New dishes at La Paloma

Four years ago, I visited La Paloma for the first time to try their summer menu. There I was introduced to their ‘explosive’ tapas – including a Spanish bluefin tuna topped cracker-like puff with a tangy filling. It was stunning and I thought about it whenever my friends and I talked about going for Spanish food. But… it had been four years. Was La Paloma still any good?

Recently I went back to try some of their new ALC dishes and upon entering the restaurant at 7:30 pm, I knew it would be. The restaurant was packed (on a weekday) — even the patio ended up being full! So while I waited for my friend, I ordered some of the explosive tapas: Salmon TNT (smoked salmon with chipotle cream, $35 each), Ternera Y Foie Gras (wagyu beef and a foie gras cream, $35 each), and Bacon Con Queso (bacon and a creamy cheese filling, $32 each). Stunning. Intense. Calorific. It’s absolutely worth a trip here just for these and some sangria ($98 each)!

But how about the new ALC dishes?

We started with the Vieira Al Fuego ($188), “scallop on fire” served with brussels sprouts and Iberico ham in a lobster sauce. The scallops were thick and fresh and the sauce tasty but I wished it would have been served either hot or cold rather than lukewarm.

The Ensaladilla Rusa ($128) was delicious! Both my friend and I commented at how great it was, with its mix of flavours and textures. A soft and creamy potato salad with crunchy (breadsticks), salty (anchovies) and sour (olives, Piquillo pepper) toppings.

I was really looking forward to trying the Albondigas con Sepia ($148), a recipe for Catalan-style meatballs with cuttlefish and green peas from chef-owner Alex Fargas’s mother’s cookbook. These are the definition of comfort food.

We’ve all had chicken skewers before but perhaps not like Pincho Moruno ($128). These skewers were super juicy and fresh, and had the tastiest, sweet-ish shallot dressing. Another dish where my friend and I paused our conversation to discuss how delicious it was.

Of course we couldn’t leave without trying the new Paella De Mariscos (or seafood paella, $428). La Paloma now has a whopping eight different kinds of paella on the menu including this seafood one which was previously off menu. It was tasty enough and had delicious socarrat but for the price I would have expected more seafood.

We ended our meal with Churros ($78) and a Crema Catalana ($48 each) similar to a cannoli. Both were solid.

Verdict

La Paloma is such a fun restaurant. It’s bright and colourful, inspired by chiringuitos or Spanish seaside beach bars. The food is tasty and well-priced — the new dishes add a homey feel to an already stacked ALC menu. And they’ve got delicious dishes I’ve not seen on other menus in town. It’s a real gem and definitely worth a visit. They’ve also got an all-inclusive lunch menu from $198, a weekend brunch with free-flow paella and suckling pig, and great happy hour deals that run even on weekends.

189 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 2291 6161

*For Foodie