Tico

          I tried Tico the other night on a whim; it's been open for awhile and is one of Michael Schlow's newer restaurants (I used to love Radius). I'm not sure why I didn't make it in sooner.

 
          The atmosphere was not at all what I expected and at first I was disappointed. It felt more like a bar where you'd go out for drinks, and I was worried the food wouldn't be as good.  However, I was pleasantly surprised and ended up really enjoying my meal.

          The menu is a mix of tapas, tacos (two per order), and large plates. We ordered several of the tapas and tacos to share:

Fried Manchego Cheese with spicy pomegranate honey sauce

Sweet corn with smoked bacon, jalepenos, and thai basil

Serrano ham with guava jam and warm bread

Lobster taco with avocado

Spanish octopus with tangerines and pickled leeks

Shredded Cabbage Salad with Spicy Salsa Verde Vinaigrette and Crushed Almonds

Two Texture Beef taco with Morita Chiles

          I enjoyed all of the dishes but my favorites were the two texture beef taco and the octopus. I wasn't sure what both cuts of beef were, but one was definitely tongue which is my favorite kind of taco. Octopus is hard to get just right, and this was grilled perfectly with a great smokey flavor. I was surprised by the fried manchego (the menu didn't specify fried) but how can you go wrong with fried cheese??

          Tico is a fun spot to go out for a drink or for some tapas, the space is huge and wide open so it would also be great for a party or large group.