1/7/2009

Lovely little Spanish/tapas restaurant on Columbia Road. It's small, warmly decorated and a great place for a convivial dinner with family, friends, and loved ones. When you can fill your table with tiny plates of food and pitchers of sangria, how can you not enjoy your dining experience?

We had a delicious paella for 2 - way more than enough for two people - but that's probably because we started with garlic mushrooms, a spinach and cheese crepe, a white bean salad with cheese and tomatoes, fresh seasonal asparagus, and an iberian pork shoulder. Don't worry, there were 5 of us, and everything was delicious.

Best of all, the people were so friendly - we were starving and really loved the look of the place, but every table was reserved. They ended up shifting around some tables and putting some outside and squeezing us in. So kind of them!

The crema catalana was delicious and rich, and the fresh coffee ice cream had shades of hazelnut. They were out of the homemade rice pudding, so I will have to return.

You can entice me anywhere with promises of pudding.

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15/3/2010

Unlike other reviewers, I took a star I was going to give this restaurant away because of their rude and unprofessional staff.  Seriously if our sour-puss waitress rolled her eyes at us one more time (um, for being 2 people and not 4 and for gee, ordering food) it would have been difficult to keep my cool.  

Even the woman whom I would take as the matron of the establishment was far from polite when "asking" (more like demanding) us to move to the other 2 seats on the table so they could seat 2 other guests.  Yes I get it, you want to make sure you can fit in as many bodies as possible during your busy Sunday and us moving over makes sense in your mind... however it's quite possible and should be expected to request this of your patrons without being downright nasty about it  especially when your patrons are not giving you attitude too (a simple, would you please mind sitting at the other two seats would have been soooo fine).  

I think I'll try to go again on a not so busy day (can't imagine them being so packed except for Sundays) since the food was actually quite good.  It's a shame, I'd like to rate it better because I did quite enjoy my tapas (peppercorn sauce steak is phenomenal) but unfortunately food alone does not a dining out experience make.  Hopefully the next time will be a happier occasion!

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9/3/2010

We wandered in here during the Columbia Road Flower Market (lovely, by the way).  We ordered three "sandwiches".  Or as they actually were, giant hamburger buns with either fried egg or two slabs of cheese thrown in.  Maybe there are other nice things there, but I'm not going to risk it after this!

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25/11/2008

A fixture in Columbia Road for years now -- this place is small and quaint and serves primarily spanish "tapas".
The decor is tiled and spanish like and the family run business is friendly and nice.

I love a bit of Sangria even in the winter and always order a pitcher  with great hopes - but somehow always feel a little let down on the sangria side of things -- maybe too much juice or oranges but it never feels heady or heavy enough --

The food too I keep going back to because I think I like the idea of "tapas".Good chorizo is amazing --  and once again I feel a bit let down- it feels like it could be better ....

Of course the simpler solution is to put more wine in the sangria !! I m sure not to be disappointed again !!

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