Caliu

Man, oh man. Tapas, tapas, tapas…
I had a dream to have NYC tapas, thinking they would ultimately be better because everything is better in New York. Boy, I was wrong on both counts. I had dreams of sangria, spanish guitar music, and tasty spanish finger food. Unfortunately my experience wasn’t very memorable at all. Luckily I bookmarked this spot to review or I would’ve forgotten about it!
We couldnt really make up our minds on where to go, and in our hungry frustration we decided on Caliu. Apparently Lady Gaga loves Caliu. Now we officially know she’s crazy.
The restaurant was almost empty when we arrived, but luckily filled to at least half full by the time we were leaving. Music wasn’t memorable, but it definitely wasnt anything that a tapas place should play, or that Ive ever heard in a tapas place before.
Everything took a while. Like 3 tapas and paella took 2 hungry hours to come out.
Drinks were an issue. I ordered white sangria because I usually never see it on menus. Big mistake. It tasted like a flat white wine spritzer that had been left on the counter after a party (not that I would know what that tastes like…). Red sangria was alright, but not spectacular.
Papas bravas were delightful, some of my favorites ive ever had. The calamari was good as well. It was tender and flavorful, but something was a little off about it. A little fishy.
I did not like the paella. And Im not gonna put a cute little word twist or use clever adjectives to describe it like I do in my reviews, either. It. Was. Not. Good. It was awful. It was mushy and heavy and weird. And not like any paella Ive seen, tried, or remotely heard about. (and they better not try to pull that «regional» stuff on me, either. No one makes paella like that).They clearly made HUUUGEEE pans of it and then decided to take spoonfuls of it and throw it on the grill, then squirt lots of white sauce on top in a zig-​zag pattern to keep it classy. 2 globs of glutinous risotto-​like paella with a strange flavor, covered in white sauce. Soooo not the Spanish Experience I wanted.
The waitstaff was good looking and nice. The space itself was also good looking. I had great company with me and I almost gave them 3 stars for this reason, but reflecting on it, I should just focus on the food and service. Good Luck, Caliu. You’re gonna need it in a food city like New York.

In a word: okay… just okay.
I came here for brunch. twice (I won’t review a place if I’ve only experienced them once). But I don’t see a reason to spend money here a third time.
The brunch drinks are tiny. So while they boast «unlimited» mimosas, sangrias, or bloody mary’s (you have to stick to one, I was told) — they are watered down and served in tiny glasses. (The two hour maximum is pretty standard for «unlimited drinks».)
The brunch menu is nothing special. Eggs benedict (ooh truffle hash browns), salads, steak and eggs… it’s just okay, not impressive.
I guess I tend to expect more from this zip code…

Whenever I find myself wavering between a two and three star review, I always look to the 2 star tagline on Unilocal — «Meh, I’ve experienced better.» And yes, that’s what Caliu is to me.
The space itself is decent, although the stairs down to the bathroom really are a death trap.
But, I mean, how can you not have olive oil for the table? This is a Spanish restaurant! And, the music? Well, I felt like I was trapped in some sort of My So Called Life episode — music straight from the mid-​90s. No. No. No.
The tapas were decent, mind you. The «spicy» patatas bravas were much better than the regular ones. The albondigas were good too. Preferred lamb to the pork montado. In the end, the food was fine. But the other things were what really got to me.
And the drinks were a bit weak — granted, we went during their happy hour, so I guess that’s expected. But, I mean, my mojito tasted like a minty Sprite.
I suppose this place is alright if you live in the neighborhood, but even then, I really can’t quite justify coming back, and I don’t even live that far away.

Having lived in the West Village for 5 years, Caliu is far an away the best place I’ve been to at any price point. We’ve been to all the other tapas places that have popped up, but always regret not going to Caliu.
The chef is clearly super passionate about food and the menu only serves interesting combinations that are in season (menu changes based on what’s fresh).
The Paella is the #1 standout dish as my friends from Barcelona said it was the best they’d ever had (and I concur). He cooks it this Peruvian way which makes it really crispy and mind-​blowingly delicious. I’d also recommend the butternut squash fritters, the cauliflower and squid in ink, but really 80% of the dishes we’ve had there I would say are GREAT.
Only downside is that it can get a bit loud and crowded, so make a reservation.
I don’t usually publish my favorite restaurants on Unilocal,but I’m moving soon and this is one of 2 restaurants in the area that deserves to be popular.

