Miracle on 50th Street: ISLERO

Location 247 East 50th Street
New York, NY 10022

Phone Number 212-752-1414

Web site www.isleronyc.com

Cuisine Modern Spanish

Executive Chef Jessica Floyd

Owner Christopher Bianchi and Joe DelVecchio

General Manager David Chiong

Designer Tatco

Seating Capacity Main Dining Room: 60 Guests

Dining Room Hours Dinner: 5 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Seven Days a Week

Signature Dishes Sherry Marinated Hangar Steak
Chistora Flecked Chatham Cod
Braised Lamb Saddle

Price Range Appetizers $6 - $ 10
Entrées $17 - $25

Credit Cards Amex, Visa, Mastercard

Reservations Recommended

Rising Star Jessica Floyd is Our Most Exciting Chef-Discovery In Years

Owner Chris Bianchi, also the co-owner of Crave Ceviche Bar, has a keen eye for new talent and he immediately recognized that twenty-four year old Jessica Floyd has the flair and creativity to bring his Spanish bistro to life.

Guests will immediately appreciate the complexity and sophistication of Floyd’s cuisine with appetizers like Huevo, a Pimenton Crusted Soft Cooked Hen’s Egg, served with Wild Mushrooms and Serrano Ham, (a dish worthy of a visit on its own merit) or the Cochinita, a Crispy Pork Belly with Olive Oil Poached Apple and Fino Vinegar Jus, topped with Candied Pinollas. A selection of refined main courses tempt the appetite with items such as Carne, Sherry Marinated Hanger Steak with Chimichurri and Crispy Chickpea Hash, or Mariscos, Prawns, Mussels, Scallops, and Cockles served in a Sugarcane Broth with Pan Verde, or Bacolao, Chistora Flecked Chatham Cod with Curly Mashed Potato, Pencil Asparagus and Fennel-Infused Olive Oil. Best of all, Braised Lamb Saddle, Lamb Chop, Sweet Rice torta, Smokey onions,
Farofa Crumble andMolasses Rubbed Duck Breast, Crispy Leg, Black Bean Cassoulet, Duck Bacon.

Floyd further surprises guests with a dessert selection (All made by Floyd) that unites a myriad of unexpected ingredients, among them, the remarkable Pumpkin Churros served with Spicy Hot Cocoa and Smoked Vanilla Salt and Chocolate Fudge with Brown Sugar Ice Cream and Fig-filled Sopapillas (Spanish Fried Dough). Also memorable are PEANUT BUTTER SPOONS: Frozen PB Mousse · with Shaved White Chocolate, PB filled Chocolate Cupcakes · Peanut Butter & Nutella filled Chocolate Molten Cake and PB S’mores, Layered Chocolate Ganache Graham Crust, Creamy PB topped with Marshmallow (as good as it reads)

Floyd, Executive Chef of Islero, draws inspiration from her time spent in Spain and France to create a menu that incorporates sophisticated and complex flavor profiles into traditional Spanish dishes. After graduating from the French Culinary Institute, she became a stagiere at Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro Moderne and later took positions at Daniel, and Café Boulud in Palm Beach. Impressed by Floyd’s talent and determination, Boulud sent her to France to study under his own mentors-acclaimed 3-Star Michelin chefs Georges Blanc, Michel Troisgros and Pierre Gagnaire. Upon returning to the United States, Floyd sought opportunities to broaden her culinary repertoire, and worked most recently as Sous chef at Brasserie 8 & ½ before becoming the Executive Chef at Islero.

Entering Islero is a surprise. The long narrow space has been beautifully designed, with an upscale and modern bent, but is still like stepping into the welcoming home of a friend for a relaxed feast. The design is as warm and inviting as the food with deep chocolate banquets accented by rustic dark wood, mica and marble. Images of Spain and soft global sounds blend seamlessly into the elegant décor, setting the stage for the main attraction at Islero-the cuisine.

There is a short and well selected wine list and superb cocktails, including such “Bully” choices as the Cachaca-blueberry based “El Toro” a superb pineapple margarita and terrific flights of Tequila (the bartender is a fine mixologist and can make a shot of “Sangrita” on request). Service is guiding and professional.

The Glorious Huevo

Floyd incorporates her classical French training, her passion for food, and her vibrant persona into each dish at Islero, giving New Yorkers a special glimpse of Spain through her own eyes.

In the process, the kitchen delivers food that is just a notch below New York’s top-rated restaurants at a fraction of the price. Islero is not to be missed and rates A Major on The Walman Report.

