La Taperia
Shaw Centre near Orchard MRT
Indecisive on our dinner plans, we decided to not book any and hola, lucky we were, as there was only one unreserved table left at La Taperia when we decided on a Spanish night this evening! I told Q, this is all fated. Being the first pair of customers, the entire restaurant was empty and yeah, took some facetious photos over there. Having read many and only positive reviews about this restaurant from as far back as 2014, we realised that La Taperia has taken a toll from inflation. Just last year, it’s signature Lobster paella would have costed $12 less, an almost 20% inflation indeed.
A Saturday night, plus an alcoholic friend, the Sangria Rose couldn’t be skipped. This was legit, with a strong alcoholic punch cut through beautifully by the refreshing zest from the fruits! $14.
Padron Peppers – Beautifully grilled to give a crispy crust, these capsaicin packed peppers were flavoured up adequately by the chunks of sea salt. Worried that it might be overly salty, they were actually perfect as an appetiser. Simple, straightforward yet very appetising, I even devoured the stalk! $16.
Costillitas de – Cordero Charcoal grilled lamb confit glazed with honey mustard. This tapas is a winner in many ways. Firstly, the lamb was grilled to yield a nicely charred layer while the entire chunk still remains succulent and incredulously tender. Further glazed with the lightly sweet and pungent mustard, this gives the lamb confit an extra edge that makes it moreish. $26.
Now here comes the signature Paella de Bogavante or Lobster Paella. Luscious lobster meat that was beautifully poached and then further enhanced with a fragrant light char on the grill, this was impeccable with its springy yet super juicy meat while the other stellar ingredient was those incredibly sweet tomatoes at the side. The flavourful broth, reduced to give that intense umami on the thin layer of rotund rice, was on point too as the rice wasn’t cooked to a drier consistency as what some other Spanish restaurants are doing to their otherwise delicious paella. We loved this dish! Well, we came here for this so it had better worked! $78.
And that’s me being all facetious when the crowd hasn’t started flowing in.
Impressed with all the tapas and mains that I have had, this is another excellent Spanish restaurant apart from my all time favourite Binomio!
Verdict: An excellent restaurant. 4.3/5.