Really good spanish tapas at very reasonable prices. Its nice to come here with a group of friends to pick on a little bit of everythinig.
Excelllent cheese and serrano ham. The spanish meatballs and seafood paella were also a hit.
I didn’t love the calamari.
Nice wine list and good service.
I wouldn’t mind coming here again!

3.5−3.75(ish)
Lady Gaga loves CALiU, so who am I to disagree? In all honesty, I really did love my first visit here, which was prompted by one of those Groupon-​like specials and included a very generous Prix Fixe menu.
On this second, follow-​up visit, we were still very impressed by the service, and while the food was very good, it wasn’t quite as fantastic as I remember it being that first time. This time around, we had a Gilt City coupon for a six-​course Tasting Menu. This included two drinks each and the following small plates:
Roasted Cauliflower — Despite it being on the salty side, we really enjoyed this simple start to the meal. My husband devoured it (which is interesting, considering that he doesn’t like cauliflower).
Sweet Butternut Squash Fritters — Delicious! The sweetness of the butternut squash and the creaminess of the yogurt sauce on top made this taste more like a dessert than an appetizer. Wish we’d gotten more than 3, but oh well.
Chicken Skewers on Bruschetta– The chicken itself was a little bland, but that wasn’t such a problem since the bread was toasted and topped with a yummy herb mixture and a slightly sweet sauce.
Mushroom Stuffed Croquettes — Perhaps it’s because I don’t LOVE mushrooms, but I wasn’t as fond of this dish as the others. However, they were cooked perfectly and had a nice crunchy exterior and smooth, creamy filling.
Spinach Salad — Very light, with a burst of flavors from lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. So yummy.
Paella — My least favorite dish. I happen to love paella (and am thus very particular about it), so although CALiU’s wasn’t bad at all, I prefer a more traditional preparation.
I appreciated that they were willing to give me two non-​alcoholic versions of one of their signature drinks and still count it as part of the coupon (which other restaurants have refused to do in the past). I’ll definitely return to CALiU, but next time, I’ll order directly off the menu and get more portions of the food I really love.

I swear, a day later, I’m still full and buzzed from one of the most solid NYC brunches I’ve had in quite a while.
While taking a friend around the West Village, we were looking for AYCD brunches; though we saw cheaper ones, the allure of tapas and a restaurant that was virtually (and surprisingly) empty at 1 p.m. on a picture perfect Saturday drew us in.
The brunch menu is more savory than sweet (the only «sweet» option being chocolate chip banana pancakes), and a few tapas were offered during the brunch session. However, the food my friend and I received was absolutely solid. I ordered the PTL: Pork, lettuce, and tomato sandwich topped with caramelized onions and spicy goat cheese. From the freshness of the greens, to the bite of the tomato, to the perfectly — cooked tenderness of the pork, to the warming heat of the cheese: This sandwich was damn near perfect! My friend ordered the grilled cheese with oil-​cured tomatoes and was extremely pleased as well. The salsa verde home fries we both received were a perfect accompaniment. It’s an art to make a firm yet soft yet crunchy home fry. They succeeded!
We both went the red sangria route for our bottomless drinks: the drink was solid, was constantly refilled as promised, and left us giggling and stumbling for a taxi on Hudson by 3 p.m. Muy bien!
Also, the churros they offer for dessert? They melt in your mouth. FACT. (THOUGH, sneaky sneaky to offer us a dipping sauce other than regular chocolate and charge us an extra $ 2 on the bill for our dulce de leche sauce. Booo.)
Most brunch items cost between $ 13 — $ 15 dollars. Add $ 10 for a drink, and you’re up to $ 23 — $ 25 already. Instead of ordering a la carte, you might as well go all in for the AYCD and enjoy a nice weekend «way — too — early — in — the — day — to — feel — this — way» buzz. You will not be disappointed!

