Intimate bistro offering Spanish & international small plates plus a sidewalk patio

And the egg that drapes over? Easy enough, says chef Michael Merida. A fried egg makes everything taste better. He’s right, of course. Break that sunny yolk and its luster dribbles its way through the sandwich ($14), which may be your best lobster sandwich yet, though it’s gone before you’re able to make that determination: You’ve enjoyed it too much to think about it. Talk three minutes to Merida and you’ll hear about hitting all the senses. It’s a Fat Duck philosophy; Merida spent two stints at Heston Blumenthal’s famous British Michelin-starred restaurant, which is consistently named one of the world’s best. Blumenthal challenges traditional approaches; he’s the chef who combined white chocolate and caviar. "When you eat it, you understand," says Merida, who also worked at El Bulli in Spain, arguably the most famously daring restaurant in the world during its tenure. Yet Merida’s food at Cravings is no science project, nor a precious or academic experience. People don’t want a menu full of words they don’t understand, says the chef at this global tapas bar. Merida may have worked in two of the most experimental kitchens in all the world, but you won’t care to know all the science behind your seduction. You’ll just want to order something else. Merida’s veal meatballs ($11), a must, are more jaunty than most; they’re made with Japanese bread crumbs, basil and Pecorino cheese and won a best-of-New-York contest in 2010. Hand-crafted empanadas ($5) are adorable and just crusty enough; the traditional, with beef, sautéed onions and olives, is comfortingly mild. 
Cured meats and cheese (3 for $11) include a distinct Serrano ham and a mild, nutty Manchego. The gyoza dough in the Asian dim sum ($8), an evening special, is crisped perfectly, though the shrimp inside seemed slightly gummy and the Thai chili glaze overly sweet.
Short ribs quesadilla ($12) rivals the lobster sandwich as best dish of the night. Merida explains how he hits your senses, from choosing short rib over flank steak (for its fattiness) to the overnight marinade, the four-hour braising, the Granny Smith apples (texture) and the creamy dabs of basil dressing (fat). But he had you at hello, and you’ve long stopped paying attention.
Desserts include a re-imagined strawberry shortcake ($10) made with almond cake, macerated strawberries and white chocolate — one that will leave you speechless and that you will not share. A sweet empanada ($6) with guava and cheese is crisp, hot and not overly sweet, served with a perky mango sauce.

You will likely wait for a table; there is almost always a crowd vying for the 58 seats in this modern, urbane bistro. And you might be startled when many dishes arrive at once — an embarrassment of riches that prompts a too-fast consumption of dinner.
But your bill will not give you agita, as it often does at a small-plates restaurant. And you’ll plan a return visit before you even leave.

IF YOU GO
8 Wilsey Square, Ridgewood. (201) 857-8533, cravingstapas.com.
Hours: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sundays. BYO (New Jersey wines also served)

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