New in St. James: España Tapas & Wine bar

Don’t you just love surprises? España, a new tapas restaurant in St. James, is exactly that. If not for its bright red and yellow sign, I’d probably have whizzed right past it. But what looked like a slip of a storefront squeezed next door to a barber shop turned out to be something else entirely once I opened the door.

The place – narrow in front – harbors a long bar, a dining room and then another, much larger room filled with tables. Everything is pretty and comfortable, decorated with Spanish tiles and pictures and posters from every region of Spain.

Co-owner Julio Caro, a former wine salesman who managed some Spanish restaurants in Manhattan, is a welcoming presence. He recites specials, comments on the menu and offers suggestions from the list of affordably priced wines by the glass and bottle.

Sipping fruit-filled sangria, Rioja and Malbec, three of us shared a big platter of meats, cheeses and olives ($16.95) that included some lovely Serrano ham, mildly spicy chorizo (dry-cured pork sausage) and cheeses, among them Valdeon (a sheep and cow’s milk blue cheese), tetilla (Galician sheep’s milk cheese), two kinds of Manchego (also sheep’s milk, aged 3 and 6 months). A great pleasure.

Standing out among seafood dishes was the ultra-tender octopus, Galician style, sweet and spicy, with paprika, olive oil and potatoes ($8.95). Papas bravas, a special of fried potatoes drizzled with a spicy coral-hued sauce, was irresistible. An entree of sole in green sauce ($12.95) was good, but not quite as exciting as the tapas.

The place is co-owned by Mauricio Oliveros, who also owns the nearby Maurcio’s Orlando II. Keep in mind, if the front parking lot looks filled, that there are lots more spaces in the rear.

España Tapas & Wine Bar is at 655 Middle Country Rd., St. James, 631-656-1564.

Above, the papas bravas at España in St. James