Situated in the West Village in New York, Caliu is a very warm and cozy venue. With dark woods and a relatively small dining room area, they cater to groups of 2 – 4 typically and can accommodate larger parties with a reservation.
I was brought here for Sunday brunch by friends local to the area. They had stumbled on this little gem when looking for a good brunch menu coupled with unlimited drinks (which NY has always done well). Caliu offers a pre fixe brunch menu with unlimited drinks (white or red sangria, mimosas or bloody marys) for $ 25.
Although the glasses are small for the unlimited drinks, the servers were great at keeping them filled the entire visit. For our meal, we ordered the bruschetta, which was an excellent mix of finely diced sweet tomatoes on a crispy piece of bread. I followed with the steak & eggs, which was a perfect portion of sliced medium rare hanger steak and three eggs cooked to order. My friends ordered the Eggs Benedict, again excellent, and the Chorizo Sandwich, which was ideally portioned and had just enough chorizo to spice up the meal without being too overbearing.
Overall, our meal was excellent, the staff was very friendly, and the prices were great for what we received. The warm and cozy feeling of the décor and the overall atmosphere was just what we wanted for our Sunday (liquid) brunch. We even found some pieces of art inside the venue that we are considering purchasing for our homes. I would definitely recommend Caliu if you are in the area!

I stopped in here for a drink this weekend. It was a nice little tappas place. I had a great drink (pic is posted) a little pricey foe what you get but not that big of a deal.
My only complaint was the bartender was super slow. there were three people at the bar, then just me and it took like 10 min to get change.

My hubby & I recently started a happy hour hunting kick. Since we both work from our home office in the WV, it’s nice to get out in the early evening and try new places.
On one of our expeditions, we stumbled upon Caliu. When we saw the happy hour special we thought that it’s a must try! How right we were! Buy one, get one free of cocktails or sangria and then you also get a free tapas with that. So, you could have two drinks and a tapas for $ 7! That’s seriously unheard of in the WV.

They start the happy hour around 4pm and it’s pretty empty at that time, which is nice, but it does start to pick up shortly after. The bartenders are all very nice, the entire staff is actually.
We just visited Spain a few weeks ago and Caliu is very authentic. Though, I like the croquettes better at Caliu than some of the ones we had in Spain. Also, try the churros, they may be more like Mexican churros, but they’re really delicious!

Do not deceive by the look of the restaurant. What they served us was fantastic except Coca de Chorizo ($ 8), the house-​made spicy chorizo had too many spices and reminded of Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger. I didn’t enjoy it but if you like the Burger from Xi’an Famous Foods on St. Marks, it may be for you.
Montado de Cangrejo ($ 7 for 4?)
Spanish salsa (jalapeño, apples, cilantro, citrus alioli) on crunchy toast was prefect way to start the meal. It was fresh, light and tasty.
Calamares en Tinta Negra ($ 11– I thought size of this plate were perfect for 2)
Perfectly cooked squid were soft and with garlicky, a bit fatty, black ink sauce was fantastic! Fresh watercress made it much lighter and clean feel to it.
I thought Montado de Boquerones ($ 6) was a good deal for that price. Rolled up with thinly sliced Spanish ham with Anchovies came with a side of small and very crunchy toasts. We made several bruschetta from it. The soft and oiliness from full of Omega-​3 Anchovies worked so well with crunchy texture of toast but adding a bit of corse salt enhanced even more. If the salsa verde were salty enough, I wouldn’t need to add more salt.
Spanish flan for dessert was simply Crème Brûlée. I loved the bitterness from hard and very sweet and thick caramel top. The bitterness gave a depth of flavor to not too sweet creamy custard.
I definitely want to try the rest of dishes.

This place is extremely mediocre. I love Spanish Tapas but this place failed pretty miserably.
The service is very poor. It takes a concerted effort to even get a water glass refilled.
The only redeeming things were the butternut squash dumplings but even those are not worth the trip.
Don’t bother.

