Spain

Wonder what Spanish dining was like in the city some 35 years ago? The red-jacketed waiters, tan-vinyl banquettes and irony-free copies of Goyas and El Grecos don’t seem to have changed a bit here. As soon as you’re seated, you get a quartet of appetizers gratis: salty lamb ribs, mussels in vinaigrette, grilled chorizo slices and a no-frills iceberg salad topped with Russian dressing. Paella arrives in a battered gallon-size stewpan; regulars share it for a $2.50 surcharge. Ask for a sauceboat of caramelized-garlic–infused oil, which nudges the paella from good to great.