Gerard's Paella is simply the best of the best. I'll admit, I was a little nervous at first when Gerard wasn't able to personally attend our star-studded event. Those concerns disappeared immediately. The gentlemen he sent in his place were absolutely outstanding and exceeded even my very high standards. They were professional, engaging, personable, and clearly took great pride in what they do. They became part of the celebration and our guests absolutely loved them. And then there's the paella, without question the best paella ever. The flavors were incredible, the presentation was beautiful, and it was the highlight of the event for many of our guests. Honestly, I could eat it every day and never get tired of it. From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. Gerard and his team delivered far beyond expectations, and I can't wait for the opportunity to work with them again. If you're considering Gerard's Paella for an event, stop looking and book them, you won't be disappointed. read more

Yuck I wish I could get my money back lol but since I can't im writing this review. SKIP it seriously. There's always better food trust me .

Had a great experience with Gerard's Paellas at the Novato farmers market. Mike was great! read more

Gerard's Paella - Caterers Near Me

I decided to get Gerald's paella with friends at Coachella this year after seeing multiple TikTok food influences mention that it was the most worth food item and was delicious, and boy they were not wrong! The paella was incredibly creamy and had just the right amount of spice to it. The portion size was very large and one paella can absolutely be shared among two people. The bottom of the paella also had crispy rice which was my favorite and there was tons of seafood packed in including calamari rings and shrimp. The aioli drizzle atop was fresh and tangy and my favorite part was that it was dairy free so I did not have to take lactaid! If you see their booth at a music festival definitely check out the Paella. It is incredibly flavorful and well worth it! read more

Gerard's Paella - Seafood Paella @ Coachella 2025 - Caterers Near Me

While it's true that I chose Gerard's Paella above all other offerings at the Gravenstein Apple Fair it's also true that my reason for choosing it had nothing to do with their offering: Gerard's was the only food vendor whose line didn't cause me to bake under the glare of the hot sun. Lucky for me though, Gerard's Paella proved an excellent choice. I mean: this is the guy/dish that won the Bobby Flay Paella throw-down. I'd expect it to be good. Offering only a single menu item (Paella, $22) proves to be a smart move. The ordering and pick-up process is streamlined and simple and I'd wager their line moves faster than all others at these festival-type events. The $22 price tag appears steep but when you see what's offered you'll understand. This dish easily serves 2 and I'd not even get it unless I had someone to share it with. It's a whole lot of food. No sausage is present but my bowl contained 4 nice-sized shrimp, lots of boneless/skinless chicken, and red bell peppers. The flavors were good, enhanced with the application of sriracha which is self-applied when you pick-up your order. Filling up on Gerard's Paella pretty much ensured that I had no room left for apple-anything but I had no regrets. I made precisely the right decision. This was a very good, big bowl of festival Paella. read more

We love Gerard's! Best paella in the Bay Area by far. We hired him and his staff to cater our wedding in Healdsburg this summer and it was one of the biggest highlights of the day. Everything he does is magic. The chicken and chorizo is also a hit and we personally love the squid ink seafood, which is so unique and delicious. I could eat Gerard's paella all day, every day. Highly, highly recommend! read more

Worked with this vendor at a recent wedding. Their food was great and service was on point. I could tell the couple and their guests enjoyed the paella. Highly recommend! read more

To save everyone some time looking for a caterer, the hidden costs include an 18% surcharge on the $49 per person price (offering one paella choice), that plates/napkins are provided for an extra $3 per person, and that beyond 2 hours you will be charged extra for them staying - so appetizers are 1 hour and dinner is 1 hour. I hope I am helping others by just commenting on the above. read more

10/10 wedding catering. Jenn worked with us on our dietary restrictions and budget for a 100% vegan wedding. We ended up going with their salad w/ quince dressing, paella, and bread. It was phenomenal. Gerard is a fabulously skilled chef and all of our guests were full, happy, and talking about the amazing display of watching Gerard flipping the paella onsite. It's theatrical, it's filling, it's budget-friendly, and you are working with real people who are direct and deliver. Amazing experience! read more