I dined here last night for my gf’s
.
The place is cute and the service professional, but the food is just average.
We had the bacon-​wrapped dates (good), the dry rubbed pork with goat cheese (still good), the paella (not great… the house-​made chorizo is mediocre) and the roasted lamb chops with cauliflower, parsnips and fresh horseradish stew… which was too watery and not exceptionally tasty.
We had two pitchers of pomegranate sangria, which was one of the most watered down sangria I’ve ever had… a pretty stingy move for $ 32 per pitcher. When you can see through the glass like if it contained light tea it’s not good, guys.
Keep in mind that they do charge a $ 20 fee for serving your
cake. Considering that it was a party of seven, it wasn’t cheap. We would have preferred to order a cake at the restaurant, but when we called to make the reservation, we were told that they don’t offer it. They sure charge you if you bring yours, though…
Meh. I’ve experienced better. I don’t get all the fuss of most Unilocalers below.

I really really like Caliu. I’ve been a couple of times now, and every time I encounter pleasant waitstaff, tasty food, solid wine recommendations, and a cozy vibe. I’m genuinely happy to see it busy on a Friday night, but not TOO busy to accommodate 2 local walk-in’s.
Tonight we tried the paella, which was out of this world. I’ve never had such fantastic paella in my life. The rice was succulent, the mussels, octopus, and cockles cooked perfectly, and there were big chunks of chorizo and thin slices of garlic. I won’t forget this paella.

W.O.W. Food is like whoa. I had the tasting menu here and really enjoyed all the flavors and love that was put into the food. The best sangria here to try is the watermelon flavor (mmm).
Food:
Dates (with or without bacon) — kind of sweet
Tomato on toast — delicioso
Butternut squash fritters — sweet and savory
Sauteed wild mushrooms — I love mushrooms and this dish did not disappoint.
Maize dulce — I hope you brought floss.
Sea scallop with cheese — yum!
Gambas al ajillo — savory
Hanger steak — 3 slices cooked medium rare perfectly
Churros and chocolate — food coma setting on
Cheese platter — nice way to end the tasting. on a cheesy note.

MMM… tapas. Yummy yummy tapas. And so many to choose from. Thankfully i bought a gilt city deal that made me privy to sampling 10 plates and 2 glasses of sangria for 2 people for $ 77. I really don’t think you can beat that anywhere.
We even had the menu to look at beforehand so the chef could personally ask us if there was anything in particular that we wanted to try. This was definitely a great touch as most places would never do this. The hostesses/​waitresses were also very helpful in explaining dishes as they came out and asking us what we were in the mood for towards the end as our stomachs were filling up heftily.
Highlighted dishes include
–roasted brussel sprouts (first time in my life i enjoyed their tasted)
–pork loin with spicy goat cheese on toast
–grilled hangar steak… holy crap this was good
mussels with spicy chorizo
–bleu cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
HUGE DISCLAIMER/​VENTING SESSION and my reason for not giving this place 5 stars and almost giving it 3. If you sit under the AC duct, moisture forms and you get dripped on. In my opinion this can be fixed, the last thing you want is water dripping into your drink, on your food, and on your face while you eat. It was a huge pain in the ass. They walk around with a tiki torch that has a towel on the end to wipe it down from time to time. But if they don’t get to your area in time which they didn’t and often, you get dripped on. Moved tables once and it was still happening. Made my meal a little damp… pun definitely intended
So if you go grab a table on the right side, not the left. I guess this wont be a factor in the winter though.

Stopped by for Happy Hour and got a free tapas dish (can choose from 4) with my sangria. We then decided to stay for dinner and here’s what was ordered:
–bacon wrapped dates with valedeon cheese ($ 9): would order this again. Salty and sweet flavors burst in your mouth.
–white anchovies, preserved lemons and watercress on toast ($ 6): not bad… for anchovies
–tomato gazpacho, rock shrimp cooked in pimenton oil ($ 8)l: I wanted this all to myself. Tasty and refreshing… great gazpacho!
–mussels, spicy chorizo, txakoli wine, toast ($ 13): okay
–baby squid, squid ink vinaigrette, watercress salad ($ 11): not a squid fan…
I also tried the red and watermelon sangria. The watermelon one was great. On a hot, sweltering day, this would be the perfect beverage of choice.
Service was friendly and efficient and the place was crowded once Happy Hour ended.

