Careening la Carrera

Bar Carrera (East Village) -175 Second Ave.,11th st and 2nd ave

Inside the blurred glass panels of Bar Carrera lies a different world, a world where sparkling Basque wine flows like a waterfall from a few feet above the bar, where eggs (not pigs) are wrapped in blankets (blankets soaked in truffle oil) and where the Alhambresque mosaic tiles exude an undeniable sexiness like Gabriel Garcia Bernal in any movie that he’s in. These northern Spanish dishes are based more on Basque cuisine than traditional tapas, but give a mouth-watering sampling of Spanish staples in dishes like Patatas Bravas, as well as some more creative northern flavor applications like the refreshing Cucumber Sangria. Owner Frederick Twomey proudly shares that the gate leading into the newly opened seating area is a few hundred years old, perhaps a larger symbol of Spain's (and respective regions’) emergence as a culinary powerhouse. Spend some time at Bar Carrera and it easily starts to feel like a second home—a home where mom is two tiny, talented South American chefs and her homemade cookies are bite-sized cheesecakes and hunks of freshly-shaved Belgian chocolate. This is a bar where eating dangerously pays off, resulting in a heavenly trippy state that removes the daily stresses of work, bills and a bloated gut (that's the cruel next-day hangover). Individual pintxos average about $5 a plate, and with small bites, it's tough to stop. After every meal at Bar Carrera, I walk away with a sense of accomplishment and silly grin on my face—convinced of my divine powers—and always, reaffirming my addiction to all-things Spanish.