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In the past two years, three restaurants that showcase Spanish fare have opened. The upscale Amada in Old City is a fine place to celebrate special occasions. I named Bar Ferdinand, with its inexpensive tapas menu and sunny surroundings, one of the best new restaurants of the year. Now Isla Ibiza can be added to the list. It, too, is one of the best new restaurants.
Like Bar Ferdinand, this charming Spanish eatery is in Northern Liberties at Third Street and Girard Avenue. It has tile floors, a long, wooden bar and wood accents throughout the rooms. The tables are covered with white linen and matching napkins.
My cousin Carl is a world traveler and enjoys all kinds of cuisines so he accompanied me to dinner. The hostess showed us to a roomy table right by the window and we delighted in watching the trolley cars decorated with Christmas lights clang down Girard.
The kitchen is under the capable direction of chef Guillermo Veloso, who worked in a number of restaurants including Cuba Libre.
Nearly every dish intrigued me and I soon got what my husband calls "big eyes." Specials with prices were printed on a separate sheet. I liked the variety of options and the different ways diners can order. A dinner can be made of only tapas or an entrée along with a few starters. Veloso also can organize a tapas-tasting between $25 and $60 a person, depending on the number of dishes.
Our server brought a basket of warm, homemade breads, including a long breadstick rubbed with garlic and herbs, a rustic, sliced farmhouse variety and several pieces of brown bread laced with raisins and nuts. A ramekin of sweet almond butter and white-bean hummus accompanied the selection. They were so good I had to stop myself because I did not want to fill up.
Carl and I decided to order a succession of tapas and share an entrée so we would have room for dessert. We were surprised to see several bottles of wine from $21 to $26. There were two Spanish reds that were new to me. We tasted and liked both, but agreed on a 2003 Vina Alarba ($21). The heartier of the two, it was a deep, ruby-red and rich in flavor — a delicious bargain.
We began our trip to Spain with "esparagos blanco" ($6) and "coco con pato" ($7). White asparagus can be tricky because they are often tough and woody, but these were perfectly cooked. The spears were cooled and topped with homemade, creamy lemon-garlic mayonnaise, which was a treat. Lemon juice and garlic are staples of the Spanish kitchen and they enhanced the asparagus beautifully. A long, crisp romaine leaf and several springs of Italian parsley also were on the plate and delicious with the mayonnaise.
"Coco con pato" consisted of four homemade pieces of flatbread, which were grilled with garlic and Idiazabal cheese. Generous slices of pan-roasted duck breast — which had the richness and consistency of steak — sat on top and were glazed with Tio Pepe sherry and membrillo paste, a brilliant combination. I discovered membrillo is an artisan version of quince paste. The dryness of the sherry and the sweetness of the quince were a fine foil for the rich duck.
Next to appear were "croquetas de bacalao" ($6) and "charcuterie Español" ($7) and both proved as tasty as our first tapas. Several hundred years ago, Portuguese fishermen began to salt cod to keep it fresh. Thus, salt cod or "bacalao" has become a staple of Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian cuisines. Veloso shaped his creamy croquettes into fat ovals before frying them to a crisp, golden brown. (They were not a bit greasy, either.) He included a roasted-pear dipping sauce, which added a bit of autumn sweetness.
The charcuterie plate was a cool, slightly salty change. There were several slices of rich, house-cured duck ham and beef, two generous pieces of Spain’s famous Serrano ham and some spicy chorizo, which had a nice kick. They sat on a long, marble rectangle, which was pleasing to the eye.
We shared the "zarzuela" ($20), which is one of Spain’s most famous dishes. Placido Domingo, the great international tenor, began his singing career performing in the fiery music style zarzuela. This dish was a sizzling blend of shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, lobster and jumbo lump crabmeat. They were simmered in a homemade shellfish stock prepared with tomatoes and saffron and topped with a squeeze of fresh lemon and toasted almonds. Each fish was immaculately fresh and perfectly cooked. The entrée, which was big enough for two, came with a bowl of yellow rice mixed with peas.
All desserts ($6) are made at Isla Ibiza. We settled on "pote de chocolate" and "brazo," which were sweet endings to our fine meal. The former is a European version of the all-American chocolate pudding — but better. It’s richer and more dense, with the deep, semi-sweet dark chocolate topped with whipped cream and berries. The "brazo" was made with spongecake filled with dulce de leche, toasted walnuts, almonds and amaretto. It was served on a blood-orange sauce with whipped cream.
Service was excellent. During dinner, the manager, who also buys the wine for the restaurant, went from table to table to ensure the wine pleased his diners. Veloso walked around the dining room, as well.
Three tips of the toque to Isla Ibiza.
Isla Ibiza
1176 N. Third St.
215-923-8500
Credit cards accepted
