| rev:text
| - After reading all the great reviews, we came to La Vinia hoping to get an authentic Spanish dining experience. We tried to make online reservations, but could only get 6 or 9 pm. We called and was told 8 pm was the earliest. However, when we arrived early around 7:30 pm, the restaurant was empty and got our table right away. So not sure why they refused to give us an earlier reservation.
The chef came out to personally explain the daily specials and his recommendations. He was very friendly, and I can see that he really strives to ensure his customers are satisfied.
For appetizers, we ordered:
- Grilled Spanish Chorizo with Ratatouille ($14.75). The Chorizo was not spicy nor salty and went well with the Ratatouille. This dish was delicious.
- Poached Octopus Marinated in Olive Oil and Pimenton ($14.75). Was soft and tasty, but personally I prefer the octopus from Ufficio and Joso.
- Fine Iberico Spanish Ham ($23.75). Wasn't too salty and quite tasty, but didn't seem to have the rich flavor profile as the high-grade Iberico ham from Barcelona.
- Fresh White Anchovies with Olive Oil and Vinegar ($14.75). These anchovies were really delicious and not salty at all. Highly recommended.
For the main course, we ordered:
- Paella de Marisco ($26.75). This dish was loaded with seafood and a great value for the price. I would prefer if it had a little less oil, but still quite delicious.
- Lamb Shank (daily special). Very soft, tender, and tasty. Highly recommended.
For the dessert, we ordered:
- Fried Milk ($10). Although tasty, for two tiny pieces, this was totally not worth it. Would skip.
Unfortunately, by the time we had finished our meal, we noticed a large number of ants crawling around on our table. There must have been 20-30 ants, so they have a serious pest control problem. When we mentioned to our server, she offered to replace the table cloth and said that they would investigate afterward. Frankly, I was expecting a more sincere apology, and they could have at least offered to remove that lackluster dessert off the bill...
The service here is excellent, as the chef came out numerous times during the meal and after the meal to check on us. The servers came by frequently to refill our waters and exchange our plates and cutlery. The food here is quite good with some dishes being really great (anchovies, lamb shank, paella), others just average (octopus and ham), and the dessert bad. The atmosphere is nice, but by 9 pm, the place got busy and really loud, so it was hard to have a conversation without yelling. The ant problem is quite gross, but luckily we had finished our meal and were ready to leave, so wasn't a huge deal for us (hopefully they can address it before their next health inspection). Overall, a pretty good Spanish dining experience.
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