La Paella

Had an excellent evening, food was amazing especially the chicken liver's, yum yum......
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Fiona
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

This is the only tapas restaurant in the southgate area. The food is generally very good. The service is variable - the proprietor and his wife are actually very friendly but can come across a bit irritable before you get to know them. Best to go on nights when they are not busy (ie. not saturday or friday)
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Trip - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Went on a Friday night for a meal here with my girlfriend, had been a few years before and the quality of food has deteriorated in my memory and opinion.

The food in general was good, went for tapas and after ordering the food was on our table about five minutes later - which gave the impression that it hadn't been cooked from fresh. Despite this the food was good and with a wide selection on offer, including a large veggie offering, we weren't disappointed.

There was also a wide range of drinks, I opted for a traditional Spanish beer (Estrella Damm) while my girlfriend had a glass of Rioja and we were both satisfied.

After the main meal we went for a couple of ice cream desserts - here is where it fell down hugely as it was purely ice cream and very much in the Indian restaurant flavour. Again after ordering the food was on our table literally minutes later - and one dish was still frozen so had obviously come straight from the freezer!

Although the experience was ok overall, we have enjoyed much better tapas at Caf in Muswell Hill and will more than likely opt for that in the future.
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Dan
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Monday, January 29, 2007

hola!soy unchico de valencia(españa)quiero ir a londres a trabajar y aprender el idioma, y he visto vuestro restaurante que lleva el nombre de la comida típica de mi tierra y me he diho,ey!voy a probar si necesitan alguien para trabajar.
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vicente pallás lacalle
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, January 12, 2007

I can't believe so many people have recommended this restaurant and I don't think we particularly have a very high standard, but the New Years eve dinner was absolutely terrible.Living in the north and having a place near Valencia I've never ever had such a terrible meal. Tapas wasn't tapas at all but two olives each and a chunk of bread (I have never had tapas like that anywhere in Spain) The crab soup I swear was out of a packet and the paella, well what can I say - I could do one better myself. It is questionable whether it had seen a stock cube and it tasted like it had been cooked in plain old water - I have a house near Valencia and can cook a mean paella, this meal was really terrible. At £65 per head (tapas, soup, main course dessert and one bottle of wine between 2) including dessert & bottle of wine plus £33 service charge it was a disgusting rip off. I can't remember how much it cost for the 2 tonic waters and coffee but it took me aback. The saving grace was the excellent background music. OK so these are London prices but I expect better for the price. I would be embarassed to recommend this place to anyone.
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Anne
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Monday, January 08, 2007

We returned YET again! It was a birthday celebration and of course the food was fab and very traditional. The live musicians sang to the birthday boy too!!!

Great Spanish Tapas, Paella and Sangria...life doesn't get much better....
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Gill & Pablo
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, December 01, 2006

Fine food, great atmosphere, a true selection of spanish food & wines.

The family run restaurant is keen to make friends with you on arrival and happy when you enjoyed the food and company.If you forgot you were in North London, you could easily assume you are in Spain!...

GO THERE SOON...
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Mike Protopsaltis
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Sunday, November 05, 2006

My wife and I have been to La Paella many times over the past few years. The food is authentic Spanish, very tasty, and reminds me of the food I ate during the holidays of my youth and that cooked by my (Spanish) father and grandmother. The charming owner is also authentic Spanish. Great paella, albondigas, tortilla española and many other dishes. The service may be considered by some to be slow but since the food is probably cooked from fresh it is not unreasonable. Anyway it gives you a chance to chat. I have never felt I was being rushed.
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David from East Barnet
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Saturday, October 14, 2006

While reading most reviews about this restaurant, I was very surprised. When I first visited `La Paella`, I fell in love immediately and I took it granted, that others cannot feel differently. True, the service may be slow, but the food is well worth waiting. The paella I ate was, first of all, absolutely beautiful. I have no better word to describe it, but that it was perfect. It was THE paella. The ingredients of the very best quality, cooked with expertise and heart. This is one of the few restaurants, where the owner takes care personally, that even the last bit of rice is in its right place. He may be strict-looking and may seem as he didn't really care or at times even rudish. But if you look closely, you will discover that it is not boredom or lack of interest that makes his eyes frown, but constant, loving attention on every detail, so that everything goes well in his litle empire.

The decoration is pretty, the athmosphere buzzy, charming live music at times.

One of my two favourite restaurants in London.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Saturday, August 12, 2006

I was very pleased to finally find a tapas bar that was traditional spanish. The food was excellent especially the pulpo (octopus). It was fresh and tasty. The owner called miguel was very pleasant and friendly. I would diffently go back.
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EVA CLEMAS
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, July 07, 2006