Pumpkin Churros Displays the Fresh Spirit and Talent of Chef Floyd
at this Inspired Spanish Bistro

Jessica Floyd
Executive Chef Bio

Jessica Floyd was raised in Texas where life tends to revolve around good food and family. From a young age she cooked, all the time, mostly along side her father who taught her the value of making something from scratch. They would smoke their own meats, cure their own fish, make cheese, and even dabbled with brewing beer. She would never use recipes, cooking instead based on how things felt, smelled, and tasted. The instinct of knowing when a flavor is perfect is what drove Jessica to be a chef. Being influenced by a wealth of simple, yet vibrant cuisines in Texas from down home Southern food, to slow cooked BBQ, Mexican, and Cajun developed her curiosity even further.

On her first trip to Europe, her love for cooking was cemented. After experiencing how strong the culture of food is in France, she knew being a chef would be her future. Being a perfectionist Jessica, decided that the only people she wanted to learn from would be the very best. She quickly returned to the States to attend the French Culinary Institute and began working as a stagiere at Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro Moderne. She worked for months for no pay but after she showed 100% devotion by coming in a 6 a.m. to help the Saucier and stayed well after midnight to clean, the Chef de Cuisine, Olivier Muller offered her a position and became her mentor.

After 18 months, Jessica left to work at the 5-diamond rated Wheatleigh in Lenox, MA to refine her skills and work closer with the earth. They tended their own garden, hunted game, and foraged for mushrooms. Later Jessica would return to NYC to work again for Chef Boulud at DB Bistro, Daniel, and Café Boulud Palm Beach for a few more years. Seeing her determination, Chef Boulud himself sent her to work in France for some of his own mentors. She worked for 3 star Michelin Chefs such as Georges Blanc, Michel Troisgros, Michel Rostang, and Pierre Gagnaire. Upon her return she wanted to expand her realm beyond French cuisine and worked at Brasserie 8 ½ under the innovative chef, Julian Alonzo, quickly becoming his Sous Chef.

After her time there, Jessica sought the opportunity to further define her own style at Islero, where the food is a definite reflection of her training, passion, and persona. At Islero, Floyd incorporates her mastery and the fundamentals of classical French cuisine into modern Spanish dishes that are warm and inviting, giving diners a glimpse into her vision of Spain.

Fabulous CRUNCHY OKRA
Seaweed Salad, Lotus Root

DINNER MENU

Islero was the name of the Miura bull that
gored and killed the famous bullfighter
Manolete. Islero was the 5th bull in the
show, and the 2nd for Manolete, on August
28, 1947, in the town of Linares in the province
of Jaen, Andalusia, Spain. Manolete had
already stabbed Islero with a sword, when
Islero gored him in the thigh. Before Islero
died he apparently tried to gore the wounded
Manolete a few more times.
The name has been given to a car model
named the Lamborghini Islero.
Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez
(July 4, 1917 in Córdoba, Spain -
August 28, 1947 in Linares, Spain), better
known as Manolete, was a famous Spanish
bullfighter. He rose to prominence shortly
after the Spanish Civil War. He is considered
by some to be the greatest bullfighter
of all time. His style was sober and serious,
with few concessions to the gallery, and he
excelled at the ‘suerte de matar’, the kill. He
died following a goring in the right upper
leg as he killed the fifth bull of the day, the
Miura bull Islero, an event that left Spain in
a state of shock.

Manolete had been lured out of retirement
by the up and coming Luis Miguel
Dominguín the second, who was at the
time courting the American movie star, Ava
Gardner. General Francisco Franco, then
ruler of Spain, ordered three days of “national
mourning”, during which only funeral dirges
were heard on the radio.

ISLERO COCKTAILS

EL TORO $12
Sagatiba Pura Cachaca, Muddled
Blueberry, Lime, Pommagranate Juice
EL MATAdOR · $14
Hendricks Gin, St. Germain Elderflower
& Muddled Cucumber, Sugar Rim
ISLERO MANHATTAN · $14
Vanilla Infused Woodford Reserve
Bourbon, Bitters & Chai Infused
Sweet Vermouth
EL dIAbLO $14
Herradura Silver, Cointreau, Muddled
Pineapple, Jalapeno, Fresh Lime Juice
GINGER buLL · $12
Stoli Vodka, Muddled Ginger &
Hint of White Peach Nectar
EL bESITO · $11
Cava, Muddled Strawberry
& Rose Sryup
TEquILA FLIGHTS
The world of tequila starts here with ½ oz. shot glasses for sampling.
SILvER & bLANCO
$12·
Patron Silver,
Partida Blanco,
Herradura Silver
REpOSAdO & GOLd ·
$14 ·
Milagro Reposado,
Casadores Reposado, Don
Julio Reposado
ANEjO & RESERvA
$16 ·
Casadores Anejo, Milagro
Anejo, Don Julio Anejo

