If you follow chefs and their restaurants then you know that Michelin-starred chef Dani García is back with Casa Dani at Citizen NY in what’s called the Manhattan West complex.
Famous for ‘progressive Spanish cuisine,’ his tapas is legendary as are his seafood dishes. Fortunately for everyone who likes to eat, the master chef is back in New York after partnering with Sam Nazarian’s hospitality group Sbe.
As the name implies, Casa Dani is not as fancy as his Spanish Michelin-starred restaurants but his Mediterranean-Spanish dishes all rate five stars.
It’s a beautiful space but still cozy, even though it seats 160 in the mezzanine dining room with a glassed-in open kitchen and 11-seat bar plus lounge space. (Tip: Reserve a seat with a view of the kitchen.) The vibe is friendly.
Start with a cocktail and if you’re not sure what you want, ask the mixologist who can whip up a delicious creation. We had a ‘Canena Sour’ and a ‘5600’ on his recommendation. According to the Casa Dani team, the wide-ranging cocktail list was a collaborative effort between the mixologist Grupo Dani Garcia, Manuel Valenciano and and the Casa Dani team in-house at the restaurant.
By all means pair it with one of tapas, such as the Tomate tartare, sun-dried tomato to fresh, and sourdough bread.
With your entree try one of the many wine offerings from the extensive list where you’ll discover Spanish wines at different price points. We opted for a delightfully dry cava, which paired well with our food.
Don’t miss the seafood, much of which our helpful waiter, Adam, told us is flown in fresh from Spain. We recommend the Tuna Belly seasoned with avocado, cilantro, and pine nuts ($24) and any of the paellas– we had the ‘Marisco’ with prawns, mussels, salmorreta (a sauce used as a base in Spanish cooking), and saffron. We might have licked our plate. $68
Paella. Photo by Mackenzie H. Quinn.
For a splurge, order the Mariscada, the Mediterranean-style seafood platter. ($42.)
Even the lowly chicken, Arroz de Pollo, here is elevated to a fine dish, with a light dusting of paella. It’s an entire, juicy bird so pace yourself.
The vegetables are all garden-fresh and the Broccolini, which can be boring, here is incredibly flavorful.
We can’t wait to go back.
Casa Dani
448 W. 33rd St.
New York, NY