Laiola

Laiola Restaurants

On a Saturday evening we were walking on Chestnut street in the Marina looking to grab a quick bite. I was recommended by one of my friends to check out Laiola

As the website says, Laiola is an archaic Catalan word meaning small church and is inspired after Barcelona’s tapas bars.

Entering you are hit with a wave of excitement. The space is small and intimate and you get to your fellow diners well. We snaked our way to our table and squeezed into our seats.

The server handed our menus that consisted of several different savory small plates and recommended that we order 4-5 dishes to satiate our stomachs.

We started off with the bacon-wrapped medjool dates stuffed with house-made chorizo. This was the highlight of night that had a nice sweet and savory combination with excellent flavor and texture.

Then came the duroc pork meatballs onion confit, pork jus, wild arugula. While this plate had potential the meatballs were bit dry and did not have the spices I was hoping for.

The spicy roasted cauliflower fried capers, chili oil was average dish. It had some nice seasonings but I had similar dishes with a lot more kick.

The shrimp and green garlic arbol chilies & olive oil had some nice juices but the shrimp had not been infused with flavors and you really had to dunk them in the olive oil to give it life. 

I closed the night by getting a bite of the gracious neighboring customer next to me who was recommended the Pan con chocolate, an odd pairing of sea salt, Sylverleaf "Foothills Blend" olive oil. Sea salt was sprinkled on top of the chocolate gelato which sat in small pool of olive oil. It was accompanied with small baguette pieces. The gelato along with the bread created wonderful palate of flavors.

Overall the meal was satisfactory. There was a lot of potential in the dishes but besides the bacon wrapped medjool datese the other small plates just missed the mark. I would still however come back to try some different dishes and see if my dining experience is any better.

Laiola Restaurant

Ambiance: 4 bites

Service: 3.5 bites

Appetizers: 3 bites

Overal: 3.2 bites

2031 Chestnut Street @ Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 
415.346.5641

http://www.laiola.com/

Boqueria

http://www.boquerianyc.com/

The Ambiance:

Set apart from the hustle and flow of New York city, this smaller Spanish restaurant in the heart of Chelsea provides a welcome retreat from the chilling East Coast winters. It's retro interior design and long wooden tables and modern deco chandeliers may you require that smaller parties share a table providing a more familial vibe to the scene.

Food:

Served in a Spanish Tapas style, the food is served in elegant Goldilocks type portions. There are a variety of different flavors and options on the menu, I would recommend simply chatting up the waiter and asking for the chef to prepare a selection of their specialities for the evening. The menu is seasonal, so as long as you're not going in more than a few times a month, you should encounter a new experience each time.

Drink:

The wine list is exclusively Spanish so if you're craving libations from another region of the world, bring your own (corkage is $15/$20). The Sangria is deliciously fruity and pleasantly refreshing ($30 for a pitcher). Boqueria also boasts a full bar, so if you fancy another alternative, those are also available. If you're feeling like living the high life, NY filtered tap ice water, as per usual, is free.

Cost:

Prix Fix 10 course - holidays - $60 per person

Prix Fix 10 course - non-holidays - $40-50 per person

Reservations:

Walk-in only on non-holidays as with most places in NYC.