"The dim lights, chicken-wire dividers, and salvaged chairs are the first sign you're not in a traditional tapas bar. The second might be that steak at the table next to you, which is literally engulfed in flames, or that Caesar, which comes with a pair of shears—you'll be using them to chop the salad. Better suited to a sit-down tapas feast than to a quick stop on a longer crawl, La Gabinoteca feels like a destination restaurant. These tapas are as much about style as they are about substance—and they deliver in both categories. Gratinéed razor clams, enlivened with a kimchi cream, have been on the menu since day one—one taste, and you'll understand why. Whoever your dining companion may be, rest assured he or she will be impressed." - Benjamin Kemper