I had a bowl of Gerard's lovely paella at BottleRock 2024. I saw someone carrying a bowl and that was enough to convince me. The line was long so I mentally prepared for a long wait, but it took probably under 2 minutes to get through 20 people. They only serve the one thing, and they are batch making giant pans of paella in their booth. The flavor was great, the chicken moist, the rice was just a tad soggy and I think we only had one piece of shrimp. read more

I tried their shrimp and chicken paella at the Sonoma Plaza Farmer's Market in September of 2022. The flavor is rich; the guys preparing and serving the food shared that usually there's a bottle of Sriracha on the serving/utensil table for those seeking a bit of a kick with this dish. It was delicious and it's served with a slice of lemon, which is a great idea. Protein pieces were generous. Would definitely hit this place up again, whether at a market or else, next time I'm in Sonoma. There was no line to this vendor because all the food was prepped and ready and they just scoop up a heaping helping for ya in a to-go container and garnish it with lemon. Great elevated street food with no wait. Sign me up, and then sign me up again! read more

Gerard's Paella - Caterers Near Me

I had a bowl of their chicken and shrimp paella at the Gravenstein Apple Fair. It was by far the most appealing-looking regular meal food available for lunch. They cook it in these huge paella pans, with chicken thighs in a separate pan, and then put a heaping load, with a generous serving of chicken on top, in a large bowl. I should have taken the option of the aioli sauce, because while the ingredients were of good quality and the serving of most generous size, the paella was rather bland and the rice kind of dull and sticky. I could only eat about half of it. read more

Seafood Paella was delicious! Highly recommended and we appreciate you dropping it off to us! Thanks Again!

Amazing paella! Gerard and the staff are always very nice and friendly. I always choose Gerard's over anything else whenever presented the opportunity. Get you some! read more

I hate to say it, but the paella I had in Santa Rosa was probably the worst I ever tasted. This is from a guy who has learned to cook a decent paella de mariscos from a Spanish lady. The serving size was huge, but the taste did not meet my expectations. A few lonely pieces of cold chicken and two or three shrimp were the only non-rice ingredients I found on my plate. The rice was very colorful, but I doubt this was from pure saffron. There must have been some food coloring involved. So, for $22, you basically get a plate of colored rice. read more

Yum yum yum! We ordered their family size traditional paella for take out last nite and it was GREAT! They say it serves 2 to 4 but I'd say it easily serves 6 - we will be having it again tonite and still had plenty left over to freeze for a future dinner. We just love supporting our local restaurants during this time - their food is fabulous. Order in advance and pay online - then park out in front, give them a call and they bring the food out to your car. Do this! you won't be sorry. read more

So I had the pleasure of getting to work a first aid tent at an event called BLENDED in San Diego. Let me tell you this Paella is amazing - legitimately one of the best I have ever had. Can't say the best as my grandmother made the best ever. But my crew & I got to watch behind the scenes from our medical tent. These men are culinary magicians with the largest paella pans I have ever scene. The serving was a good size & packed full of chicken & shrimp. Total must try if you get the chance. read more

Gerard's Paella - PAELLA! - Caterers Near Me

Had the pleasure of being introduced to Gerard's at Bottlerock Napa, I had the chicken and shrimp bowl and it was incredible. The bowl was jammed pack with deliciousness tons of chicken and shrimp, collard greens and great spice. This was my first time trying this dish and I'm now hooked. I am very thankful for them taking the time to come out and bring this wonderful cuisine to the event! read more

Gerard's Paella - Caterers Near Me

We had the absolute pleasure of having Gerard at our wedding to make appetizers and dinner for our 90 guests. We're from SoCal and had a destination wedding in Fort Bragg on the North Coast--Gerard's came highly recommended, but since we were planning from a distance we didn't have a chance to actually try the food until the wedding day. We and all of our guests were blown away by how good it was. I can't overstate what a big deal this was, since we had some very picky eaters in the crowd, including my dad--he'd never heard of paella and joked about smuggling in some burgers, but he ended up having seconds and begging Gerard for the recipe. Booking was an easy process, and the team even sent me a partial refund when we had some late cancellations after I'd already paid. Gerard and his team packaged up our uneaten food for us after dinner, and our wedding party noshed on the most delicious leftovers for the rest of the weekend. Can't recommend them enough! read more

