What’s better than Kashkaval at Kashkaval? Kashkaval at home, in my sweatpants, as I mindlessly tab through Reddit. Oh, yes.

If you’ve somehow forgotten my favorite restaurant ever, here’s my first gushing post about it. In short, Kashkaval is an adorable Hell’s Kitchen cheese shop that opens up into a wonderfully romantic (and affordable!) Mediterranean tapas and wine bar. And although I always knew this place sold their tapas by the pound, I somehow believed that bringing the lovely spreads outside the shop would make the dining-in experience less… special? Whatever. I had a serious craving for Beet Skordalia and warm pita yesterday, and I needed it satiated ASAP…

My streaming logic as I stood before the tapas counter:

Defintiely need some pita and Beet Skordalia. But it’s only creamy and sweet. It needs to be offset by something tart… Walnut Pepper Spread! Hmm… but both these things are smooth and spreadable. I need something I can stab with a fork. White Bean Piyaz! 

And there you have it. Three impulsive cravings and ½ lb of everything later, I ended up with, what I thought would be, a pretty expensive sampling. Lucky for me, it was savvy as could be! I was charged half-price for the pita, and my Kashkaval feast came out to be a mere $12. Did I mention all that food lasted 2 meals? Yup, a $6 dinner ain’t too shabby in the Big Apple. 

I warmed the pita in my oven till the edges were crispy and immediately dipped them in the cool, earthy beet purée. If you’re a beet-lover like me, this sweet spread is a must.

The Walnut Pepper Spread is an entirely different experience, but equally fantastic. Chunks of roasted walnuts are blended with zesty pepper, garlic and onion in this delightfully acidic, mildly spicy spread. It’s a perfect complement to the mellow Skordalia.

Then, there’s the hearty Piyaz (pictured at the top). These large white beans simply “pop” at first bite. Mixed with extra virgin olive oil, parsley, dill, and diced scallion and pepper, this lively tapas is absolutely addicting.

Do I ultimately regret allowing Kashkaval tapas to become more accessible? Not one bit. If anything, the experience has brought on a deeper appreciation of the restaurant’s menu. Like a good man, Kashkaval’s tapas will sweep you off your feet in the glowing candlelight, but will seal the deal in bed.

 

I went there.