Seamus Mullen knows how to throw a party. Even on the early side of a rainy May night, fashionable West Village denizens were streaming into the former Boqueria chef’s first solo venture. Clearly, this was by design. After all, Tertulia translates from Spanish as “The Gathering” and according to our hostess, refers to old Basque book club meetings. The restaurant opened last August, and it quickly drew crowds (and a James Beard nomination).
The Grillery built a custom grill that feeds on a mix of apple, hickory, oak and maple. Yes, we had to partake in its byproducts.
Huevos y Bacalao rested on a sill near the entrance. The Spanish inflected deviled eggs were smoky from the wood, folded with creme fraiche and salt cod, and received another smoky boost from a dusting of pimenton.
Pan Con Tomate ($7) starred crusty toasted bread slathered with garlic and tomatoes. Slabs rested alongside huevos, but not for long.
Coles de Bruselas ($9) arrived in a sleek silver skillet, featuring crispy Brussels sprouts, a judicious amount of pork belly and piquant mojo pisto.
Tupinambures ($12) were even better, touting crispy chunks of earthy smoked sunchoke – aka Jerusalem artichoke – that luxuriated in tangy citrus yogurt with sumac.
We only ordered one meaty dish, and made it count with Cordero ($16). Grilled lamb breast was like a gamier pork belly, and the fatty square paired beautifully with creamy farro and tart pickled cauliflower.
Ordering the Torta de Manzana ($7) resulted in a warm, caramelized apple cake with honey sweetness. Boozy rum ice cream and sweet cider caramel completed the circle.
No single dish at Tertulia made our jaws drop, but everything we ate was rustic and balanced. The vibe was also warm, with good people watching, and if we lived in the neighborhood, it’s possible to envision Tertulia as a semi-regular hangout.
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