Gerard's Paella - Caterers Near Me

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Unexpectedly found this wonderful delight at the Tuesday night Sonoma Farmers Market. Have never been to the market and have never had this dish. My husband and I paid the $20 for a chicken, chorizo and shrimp paella. Huge portion and we added the lemon snd aioli (definitely add and if you want a little spice add some sriracha). We took it back to our hotel. Soooooo good. We both had 2 helpings and had a little left over. Mostly huge chicken thighs with dome shrimp. Could have used a little more chorizo but it might've just been the giant budget came from still very good. Don't shy away from this if you say you don't like shrimp because it's not fishy at all try it. I'm bummed because I'm not from this area and I probably will never have this again, but it was so good. read more

How do you welcome guests flocking from all over the country to celebrate your wedding? To the point that everyone's eyes widen and a "wow" emanates from their lips?! Well, that's what Gerard's did for me. My relative's wedding welcome party was held at a private winery. As we walked up a path to the dining area, there were two huge metal pots steaming with a bright orange stew or soup (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=MVy-aDv_gIwfxYKzXZcS6Q&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). Curious, I walked up and asked one of the persons tending the pot what is was and my ears perked when his said "paella". Asking the difference between the two pots, he explained the smaller one was a vegetarian one (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=51YuTq7grX4bXxuFTICF0g&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) while the large one was chicken and seafood (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=sdVr5SH1UBpoEArJm_kJFg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). After everyone was seated, I noticed a menu on my table setting. After the salad was served and removed, the wait staff guided guests by tables to the paella station where we picked up our entrée choice. Looking at my plate (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=EJFz-XSGnN-P-gq_1bY3qQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), I couldn't wait to dig in. Let's just say that it met all expectations and then some. The best part was, being famished from the trip up, that I was able to greedily get another plate (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=P4rizZHQo8G1pG9PR4xe-g&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q)... I could only finish about half of this... guess most of the seafood was devoured already. Wonderful event, wonderful venue, wonderful occasion, and the best way to describe Gerard's paella... yes, wonderful! read more

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I was able to get a taste of this paella when I went to BottleRock Festival. We tried plenty of the food offerings there, and I would have to say that their paella is easily on the top of my list! It was really delicious. It came piping hot and the serving feeds two people. Would I eat this again? Most definitely!! read more

Gerard's Paella - Chicken Paella - Caterers Near Me

We tried Gerard's Paella at the Eat Real Festival 2017. Lines were super long, but moved rapidly. Only $10 for a large oval bowl, loaded with a ton of large shrimp. We probably got about 10 pieces. Flavor was awesome, no skimping on the spices here. Chicken was also moist. Rice was thoroughly cooked and not too goopy. It's not paella in the traditional sense, but rather a Californicized version with kale. It's still delicious, though. The paella was less salty than others we've had, including Ñora who was at the Eat Real last year. We wished the shrimp were shelled. Other than that, I can wholeheartedly recommend Gerard's. read more

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I grew up eating paella and was delighted to find Gerard's last month. It's so rare to find a place that not only specializes in a delicious international dish like this, but does it amazingly well and in so many exciting varieties! I hosted some vegetarian guests for dinner, so I ordered that kind of paella and even though I'm not a vegetarian, I honestly enjoyed it just as much as any seafood version I've ever had. Actually, I think I prefer it now! The dish was a beauty to behold with mushrooms, kale, chickpeas, peas, and purple cauliflower, and really easy to heat up with no fuss. I loved that the veggies weren't overcooked and still had a little crunch to them. My guests raved about it and now mention paella whenever we talk about them visiting again. I was sad to see Gerard's downtown location close right after I discovered them, as it seems the pandemic hit them hard, but I will be supporting Gerard's at their weekly pop-up locations because no one else in the area does what they can. read more

Gerard's Paella - Vegetarian paella - chickpeas, mushrooms, peas, kale, and purple cauliflower. Yum!!! - Caterers Near Me

