Spanish Churros with Chocolate

[villager21]

Good Morning, Hounds!

Does anyone know of an authentic Spanish bakery where I can get Spanish churros with chocolate dipping sauce?

Thanks!

[bk10013]

I like Boqueria's but prefer the ones from the dessert menu at Macao. They come with milk chocolate dipping sauce and they are so airy and delicious!

[kathryn]

Spanish churros were served with SEMISWEET chocolate, not milk chocolate. At least that's how I had them in Madrid.

[starstuff]

I just had some churros with a caramel dulce de leche dipping sauce at Onda and they were delicious!
www.ondanyc.com

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Onda
229 Front Street, New York, NY 10038

[kathryn]

Do they have hot chocolate, especially Spanish style hot chocolate (thick, not very sweet, no milk)?

[gastrodamus]

bar jamon has good ones. i've yet to ask for more chocolate.

[financialdistrictresident]

Best I've had outside of San Diego were at Mercat . . .

[kathryn]

Thanks for the recommendation! We had them this weekend and they're the best we've had since visiting Spain earlier this year. The churros were crispy and fluffy, as opposed to too crunchy with no insides. Dusted with cinnamon and sugar, though, which isn't how we had them in Madrid. The hot chocolate was properly bittersweet but really too thin, unfortunately.

But much closer to Madrid style than other spots we've tried so far (Boqueria, Mayahuel, Despana, Five Points, Donut Plant). Typically they're dusted with sugar/cinnamon (which we don't want), are all crunch (and no fluffy insides), and come with hot chocolate that is too thin and too sweet.

[guttergourmet]

Boqueria has them but not enough chocolate. I think the way to go would be Donut Plant churros with City Bakery hot chocolate.

[kathryn]

I had them last night at the Soho branch, there was plenty of hot chocolate in the little cup, I had about half leftover. My only beef was that they were very crispy (which is good), but too dense (my memories of the ones I ate in Spain were much fluffier).

Donut Plant churros are not good because they sit around all day -- maybe they are good RIGHT out of the fryer, but otherwise, they're a no go for me.

[kathryn]

Had some good churros at Mayahuel last night -- they were a little thicker than the ones I ate in Madrid but served piping hot and dusted with sugar and cinnamon. The only criticism I would make is that they were a bit denser than I wanted them to be, but overall, they were excellent. The chocolate sauce was spicy and also good, but not thick enough. Despite this, we polished off two orders.

[brettnyc]

Very cool, had not noticed that Mayahuel has churros(haven't looked through their food menu before).

Did you by any chance have porras in Madrid? Were the extra thick churros at Mayahuel as thick as porras, or more just like thick churros? If I can get good porras with drinks at Mayahuel this is serious news :)

[brettnyc]

Just re-reading your post and the sugar and cinnamon dusting definitely doesn't sound like at least a traditional porra. Damn! Still interested though if the thickness is porra-like or not. Will have to check and see if Despana has porras. If anyone knows of porra spots, especially if they can be eaten at a counter Spanish cafe style, I'm all ears.

[guttergourmet]

Despana and Donut Plant

[Sophia.]

we just had pumpkin churros for dessert at the newly-opened Islero (50th btw 2nd and 3rd)...they were tasty, but I can't vouch for their authenticity.

[villager21]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions!!

[kathryn]

Previous thread:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/466673

I like the ones at Five Points during brunch, but it's not a Spanish bakery.

[doona]

Pamplona has that as one of their desserts, and it was great. (Careful of your suggestions otherwise, make sure and read past Pamplona reviews.)

[MMRuth]

I agree - was just about to say the same thing - one of the stand outs at an otherwise disappointing meal at Pamplona. I know I've had them one other place where they were wonderful, but it's not coming to mind. Maybe Boqueria?

[MMRuth]

Actually - it was Orchard!

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/42311...

[windycity]

Hmm, maybe I will go back to Pamplona only for drinks and desserts. The other stuff is just subpar.

Slightly O/T - where to get Brazilian churros con leite e coco?

[blizzard854]

i've never tried them but i think i've read on here a few people mentioning that Despana sells them :) and that they are mighty fine :)

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Despana
408 Broome St, New York, NY 10013

[theannerska]

I've yet to try them, but I believe they're only available on Sundays. No word yet whether they're truly Spanish (i.e., savory instead of sweet), but it's such a great store that they should be delicious anyway...

[Produce Addict]

Does Despana have a place to sit?

[MMRuth]

I don't think so - they have sandwiches etc., but I don't recall a place to eat.

[Miss Needle]

Despana has a small counter to the right of the store. I don't recall if there were stools there but you can definitely hang out there and eat.

And I love Boqueria for their churros. Their hot chocolate is bitter and a nice complement to the sweet churros.

[kathryn]

BUMPing an old thread to note that as of December 2009, Despana has expanded its seating. Unfortunately, their churros are also tiny and way overpriced.

[RCC]

"No word yet whether they're truly Spanish (i.e., savory instead of sweet)...".

I have been eating this with my Dad at every Spanish cafe/restaurant that he came upon that served these since I was a kid.
My Dad must have held back o me, because I never knew that churros con chocolate was supposed to be savory and not sweet.

[theannerska]

RCC, I admittedly have only tasted churros in Madrid (and not all of Spain). But in Madrid, at least, they were always savory and served as a great, greasy contrast to the sweet chocolate. In NY, I've only found sweet churros dusted with cinnamon and sugar -- but the search goes on...

[RCC]

I agree and, nope, the churros that I had were not dusted with sugar nor cinammon when I had them. Look just like plain, slightly greasy, fried dough. It's probably just me, but I don't refer to that as savory, though.

[theannerska]

I don't remember them being particularly salty, either -- definitely the plain, fried dough you're describing! I think my mind classifies them as savory (and I think I've heard the same differentiation somewhere...) because the cinnamon-sugar version is so much sweeter.

[dmjordan]

Most of my churro experience is from Madrid and Sevilla. I've never thought of them as savory either and were just as you described them.

[kathryn]

Despana churros were overpriced. Decent enough taste. Crunchy texture. But insanely expensive. $3.50 for four churros without hot chocolate, two churros with hot chocolate. Churros were very fresh, dusted with sufar, and fried to order but TINY. Each was about 3" long. Thin hot chocolate that was oversweetened and tasted too much of orangeo. Meh. I wouldn't go back. For the two of us to share four churros and two small hot chocolates? $7.

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Despana
408 Broome St, New York, NY 10013