La Fiaba Del Mediterraneo — Restaurant in Tandridge

Just moved to Caterham, thought we would try our local Mediterranean, me and my partner are huge lovers of Italian and med cuisine. Google reviews screamed it was a perfect place to eat so we said we would try it and was really excited about it. We arrived, it was completely empty with no atmosphere. We thought it was quite early though 6:30-7 so we just guessed it was quiet for the time. We chose some starters, presented it looked unreal, but I got the mussels and half were fine, half were overcooked. I ate it and hoped for better from the mains. My partner got a pasta, I got the carbonara. It’s something I eat on a weekly basis, I’ve only ever known a carbonara to be yellowish ( because of the egg it’s suppose to have in it) and Parmesan. When I tell you it was double cream soaking the pasta that is what it is. To look at it was lovely, but to taste it was like milky cream, bland with absolutely no taste to it. I had a few mouthfuls and said to my partner I really don’t want to moan but it’s vile and I don’t want to eat it. Any other establishment I’ve eaten at, if it’s not up to standard, they take it back, apologise and take the constructive criticism and take it off the bill. I explained my issue and they literally looked at me like I was on another planet. The woman ( I think the owner as she wasn’t dressed as a waitress) took the plate and stormed off into the kitchen. She didn’t come back out the whole rest of the time we were there. She then proceeded to send out a very young barely legal waitress, to tell me it’s a lovely creamy carbonara and I basically have no idea what I’m talking about. We regularly eat out and very nice establishments and I’m telling you now, I could of cooked a basic carbonara with my eyes closed better than this dish and that’s an understatement, from other reviews I’ve read on here I added chicken to it for a meat and it was basically microwaved rubbery chicken. They were honestly so rude, I said listen I’m happy to pay for it ( because of the attitude I was met with) I just wanted to pay and leave, but the fact they charged me over half when I had two mouthfuls is crazy to me. I then finished my wine and asked for the bill, in which the young girl looked at with me daggers to the point I got up, walked out and let my partner deal with it and pay for it, as I just felt so awkward I didn’t want to be there anymore. They rave they are a family run warm business, but I can assure you if you don’t like something, you won’t be met with a warm response. We are paying customers and you should learn some customer service instead of taking it personally. Let’s just say, we won’t...

If La Fiaba Del Mediterraneo is meant to be fairy tale, it’s the kind where the prince chokes on dry chicken and the villagers riot over the food. Let me start with the Pollo con Jerez — a dish that promised elegance but delivered something between a nursing home lunch tray and a school dinner flashback. The chicken was so dry it crumbled like sawdust in my mouth. I don’t know what crime the mushrooms committed, but they were definitely punished — limp, lifeless, and floating in a mustard-cream sauce that tasted like someone got drunk on sherry, sneezed into the pot, and called it a day. The sauté potatoes were not sautéed — they were sad, beige cubes with the texture of boiled sponge and all the flavour of wet cardboard. And the vegetables? I counted three: a lonely carrot slice, a broccoli stem with trust issues, and something unidentifiable that might have once been a courgette. Our waiter clearly hated her job and us by extension. She delivered the plates with the enthusiasm of someone serving their own court summons. No smile. No “enjoy your meal.” Just the dead-eyed energy of a woman who’s seen too much chicken ruin too many lives. And yes — they had the audacity to charge a service fee for this culinary war crime. I would’ve rather set that money on fire and inhaled the smoke. At least that would have had some flavour. If you’re considering going here: don’t. This place doesn’t serve...

I stumbled upon La Fiaba last weekend, and it felt like discovering a hidden gem. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was warm, elegant, and inviting—like stepping into a storybook (which I later realized is what “La Fiaba” means!).The service was impeccable: attentive without being intrusive. Our server took the time to explain the menu and even recommended a wine pairing that turned out to be spot-on.Now, the food—absolutely outstanding. The homemade pasta was perfectly al dente with a sauce that tasted like it had been simmering for hours. The seafood risotto was creamy and packed with flavor, and the tiramisu? Honestly the best I’ve had outside of Italy—light, not too sweet, and beautifully presented.Prices were reasonable for the quality, and portions were generous without being overwhelming. You can tell there’s passion behind every plate.I’ll definitely be coming back—La Fiaba is the kind of place that makes you want to linger over your meal and savor every bite. Highly recommended for date nights, family dinners, or just treating yourself to...