On Oct 25th of this year, 87 Ludlow opened with a menu that showcases Filipino-Spanish tapas by Chef/Owner Aris Tuazon and travels to Spain and his Filipino heritage.

On our next visit, 3 tapas that we should try on our next visit: Oyster Sisig is a unique take on the popular sizzling Filipino chopped pork sisig, instead made with the prized Filipino Aklan oysters that are coated in tempura batter, fried, chopped and served in a hot mini skillet with Japanese mayonnaise, scallions, onion and quail egg. Also Callos Beef Tripe with housemade chorizo de Cebu (longannisa sausage), and garbanzo beans, as well as Pulpo grilled octopus with pineapple chimichurri and romesco that’s a best seller and a dish that’s inspired by Spanish cuisine.

In terms of entrées, 3 that we should try include: a take on the Filipino Braised Pork, the Pork Belly Humba is made with tender pork belly (cooked 4 to 6 hours), which comes in an aromatic sauce accented by dry lily blossoms. The Sizzling Crispy Pata, which is deep-fried boneless pork hock with tamarind that’s served in a skillet - an ode to the popular Filipino crispy pork leg dish. And Bone Marrow Steak, served in a skillet – an ode to the popular Filipino crispy pork leg dish, and ribeye with fried jasmine rice cooked with Japanese soy sauce and wagyu beef tallow.

3 sides that we should have to accomany meal include the Longganisa Fried Rice with Housemade Longganisa Sausage and Toasted Focaccia Bread - it is great for dipping in olive oil and mopping up the sauces on other dishes.

Cocktails are always a great part of the meal and we should have these 3 cocktails in mind: The Espresso Martini, Yuzu Cava, and Ginger Soju.

Yuki Minakawa is a certified sake sommelier and former Beverage Director of the then 2 Michelin star Sushi Ginza Onodera in NYC. She has worked in some of the city’s top Japanese restaurants including Masa, EN Japanese Brasserie and Kajitsu, starting in front of house positions before becoming a sake sommelier and diving into the world of cocktails as well. She created sake and shochu cocktails for 87 Ludlow.

Diners enter the bar room first, walking right by the small vinyl collection and a long wooden bar leading to the back dining room. The dining room is parallel to the bar, separated by a wall from the bar. The space is intimate and cozy, filled with green plants and colorful paintings from New York artist Sean Maze. There is a large table in the back that’s great for groups, plus a DJ setup in the front for when the night goes late and weekends. Downstairs, there is a lounge with its own bar that’s available for private events.