Francisco's Centro Vasco
Photo: Cititour.com
Contact Info:
Address: 159 W. 23rd St (bet. 6th & 7th)
City: New York, NY
Zip: 10011
map: View the Map
Phone: (212) 645-6224
Food Info:
Cuisine:
Seafood
2nd Cuisine:
Spanish
Cititour Review:
There are lobster lovers and there are lobster LOVERS. I'd like to think of myself as belonging to the latter. But it's not too easy finding the delicious crustaceans in the Big Apple. Sometimes the tails can be bland or rubbery; claw meat that's often shriveled or salty. And often times you can wind up shelling out close to 50 clams at places like City Lobster for a first-rate lobster meal. That's what makes Francisco's Centro Vasco such a great find, and a place where customers keep coming back year after year. Francisco's is simple with its stucco walls and very busy staff. The only real highlight -- gigantic lobster claws hanging above the bar. No kidding, some are as big as boxing gloves and I'm told they're all real, captured off the coast of Maine. And it is that love of lobster that really shows. Lobsters steamed, broiled and stuffed being served up to a lively crowd two, three, four at a time. Whole tables full of people, equipped with bibs and nutcrackers, ripping and clawings at their favorite food - lobster. The lobster meat is sweet and tender, thanks to the brisk turnover. It's to lobster what the Oyster Bar at Grand Central is to oysters. Prices are very reasonable for one pounders or you can dive into a real monster. Francisco's also serves up a decent cut of beef for its surf and turf, and a fine Spanish seafood paella, but it is the lobster that will leave a lasting impression. So will the sangria. Enjoy!
Review By: Sam Sayegh
Location:
Comments:
Sign up for our newsletter !