DESSERTS

PUMPKIN CHURROS · $6
Spicy Hot Cocoa and Smoked Vanilla Salt
FROSTY SHERRY MALT · $6
Apple Cider Doughnuts, Marshmallow Cream
CHOCOLATE FudGE · $6
Classic Fudge rolled in toasted Pistachio and layered with
Fluffy Fig Filled Sopapillas
pEANuT buTTER SpOONS · $6
Frozen PB Mousse · with Shaved White Chocolate
PB filled Chocolate Cupcakes · Peanut Butter & Nutella filled Chocolate Molten Cake
PB S’mores, Layered Chocolate Ganache Graham Crust,
Creamy PB topped with Marshmallow

TERCIO dE vARAS · SMALL PLAtES

Small plates are unpretentious bites of robust and intense flavors. They are more substantial than an appetizer, yet not as large as an entrée.

pLuMS & FIGS· $7
Port Plumped, Serrano, Garoxta, Housemade Crackers
CAMARONES· $12
Grilled Shrimp, Chistora oil, Roasted Garlic
CROquETTAS TRIO· $6
Galician Crema
Sweet & Sour Plum, Pepitas, Smoked Bacon
Potato, Fresh Chorizo
ALbONdIGAS· $6
Veal Meatballs, Sour Plum BBQ Glaze
ARROz CREMOSO· $6
Forbidden Black Rice, Winter truffle, Drunken Goat Cheese
CRuNCHY OKRA· $6
Seaweed Salad, Lotus Root
SwEET & SALTY pLANTAINS· $5
Sea Salt Caramel, Cilantro Creme Fraiche
MAC N’ CHEESE· $6
Manchego, Black Hog Ham
CREAMY SpICEd SpINACH· $6
Manchego, Crispy Smoked Bacon
ISLERO FRIES· $4
Smoked Espellette, Maple Ketchup
MICRO GREEN SALAd· $6
Fresh Pears, Jicama, orange Vinegar
MEATS & CHEESES· $18
3 Meats and 4 Cheeses
Meats· Lomo Iberico, Chorizo Iberico, Jamon Serrano, Morcilla
Cheeses· Valdeon, Garroxta, Galician Ultra Crema, Manchego

TERCIO dE bANdARILLAS · APPEtIzERS

ENSALAdA· $6
Baby Market Greens, Dried Plums,
Idiazabal Croquettas, orange Vinegar
SOpA dE CASTANAS· $6
Chestnut Soup, 80% Cacao,
Serrano Crisps
CALLO dE HACHA· $9
orange Anise Glazed Scallop,
Arroz Cremoso, Black Radish Salad
HuEvO· $7
Pimenton Crusted Soft Cooked Hen’s
Egg, Wild Mushrooms, Serrano Ham
ENSALAdA CALAMAR· $9
Cumin Crusted Squid,
Blistered Guindilla Peppers,
olives, Arugula, Romesco
COCHINITA· $11
Crispy Pork Belly,
olive oil Poached Apple,
Fino Vinegar Jus, Candied Pinollas
CHILLO CEvICHE· $10
Agave Marinated Snapper,
Crispy Rice, Jalapeño,
Candied Lime, Rum Broth

SuERTE dE CApOTE· ENtRÉES

MARISCOS· $18
Shrimp, Scallop, Mussels, Cockles, Sugarcane Broth, Pan Verde
ATuN· $24
Grilled Yellow Fin, Linguica stuffed Eggplant, Crispy Fingerlings, Caldo Verde
bACALAO· $17
Chistora Flecked Chatham Cod, Curly Mashed Potatoes, Pencil Asparagus,
Fennel Infused olive oil
pOLLO· $17
Braised Free Range Chicken, Grape Leaves, Iberian Bacon,
oyster Mushrooms, Creamy Potatoes, Port
pATO· $24
Molasses Rubbed Duck Breast, Crispy Leg, Black Bean Cassoulet, Duck Bacon
CARNE· $18
Sherry Marinated Hangar Steak, Chimichurri, Crispy Chickpea Hash,
Burnt Basil Viniagrette
CORdERO· $25
Braised Lamb Saddle, Lamb Chop, Sweet Rice torta, Smokey onions,
Farofa Crumble

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