If there was ever a reason to look up reviews; why the heck didn't I look up reviews of it before sampling. Flavorless effort. At a festival you expect most foods with the biggest lines to be good food. Not to mention huge frying pots of piping hot paella mixtures that look like they could serve over a couple hundred stomachs. Their first pot was sold out in thirty minutes with over three hundred served. People were sitting all around and eating their paella quietly. I came across them at this years Hand Car Regatta in Santa Rosa, Ca. I did not see Gerard here. $10 for a plate full, served heavy and piping hot in temperature. Each plate would include a prawn, a chicken thigh or breast and leg. The prawn still intact with heads and legs and the chicken was cooked perfectly. The only vendor giving you the most amount of food for this cost. Taste however was dismal. The rice was perfect but like tomato rice anyone can make at home. No flavor, it needed salt, pepper, hot sauce, hot chili's and so much more. Some of the higher starred other reviews say to try them out elsewhere and maybe it might be better but I won't be. One and done unfortunately. I should have asked people while they ate, rather than gone off looks. I am sure this was not made by the chef that supposedly beat Bobby Flay. read more

Gerard's Paella - The wait - Caterers Near Me

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Excellent, paella generous portions and always friendly, fun staff. A must try and if you get to meet Gerard. Mention that there's no trees at Pyramid lake. read more

We had the pleasure of trying Gerard's Paella at a winery event last weekend. It was fantastic! Normally I am not much for paella. I don't really like rice and it's usually dry and loaded with saffron (which again, I don't really like). But this had just a hint and had a host of other fresh ingredients and lovely spices- like paprika, which I love- that really came through. The winery owners picked some fresh mushrooms that morning so the Paella Chefs whipped up another lovely rice-based dish in the pizza oven that show cased the fungi as well as fresh asparagus and other goodies. Everything they made was all so visually appealing too. It was a treat to visit with them and taste their creations! read more

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I decided to give Gerard's Paella a try on a recent Saturday evening and all I can say is WOW! The food, the service, and the ambience were all exceptional (and only 4 days after opening, too!). This place just might be my new favorite spot downtown! I was initially hesitant about a tapas restaurant where you order at the cash register and then the server brings out your food, but it worked out relatively well. The only downside was that when I decided I wanted to order my food (as is usually the case at tapas restaurants), I had to wait in line again. I'm sure they will smooth this out in the future. My dining companion and I decided to split a paella, a jamon serrano sandwich, and a Seismic beer (great beer selection, by the way). The paella was amazing! It was served piping hot and was quite a generous portion. The seafood was fresh and flavorful and those crispy bites of rice were HEAVENLY. The sandwich was very satisfying as well -- jamon serrano, manchego cheese, arugula, and the key ingredient -- olive oil -- created a simple yet satisfying sandwich. I can't wait to come back and try other dishes, as well as their HOMEMADE sangria. The lady in front of me asked to sample the sangria and the bartender proceeded to mix her a small sample. I love Sangria when it is made fresh! All in all, Gerard's Paella is a terrific addition to the downtown Santa Rosa dining scene. read more

Tried the Paella at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and yes it was a filling amount of food for $14. I can't say I was that impressed. My portion did not have much seafood, but lots and lots of chicken. read more

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Gerard's Paella was probably the best savory dish I had at the Eat Real Festival! There is much more to paella than chicken, shrimp and rice. The saffron and spices bring so much flavor to the dish. This is a truly, hearty dish! They were also serving up lemongrass chicken with kimchi-that was just as flavorful too! We got the small servings and still shared amongst four people. I'd definitely go back to Gerard's Paella at another food festival! read more

Gerard's Paella - Paella and lemongrass chicken at Eat Real Festival-so goooddd - Caterers Near Me

Gerard's was fantastic and the guests are still talking about how good and authentic the food was. They were timely, to the exact calculations of serving, food was amazing and they even gave explanations of how and why the food was prepared to the guests who were curious, cleaned up and off they went. Thank you! read more

Just tried this place for the first time today with my dad! HOLY MOLY this place was amazing! Everything was set up so perfectly. Service was perfect. Food was perfect. Prices are super reasonable and huge portions! Definitely coming back for more soon! read more

