Toro

Tweaking tradition here and there (as anyone who's had the hamburguesas de Kobe can attest), Ken Oringer's tapas joint is nonetheless an exemplar of the form. The bistec de faldilla a la plancha, a tender skirt steak served with red onion marmalade and Cabrales blue cheese butter, is a must; the cured ham, a staple in any Spanish restaurant, far outshines other local jamóns in quality. With such fabulous food and amiable service, Toro gets the balance of spicy and soothing precisely right.