El Mio Cid

Why Come Here? Authentic Spanish tapas, cheap eats in a charming setting

Right Amount for 2: 4-5 tapas

Spanish, tapas, El Mio Cid, NYC, cheap — Leeks w/ Mushrooms

Tapas places are a dime a dozen in NYC, with most applying their “innovative take on Spanish cuisine” in order to command higher prices. Fortunately El Mio Cid didn’t get the memo and still focuses on making authentic tapas right. The large menu contains all your favorites from spanish tortillas to paella and some lesser seen offerings like leeks and mushrooms. The tapas are sizeable enough you could make a meal out of 2 of them, yet not one costs over $10. Throw in a pitcher of Sangria (made with just the right amount of sweetness) for $21 and you’ve got a tapas date for under $50. Oh yeah, there’s also a ScoutMob deal that gets you $20 off the already low price.

Yet somehow this place was only about 25% full on a Friday night. Okay, it is in Bushwick. But it’s an easy ride on the M or L trains. And the space is dimly lit, airy and includes a mural of a Spanish castle. You might as well be in Spain. So if you have a low maintenance date that doesn’t mind the train ride, you’ll be highly rewarded for making the trek.

Here’s what we tried:

spanish, tapas, el mio cid, nyc, brooklyn — Chorizo el Mio Cid

Pulpo al mio cid (octopus w/garlic, wine, tomato & onion) The mutli-dimensional sauce helped mask the fact that the octopus was overdone. This could be a great dish if they cook it right.

Jamon y Queso No one ever went wrong ordering an assortment Spanish cheeses and cured hams. It’s not over thought and more reminiscent of what you might get in Spain.