize are there—until someone points them out, or something catches your eye. Last night I had the privilege of being taken to the Spanish Benevolent Society-a totally unassuming building on 14th street that, once you walk down a narrow flight of stairs and step inside the doors, transports you back into time. First there are the mismatched tables with people playing cards and dominos and then there is the bar, whose patrons look like they have been sitting there through the winter, possibly the last decade of winters. You can almost imagine the cigarette smoke that used to lay heavy throughout the room. Wonderful (if somewhat unschooled) paintings, some done by “society” members grace the walls, as well as posters of Garcia Lorca and old maps of Iberia----a total hodgepodge but it works. I was in the company of Lolo, a jovial restaurateur with several wonderful tapas and paella places around the city, and the unofficial mayor of the Spanish benevolent society. He was greeted warmly, called out to the chefs and we were escorted into the private dining room and to a table that, to my great pleasure, afforded us a view of people walking by (or at least their shoes). Why I find such a bunker like place so cozy and charming I don’t know, but I think it has to do with being tucked away, especially in this bustling city. You have to enjoy your peace and quiet when you can get it. An easy enough task when you are brought several wonderful tapas dishes and some icy cold beers. And then, to cap it all off was a paella like no other I have ever experienced. Instead of rice this was made with pasta (broken into bite sized pieces) and mixed with all sorts of wonderful seafood. It was a delicious paella, especially the bottom. You have to love a dish that finishes as strongly and beautifully as paella, a dish that you have to almost finish to get to the best part-the socorrat. Who knew that slightly burnt and caramelized pasta would taste so fabulous? Oh but it does, especially when enjoyed in such a hidden location.