A Chef’s Second Act

When Alex Ureña opened Ureña last year, reactions, including mine, were mixed. The Spanish restaurant reached impressive heights of creativity, with dishes such as foie gras yogurt, but the dining room’s bright infelicity coupled with highish prices to make the overall experience somewhat unwelcoming. In my March 2006 review, I preferred the experience of sitting at the restaurant’s front bar, where inexpensive and fun tapas made for a much more comfortable evening of dining.