Gerard's Paella - Caterers Near Me

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This is the best paella that I have had outside of Spain and at the bargain price of $14. The regular was packed with shrimp, chicken and vegetables giving it a great flavor and consistency but it suffered from a lack of sausage for full authenticity. The veggie version was amazingly rich and had great depth of flavor. To compensate for the lack of meat they upped the heat a little bit, which was perfect. If you get to Barcelona then fly to the Occidental Farmers' market for a taste of Spain right here in California. read more

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Location - Treasure Island Music Festival Paella - Savory, very generous on the chicken and shrimp, fluffy rice, almost like dry gumbo, hot, steaming, and fresh. It was so good, we ordered this twice. Wait Time - Almost none. The food is handed to you right after you order. Price - $14 per plate. Easily the best and worth my money against all of the food stands. read more

Gerard's Paella - Treasure Island Music Festival - Caterers Near Me

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They were so quick even with the longest line at the Eat Real Fest in Jack London Square. Their paella was consistent (had it 3 times!) and so flavorful. It was also so amazing to see them cooking so much and staff was so friendly! read more

Gerard's Paella - Caterers Near Me

The following review has been rated PG-13 for: nudity, an [implied] scene of torture, and drug use. Dateline: July 30, 2008 - I am naked at 4:45pm... which is not normally cause for alarm, but as we snagged the LAST TWO spots for a 7:00pm seating at a Food Network event, a vague sense of panic accompanies my nudity. "Does this say, Summery-Unpretentious-Foodie?" I ask Caveman, holding up a vintage silk frock. He is distracted by my state of undress, and can only manage a, "Uh-Hmmmmm...?" Quickly, I do Fashion Math in my head: 84 degree high + 7:00 reservation, to the possibly Dining al Fresco power = I will not go with anything sleeveless. "What about this, with THESE shoes... because if there's grass, I don't want to get my heels stuck...-" I duck in and out of the bathroom, flipping my head upside-down, prepping for the classic Hail Mary 'Do - blow-dried with a spritz of spray. I work the round-brush, still talking. "-and while you're driving, I'll do my makeup in the car-" I decide against any pendants or necklaces that could somehow distract me from gorging on paella (the thumping on my clavicle... the embarrassment of "dipping" my jewelery into my food...). "I hope we don't hit too much traffic," I fret, zipping into the chosen dress. "How many miles is it from here?" Seventy-two. "Okay... we'll make it. I really want an egg cream sodie before we go!" The Cadet is assigned to this duty, and charges up the stairs with a beverage worthy of Carnegie Deli. I gulp down half, sloshing some on the front of my dress as I jog down the stairs. Five minutes later, we are in a different, hastily composed, food-baby friendly outfit, and on our way. Which also ended up with a splash of sodie on it, because I clearly did not learn my lesson the first time. I drift into the makeup application zone, and Caveman drives. By the time I look up, we are in downtown San Francisco. Did I mention that we live in the East Bay... and that we were allegedly driving to Occidental??? What followed was a hunger-fueled tirade about the Caveman taking the obviously wrong bridge. I feel a massive, tension headache coming on... probably because I was gritting my teeth and mentally breaking Caveman on the rack for effing up the directions. I am delighted to find a travel sized box of aspirin in my purse, and pop two. Fifteen minutes later, I am floating... woozy... I force my eyes to focus and scrutinize the remaining white pills rattling in the tiny box. I took 2 Soma, not aspirin. The evening takes another interesting turn. As the mile markers fly by, I doze, flattening my hair. Refer to the photos; I have feloniously bad hair and look stoned, because I was. Dinner? Oh, that - yes - it was great fun. Gerard and his team served up three delectable paella dishes: vegetarian (why?); chicken and seafood... all the signature saffron-infused gold color. I cannot tell you how... adorable Gerard is - I asked for and got a picture, plus a totally sincere hug. The only thing I could have wanted for was some chorizo in the dishes, to boost the spice factor. Kudos to uber-hosts and co-owners of Bistro des Copains, Michel Ausburger & Cluney Stagg, who stopped by at our table twice. Maybe it was the muscle relaxants, but for a solid hour, I believed that I could actually become a vegetarian, because the salads were A-MA-ZING: * shredded carrot * butter lettuce * roasted beet * heirloom tomato Simple, seasonal and sexy, end of story. The dessert bar was delightful, and by the time Paella Throwdown with Bobby Flay aired, I was in a carb+sugar+muscle relaxant induced stupor. I highly recommend both the show and the altered state. The hometown crowd cheered Gerard on, and whooped with joy, when he was declared the winner, in a blind taste test. I'm totally adding www.gerardspaella.com to my "Too Fabulous to Cook" List - a must, for any accident-prone, perpetually late, accidentally sedated hostess! Gerard has perfect salt and pepper hair, lived in Spain, dives for his own seafood - and is mobile... How do you top that? I totally have a food crush on him! Caveman and I are planning a weekend jaunt to Occidental, so that we can check out the farmers market, dinner at Bistro des Copains, and of course... more paella! http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080731/LIFESTYLE/789130058/1350&title=Sonoma_County_chef_tops_Bobby_Flay_in_paella_smackdown read more

