Tasting the World's 2nd Best Paella in Vancouver

🏘️ Casa Molina 💭 Finally tried this new Spanish 🇪🇸 restaurant opened by a World Paella Contest silver medalist chef 👨‍🍳! Tucked away in a charming Mountain Pleasant house—easy to miss but worth the hunt! The interior is cozy-chic, with thoughtful decor details. ⚠️ Pro Tip: Reserve early ☎️! I snagged a 4:45pm slot by luck—most dates only had 8pm openings for weeks. Be quick! 🥘 PAELLAS Five varieties (small/large portions): 1️⃣ VALENCIANA (Chicken & Rabbit) 🐔🐇 - The award-winning one! 2️⃣ MARISCO (Seafood) 🦐 3️⃣ DE PATO (Duck) 🦆 4️⃣ ARROZ NEGRO (Squid Ink) 🦑 - My pick! 5️⃣ VEGETARIAN 🌱 The squid ink paella was perfectly al dente, rich and umami-packed (a tad saltier than usual—in a good way!). Shelled seafood = no messy peeling! Served with lemon 🍋 and house-made aioli 🥚. 🥔 PATATAS BRAVAS Spain’s answer to crispy street potatoes—golden crust, fluffy inside! The garlic aioli is addictive—I couldn’t stop eating these! 🐖 JAMÓN IBERICO A letdown—lacked the oily sheen and nutty aroma of top-tier Iberico ham. 🥖 ARTISAN BREAD Worth it just for the adorable bread bag! Sourdough was pillowy-soft. 🎉 Final Thoughts: The paella lives up to its hype—go for the squid ink or award-winning Valenciana. Skip the ham; double-order the potatoes! #VancouverEats #SpanishFood #PaellaLover #HiddenGem #FoodieFind #DateNightSpot #VancouverRestaurants #WorldClassDining