This restaurant was such an unexpected delight.
On our trip to Valencia, we loved walking around and allowing for our explorations to determine where we would eat each day. That is obviously such a stark difference from my daily habits tied to decisions based on what I discover while researching online, but it was a welcomed change that allowed us to stumble upon La Reina.
They have outdoor, patio seating in a prime location for ample people watching and a menu with a nice array of items to accommodate a range of tastes.
Our first visit, we went an impromptu dinner and I ordered pulpo (per usual) and we were blown away by the presentation of dish. The vibe of the restaurant felt more like a family-casual style of restaurant, but the plating was that of a high end dining establishment. (And delicious as well!) The salad that my friend ordered was huge, and everything looked so fresh. We noted to ourselves that this might just be a place we would have to revisit once more before the trip was over and that we did.
During our second visit, we came for the lunch menu which had great lunch specials. I grabbed a burger this time around and that too was great - lightly toasted bun, fresh veggies and what I believe was a bit of crisp pancetta. The burger also comes with shoe string fries and although they came out cold, they were still pretty damn good!
My sister who is a vegan and struggled a bit with vegan options on this trip even found a pasta and veggie dish that she could rock with. It was simple, and maybe less than exciting but it filled her up!
When I went inside to go to the bathroom, I also discovered a top floor with a large dining room. I can only imagine how quickly this fills in season, but off season this could be a great option for a private event space.
Overall, I think most people would find something to enjoy here and will miss the ability to drop by with ease! read more