Alegría indeed!! My sister and I came here on Friday night and had the most amazing time.
We really liked the décor. A lot of the floor composed of mosaic, which gives the place an artsy feel to it. The art on the walls is very fitting and reminiscent of flamenco dancers. The bar looks really cool and has a romantic feel to it. There are curtains that divide the bar area from the side indoor-patio room where the flamenco takes place. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the curtains, but afterwards I realized how vital they were in keeping the "flamenco" room (I'll just call it that) like a private, magic performance world.
The staff is very friendly! They were very welcoming and accommodating. You know that strange warm and comfy feeling that comes over you when someone is super nice to you. Almost like a massage to your soul? Well, that's how I'd describe their service. They did bring the wrong plates to our table, but I didn't mind. They were very apologetic. All the food looked amazing, and we would have gladly eaten it all, but we were really looking forward to our own dishes.
Our waitress was fantastic. She knew the menu very well and liked all of our food choices. We ordered the pitcher of sangria. (It was so good!) She was very funny and kept refilling our glasses of sangria every time she came to the table.
Now, the food! Ay carramba! My sister and I cannot remember the last time we ate such a delicious meal. I loved that several of their appetizers are mini/sample-versions of some of the main dishes. This works out perfectly because if you're as indecisive as I am and can't make up your mind between dishes, you can have a little of both! Here's what we ordered:
Appetizers -
Holé Molé: Superb! I looove molé, and this was so good!! I would order the full plate next time. The tortilla chips they give you are nice and crisp. The molé was seasoned perfectly. We devoured that thing very quickly.
Atún y Tomate: OH MY GOOOOD. Phenomenal. I can't even begin... The first bite of tuna had me moaning and transported me to I don't know where. The sauce is exquisite. And the MUSSELS... Hands down, the best I have ever tried in my life. Against all proper eating etiquette, you will want to lick the shells... and the plate. I cannot describe them to you. You, simply, must go try them for yourself!
Main course (My sis and I shared both dishes!)-
Gaucho: The steak was cooked (medium) and seasoned perfectly! The potatoes and spinach were also yummy. The chimichuri was like a treasure atop the steak, perfect flavors. This item did have a lot of olive oil. I believe that it is supposed to, but it is a little more than we would have liked. Regardless, the combination of flavors in this dish did not disappoint. :)
Paella del Oceano: I LOVE paella, and this one was GOOD. It was perfect. The flavors were superb. It had plenty of seafood. And ooooh, the shrimp! The shrimp and octopi were cooked perfectly and tasted so fresh! I highly recommend this dish!
Dessert -
Flan: The lightest flan ever! Mmmmhmmmm. When they brought out the flan, my sister and I were like, "Huh? What's this? Where's the flan?" The dish looked like an elaborate a party: a very thin, fried flour shell filled with whipped looking cream drizzled with magic sauce and topped with strawberries and mint leaves. On our quest to uncover the buried flan underneath, we discovered that there were little mandarin slices hidden beneath the delicious, soft, fluffy whipped cream. And when we did find the flan... oooooh holy heavens! It was unspeakably good. We could not believe how light the flan tasted. The flavors were amazing, but the texture itself was something else. Incredibly light on the palate. One could never feel guilty from eating their flan and all else on the plate. Order it!
Now the entertainment: I get chills just thinking of how amazing the flamenco performers were! I must say, they have an extremely high caliber of performers. The guitarist played so beautifully, and the two dancers/singers were truly exceptional. Such passion, intensity, and emotion!!! The entire room was completely mesmerized by their performances. I was totally enthralled. The end of their performance was very fun. They ask for audience participation and even selected two people to join them for dancing onstage. My sister was chosen, and it was absolutely adorable watching her up there doing her best to keep up with the pros!
I can't remember the last time I had that much fun dinning out. I plan to take my mom there the next time she visits. I'm totally recommending this place to my friends and fam. The amount that you pay for the quality of food and entertainment that you receive is incredible! Absolutely worth every penny! I'll definitely be back.
Helpful Tip -
Park in the parking structure on Pacific Ave., directly behind the restaurant. It's cheaper than the rest (only $3) and covers you for the entire evening. :) read more