Caliu took me by surprise with its gentle service and yummy dishes! The great thing about tapas is the ability to taste a variety of dishes without ordering an insane amount of food. I came with a group of 4 so we got a variety of small plates. Here were some of my favorites:
1. Butternut squash fritters. They might not look appetizing, but they will blow you away with flavor! The outside crust is crispy due to the frying, but when you bite into the fritter, you wouldn’t expect a molten creamy center. But that’s exactly what you get! The butternut squash oozes out and fills your entire mouth with its sweetness!
2. Lamb bacon. These were amazing! So full of flavor and the mixture of textures was great.
3. Chicken wings. I didn’t expect the wings to be so sweet but there was a sweet apple glaze on the outside. Not only did it look delicious, it tasted great! The meat was tender and juicy.
4. Housemade churros with chocolate sauce. They were downright awesome!

How cool would it be if there was an algorithm to find people who have common restaurant preferences? It would be a slightly less creepy version of OK Cupid! Barack Obama and I would practically be best friends and apparently I’d be pretty tight with Lady Gaga, too. She’s been sighted eating at Caliu, but not on the particular evening that I was dining.
Thankfully, we were spared having to listen to songs about boys, partying, and disco sticks and were pleasantly surprised to hear Radiohead, Pulp, and The Cure. Not only did the musical selections deviate from the norm for a tapas restaurant, but the overall experience was quite different from Franco Barrio’s other restaurant, Boqueria*.
Our table agreed than sangria was the beverage of the evening. Although I’m not typically a fan of sangria, this was actually very good and not too sweet. The Spanish wine selection, although small, is also of excellent quality.
3 – 4 tapas are recommended per person. The portions are TINY, so if you’re hungry you may want to order more. Our table shared the following:
Jamon serrano — A good way to start dinner. We were each able to enjoy a slice or two.
Pan con tomate — Very nicely prepared. The bread was crispy and toasty and the tomato, olive oil, and salt balance on top was perfect.
Tortilla espanola — Also well-​prepared, the egg and potato were very moist and fluffy. Was this worth $ 10 for two slices though? The jury is still out on that one.
Squash bunelos — These are excellent! Sweet butternut squash and a maple yogurt for dipping made these almost feel like dessert.
Calamares en tinta negra — We were all looking forward to the squid. Unfortunately, the squid was a little bit rubbery and everything was extremely salty.
Vieras de la playa — I felt robbed. $ 10 for two small-​to-​medium sized, gritty scallops in a fairly salty sauce? Ugh.
Paella — Everyone has their own method of making paella and the ingredients they include. Caliu’s paella includes both chorizo and seafood. The rice was well-​cooked and seasoned, albeit a bit liquidy. The pan is very small, but it was the perfect size for each of us to have a taste.
The paella filled us up, so we shared churros for dessert. There are also not many dessert options at Caliu; perhaps this is something to expand on. Crispy and slightly chewy, these churros were definitely fresh and made even better with the thick hot chocolate for dipping.
The servers at Caliu are your pouty model types. At times it felt a bit pretentious, so they’d probably be pretty tight with Lady Gaga (if the aforementioned algorithm means anything).
The menu at Caliu is not extensive, but many of the basics and traditional dishes are executed well. The prices, however, are a bit expensive for what you receive. It can be difficult to find well-​executed traditional tapas in NYC, but Caliu has done a very good job.
* Which is overrated.

Was there for brunch. Tiny place that is typical of the village dining scene.
Friend had the pancake which she didn’t finish. I had the egg benedict with truffle oil harsh brown. Nothing mind-​blowing. I have had better egg benedict.
We also shared the boneless chicken wings and mushrooms as a side. Really like the flavoring of the chicken wings. And they were beautifully served.
And oh. The free flow of mimosa, sangria or Bellini helps. Plus the many eye candies of the west village. :)