La Paella

A cozy little joint tucked in a corner in Toronto. Very welcoming host and wait staff. Food was great - we ordered veg Paella along with other Spanish items. They tasted very authentic. Paella has room for improvement. Also, more vegetarian options could be featured in the menu. The kitchen is live kitchen and the chef was very approachable.

November 22, 2024 on Google

La Paella is a cute date spot with a lot of Spanish culture and cuisine up for grabs in Leslieville. We got some tapas and they were great, but the star of the show is obviously the Paella. The seafood Paella… is ok. Our expectations were high for two reasons: the price and the great reviews. We even had a friend from Spain say it was the most authentic Paella they had in Toronto. They aren’t wrong, the components are authentic and it’s no question that the kitchen is staffed with experienced Spanish cooks! I think for 39 a person is where the speed bumps started. As we waited patiently for our Paella to be finished we enjoyed the ambiance and busy kitchen. Once it came, we hit our next speed bump, the fish. The fish on the Paella consisted of: monk, shrimp, clams, mussels, and squid. Most of the fish was over cooked and the squid had bits of cartilage in it. The nice big prawn on top wasn’t even deveined. I was shocked that for 80 dollars we were presented with such little fish that wasn’t cooked accurately or cleaned. It’s the type of finesse I think anyone can expect at this price point.

October 5, 2024 on Google

Great service. We got Paella de Mariscos. The portions are for two. The server did let us know and she was right. It was fresh. We also got the Gambas il ajillo. Really good. And to start we had the Iberian ham with Machengo cheese and quince jam.

September 20, 2024 on Google

Great atmosphere and decor, I felt like I was in a restaurant in Spain. The staff were also very kind and the house white wine was tasty. The food, although tasty, was not mind blowing or worth the price. I would go back if it wasn't so expensive or if they improved their vegetarian options (total before tip was approx $210 for 3 people). If you eat meat, then maybe you'll have a different experience. Also, it was my birthday, which the staff were told when my partner made the booking. The dessert we ordered came served normally, whereas a few minutes later our neighbouring table had theirs with a candle, a birthday message written on the plate, and they all sang happy birthday. This was pretty disappointing. For food: - Olives: delicious! - Mushrooms: delicious, but basically just cooked in butter and definitely not worth $18. could have been so much better if it had more flavour and creativity. - Patatas Bravas: tasty and different than the normal Spanish style I had everywhere in Spain. A little spicy so we got more of the mayo to tone them down. - Vegetarian Paella: this was delicious, but very disappointing and absolutely not worth $32/person (approx $100 for three people!!!). It was not big enough for the cost or different than just a basic tomato rice with vegetables that I could make at home. - Almond tart: Very good! Not super sweet, which I liked! - Unfortunately the croquettes and empanadillas yesterday had meat in them, which was pretty unfortunate for our group since that left us with less appetizer options than what we hoped for. TLDR; Overall, I left happy with the food although not blown away, a bit disappointed about them not noting down my birthday, and definitely wish we didn't pay so much money for what we got.

September 13, 2024 on Google

Enjoyed our food for sure and such a lovely place but I think they could have cleaned the claims more thoroughly as most of them contains sand.

August 20, 2024 on Google

Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I specifically was looking to satisfy my craving for paella. Having tried it on my trips in the south, it’s the kind of dish you never forget about. I would say I was not disappointed. Now this is a very Resturant friendly version of the Pella, however, the final product had seafood, almost perfectly cooked and a flavourful al dente rice. The calamari pieces were quite chunky so I would’ve appreciated bite-size friendly pieces. It is a bit pricey but have to say well executed. They’ve got a system going and it works. I enjoyed immersing myself in Spanish music, decor and cuisine. Service was irreproachable until it was time for me to wrap up and leave. The waitresses got a bit distracted and busy so I just walked myself over to the cash to settle the bill and leave. I do recommend

August 15, 2024 on Google

The seafood paella was incredible! This is a small place, so you’ll need reservations for sure. We started with the freshest bread, gorgeous olives and a salad. These portions were very generous and probably could have fed 4 people and not 2. We even went home with some olives and bread because it was too good to waste. The seafood paella was the perfect portion and we ate every morsel. Absolutely fantastic!!

February 4, 2024 on Google

We had the absolute pleasure of dining here yesterday evening. The service, atmosphere, and food were exceptional. Upon entering the restaurant, you feel as if you have been transported to someplace entirely different. The brick walls are washed in white which allows for the beautifully coloured accent pieces to pop. The tapas and paella were sublime. Make sure to try the croquettes. You won't be disappointed. Our server graciously ended our meal with a dessert liqueur on the house. Thank you again for a fabulous dining experience!

July 15, 2023 on Google