La Spezia QC — Restaurant in Quezon City

We arrived past 7 and the place was pretty packed, so making a reservation is definitely recommended.

Service was prompt and very mindful. The servers seemed so used to customers' requests of selfies and asking for group photos too (haha). They had smiles despite the dinner crowd and were very attentive.

The interiors had a modern vibe. The place is housed within a residential area. The loud chatter of fellow customers was the only thing that took away from the ambience and experience.

Wine is generally served by the bottle (mostly Spanish, French, and Italian) with only a few available for order per glass.

Food servings may appear small but they turned out to be quite filling. We ordered seafood pasta and chicken to feed 3 people and some of us could barely finish our meals.

The spaghetti aglio pesca had good-sized prawns (shrimps?), squid, and clams with generous parmegiano to bring it all together. The spaghetti was al dente and had a good mouth feel to it.

The pollo alla aceito didn't look that impressive at first but it turned out to be quite hefty. It was served with salad and potato wedges that were crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside with a good garlic flavour. The chicken's breading/coating was light and crisp. The herbs hit the tongue first followed by a hint of acidity, perhaps lemon? It was filling.

Overall, costs are definitely on the pricey side but the flavour experience helps balance it...

We ordered the burrata, fritto misto, pasta di capisante, and pork milanese. The burrata was, as expected, good and paired well with sweet corn (4/5 because how can you mess that up, really). The frito misto was very flavorful and a bit too salty for my liking (3.8/5 but wiped it out). The pasta di capisante was excellent — generous with the scallops and tasted like the sea (5/5 will reorder). The pork milanese was thick and chewy with flavor coming mostly from the breading and salad and not from the meat itself. I had a bite and left the rest (3/5).

Though my ratings seem to say otherwise, I do think this place still deserves 4 stars. It was nice and cozy, perfect for intimate dinner dates, and the servers were attentive. I could tell that we just ordered the wrong dishes and that other items have the potential of bumping up the rating to a 5. I intend on going back to try the other dishes (eyeing the uni caccio e pepe and lamb dish) and update my review then.

I heard the BGC branch has a different menu since they have different chefs. And judging by the IG photos, it seems quite interesting too. I don’t know if it can replicate the hole in the wall atmosphere of the QC branch, but I sure hope so.

A final note, parking here can be a bit tricky but that’s with all places in Tomas Morato area. No...

Discovering La Spezia was like stumbling upon a hidden gem in a sea of mundane eateries. Despite gracing the culinary scene since 2016, it managed to evade my radar until today, when an Italian craving led me on a Google expedition. Lo and behold, there it was, perched at the top of the search results like a culinary beacon of hope.

From the moment I stepped foot inside, I knew I was in for a treat. The aroma of authentic Italian cuisine enveloped me like a warm hug, and even my friend, a worldly diplomat with a penchant for linguistics, was left speechless (which, trust me, is a rare feat).

Not only did La Spezia tantalize our taste buds with their delectable dishes, but it also charmed us with its cozy ambiance and undeniable charisma. It's the kind of place where you feel like you've stumbled upon a well-kept secret, and you can't help but wonder how on earth you've been missing out for so long.

But fear not, dear reader, for I come bearing proof in the form of mouthwatering photos that will make your stomach rumble with envy. Consider this my humble plea: don't be a fool, don't deprive yourself of the culinary masterpiece that is La Spezia. It's a belated discovery that I'll forever be grateful for, and one that I implore you to experience for yourself. Trust me, your taste buds will...