Gerard's Paella - With Gerard, the Paella King! - Caterers Near Me

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Gerard's Paella catered our wedding reception last weekend and did an incredible job. We could not have asked for a better caterer and all of our guests were raving about it the next day. The delicious food may have even overshadowed the bride (me) and groom based on the instgram photos of the party ;-) We had Gerard's provide appetizers (a paella pan FULL of cheese, olives, fruit, nuts, and crackers SO BEAUTIFUL, see photo), melons for dessert, and some staff (bartenders & servers/busers). They entertained the guests with demonstrations on how to eat a shrimp (with the head-on) and created a wonderful presentation of everything they did/served. I could not recommend them more for an outdoor reception/event with food-loving guests. read more

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Let me say right off the bat (or pan), I LOVE Gerard's paella, OK? Assessing prior reviews, it appears that most of the "pans" of Gerard's paella were associated with the 2010 Eat Real Festival. Not sure what the problem was there, as I've had Gerard's paella a number of times, and it has always been on the mark -- he has even beat Bobby Flay in a paella throw-down. My guess is that in order to keep up with the large ERF crowd, much of the paella had to be cooked (too far) in advance. Or perhaps he had a (rare) bad day. For those of you who were less than satisfied.... check him out at a smaller venue (e.g., at a winery) and maybe your experience will be better. I've never been disappointed. [Disclosure: I've never been to Spain, either.] read more

Had their veggie paella with shrimp at the Eat Real Fest. to my surprise, their paella is decent as the rice is cooked all the way thru... shrimp was a tad over cooked... the flavoring of the paella was just ok for me... i think it could have been flavored a little more. there's nothing grand about it, so that's it... lg found a piece of plate or plastic? in the paella... read more

Gerard's Paella - veggie paella with shrimp @ Eat Real - Caterers Near Me

Armed with a wallet full of cash, I was ready to take on all the offerings at the Eat Real Festival last weekend. Of all the food stands I saw there, Gerard's Paella had one of the longest lines--probably due to the giant paella pans (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fl1yYW769QfykTvtai3EjA?select=X6UUWJNth4_y2pMza40dZg) drawing in hungry festival goers like flies to honey. I, too, was one of those flies who fell victim to the giant paella pans. Luckily, the line moved quickly as all the cooking is pretty much done ahead of time and all they have to do is collect your money and give you a dish of paella in return. I got the seafood and chicken paella, which consisted of rice, one shrimp, and one piece of chicken (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fl1yYW769QfykTvtai3EjA?select=DPGcPaf85eL8YXAI1c-xKg). It *looked* beautiful but, unfortunately, didn't taste very good. The rice was kinda mushy, the shrimp was overcooked, and there just wasn't much flavour. At least the chicken was tender though. My favourite part was sucking the juices out of the shrimp head... read more

Gerard's Paella - Cooking up some paella @ Eat Real Festival 2010 (8.29.10) - Caterers Near Me

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