A salvaged-metal sculpture of a charging bull by sculptor Thomas Prochnow sets the scene and the pace at Cuerno (meaning “horn” in Spanish). Situated on the corner of Juniper and Eighth streets in Midtown, Cuerno is the fourth and latest restaurant in the U Restaurants group. The inspiration for Cuerno stemmed from Owner Riccardo Ullio’s many trips to Spain, and specifically Barcelona, where food, culture and nightlife ignite after dark. The restaurant’s edgy, yet inviting, décor was created by Young Huh and MaDora Frey (the design team responsible for the interior of Ullio’s nature-fresh restaurant, Beleza) and juxtaposes antique church tiles and crystal chandeliers with modernistic dark concrete walls and porcelain floors.

Cuerno’s regional menu, created by Chef Ken Bouche, offers flavorful Spanish cuisine. Charcuterie plates, paellas, tapas, appetizers and main dishes are designed to share. Guests familiar with Ullio’s dedication to authentic Italian cooking and ingredients at his award-winning Sotto Sotto restaurant will note and appreciate Cuerno’s single-minded focus on the foods of Spain, deliciously illustrated by six different paellas including those made from rabbit, snail and seafood. Main plates are fully dressed with Basque dining in mind, many with multiple components such as monkfish with serrano ham, smoked eggplant and a caper raisin citronette. Traditional tapas lovers will no doubt enjoy the fritura mezcla–a plate of smelt, calamari and shrimp tossed in lemon and sea salt.

Cuerno’s all-Spanish wine list includes sparkling Cava, which diners can pour dramatically into their mouths (or someone else’s) with a blown-glass porron pitcher, further transporting them into the Iberian night.