DESSERT. Now that I have your attention, remember to save room for it when you eat at Alcala where the choices I'm about to mention are sure to leave you smacking your lips: Pera al Vino Tinto (poached pear with a red rioja wine sauce and rice pudding ice cream), Espuma de Crema Catalana (foam of caramel custard) and Trio de Chocolate (three chocolate mousse with natillas and raspberry sauce) Ok, now on to more serious matters.

“Basque” in the warm and comfortable atmosphere of Alcala, which specializes in some of the city’s best food from the Basque region of Spain. From the Arabic word for ‘castle,’ this casual eatery caters mainly to U.N clientele and takes its cuisine very seriously by trying to cover all the major regions of the country on its menu.

Chefs Narciso Camarillo and Alfredo Mejía leave no detail over looked when preparing dishes such as Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos de Bacalao (red Piquillo peppers stuffed with codfish on salsa vizcaina) or Atun Encebollado (grilled tuna on scalloped potatoes surrounded by caramelized Spanish onions). Of course no Spanish menu would be complete without Paella and Alcala serves it up two ways: with beef, chicken and chorizo sauce or with seafood. By the way, it’s the saffron that makes all the difference, I'm told.