There’s so much to love about the Spanish tapas experience that it’s hard to believe that Sala Astoria is taking it even further. For the first time ever, their croquettes will be available for purchase to the public. Owner Michael Jannetta opened up about this exciting new offering.

The popularity of Sala Astoria’s croquettes wasn’t lost on Jannetta, who has been running the Sala franchise—now in its 27^th year. “I started a new business called Sala Gourmet Foods. We make croquettes. We’ve made them by hand for over 25 years,” he said. “I recently started having them made through a manufacturer, and they’re going to be available to the public soon.”

Image Courtesy of Sala Astoria

If you didn’t know, croquettes are crispy fried appetizers filled with a super-creamy French bechamel sauce, and they pair wonderfully with a cold beer. The filling can even be flavor infused with ham, shrimp, cod or lobster, so it’s worth it to check out Sala Astoria’s social media to see what flavors got going on any particular night. Curious customers can swing by Sala Astoria the next time Friday night rolls around and grab a croquette for just $2, or pair it with a beer for $8.

In addition to the Friday croquette special, Sala Astoria runs numerous specials throughout the week. Again, it’s worth checking social media for details.

Start by asking about the paella of the week. Spanish paella is a rice dish made in massive quantities, and Sala Astoria mixes up its very own regularly. Ordering up paella is a great way to get a huge amount of food at a great price; one dish is guaranteed to sate even the biggest appetite.

Image Courtesy of Sala Astoria

And there’s plenty more. Flamenco dancing is scheduled a few times a month. Jazz is on Sunday. Monday is happy hour all night long. “It’s all about specials at Sala Astoria,” Jannetta said. “We were Manhattan restaurant people for a long time. And we’ve wanted to find offerings to bring people in. We need people to walk an extra block for better food. It’s been a bit of a learning curve.”

Approaching its fourth anniversay at its current location, Sala Astoria is excited to offer its croquettes. However, Jannetta insists that the core restaurant experience has remained the same across nearly three decades of serving Spanish tapas. He attributes that to the success of his cuisine and staff. “The menu itself actually hasn’t changed that much,” Jannetta said. “We’re happy to still be here.”

34-39 31^st St. / phone: 929.556.3037 / salarestaurants.com / Yelp: 4.6