#WhomYouKnow Celebrates Our 30,000th Post with #PeachysPicks #Alcala A Peachy's Pick Since 2012 Summer 2025 by #Founder #ExecutiveChef and #Owner #JesusMartinez 246 East 44th Street #Midtown #EastSide #Manhattan
Calamari a la Plancha
Our first visit to Alcala in 2012
It's not who you know it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Jesus and his garlic shrimp (click here to see it sizzle)! It's time to celebrate summer with their authentic Sangria crafted with Brandy, Triple Sec, Cointreau, apples, oranges and HIS OWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON.
Some people do yoga but Peachy meditates by eating the garlic shirmp at Alcala.
In the world according to Peachy Deegan, you may not pass go and collect $200 in the Monopoly of Life at Alcala without first trying the absolutely coveted Garlic Shrimp which dance like sugarplums in Peachy's head. The flavor and quality cannot be beat and it is a must for each and every visit. Alcala started at this location on June 6, 2012 at 246 East 44th Street where you can find it today. Jesus's culinary career in the USA started in 1990 in Westchester and in 2005 he started in Manhattan.
Gorgeously presented, Tortilla de Patatas is a classic Spanish Tapas with eggs, onions and potatoes partying with potatoes. It totally hits the spot and is a comfort food with wide appeal. Next in the batting order is Llescas Catalanas: tomato rubbed bread that comes in two styles in tandem together: two graced with anchovies and two graced with salmon. They are the super summer welcome with a satisfying crunch and an even better flavor of the seaside. Note we never edit pictures. Your food is gorgeous like Jesus Martinez's food or we do not publish. Also note the frequency and history with which we publish on a restaurant matters and it should speak volumes to you we have been singing the praises of Alcala since 2012.
The garlic shrimp is unbeatable however right up there is the Wild Atlantic Grilled Swordfish in a high quality generous size of 10 oz, well done! It's delivered twice a week and the premium quality is evident in each and every bite of this triumphant steak of the sea that perches pretty on a bed of scalloped potatoes playing hide and seek with you and some fresh, festive mesclun greens.
Calamari a la Plancha is the perfect version of Grilled Calamari which boasts a tremendous spectrum of flavor with just the right hint of smokiness because it's wondrously finished in the oven. Six of them command your attention, including the beards of the calamari! Another tapas not to be ignored and shown in the top picture is the Montadito de Lomo. Grilled Pork Tenderloin perches majestically on rustic toasted bread for a carnivorous delight.
Seafood Salad is composed of calamari, shrimp, scallops, tomatoes, peppers and monkfish and is a bright, fresh delight in every well-cut bite. It perfectly sings a song of summer. Finally, Jesus tells us the most popular dessert right now is Semifreddo Almendras. It's a almond hazelnut dessert with Liquor 43: golden vanilla made with 43 ingredients. Hey W, maybe you should try it.
Here's the History of Alcala on Whom You Know:
Finally, if you actually know Peachy you know she always has a ton of questions and even after knowing Jesus as long as we have he is still subject to the firing line of questions! What is an Alcala we asked? It's a monument in Spain in Madrid where they sell products from farms and pay ten percent, Jesus Martinez tells us. You can see it on the wall of this Alcala restaurant as soon as you walk in on the right.
Alcala has earned our Highest Recommendation and we are honored to celebrate our 30,000th post with Jesus and his team!
