La Catalana — Restaurant in San Jose

La Catalana San Jose Review: A Real Taste of Catalonia (A Spanish Autonomous Community)

Nestled in the vibrant heart of San Jose, California, La Catalana beckoned with the promise of an authentic Spanish culinary experience. As a gourmet foodie with a Spanish heritage and a profound appreciation for wine, my expectations were a mix of excitement and curiosity. The promise of a menu paired with Cava and a selection of Spanish tapas and traditional dishes piqued my interest.

The Ambiance and Initial Impressions.

Upon entering La Catalana, I was immediately struck by the warm, inviting ambience. The decor, reminiscent of a traditional Spanish eatery, created an atmosphere that was both cosy and culturally rich. My companions and I were seated comfortably, and we eagerly anticipated the culinary journey ahead.

The evening began with a toast of Cava, Spain's renowned sparkling wine, setting a celebratory tone for the meal. This was followed by Pago de Capellanes, Joven, from Ribera del Duero, a robust yet balanced red that promised to complement the variety of flavours in our selected dishes.

Tapas Experience (Spanish Tapas)

A Spanish tapa is a small dish or appetizer typically served in bars and restaurants in Spain. The concept of tapas is deeply ingrained in Spanish culture and is central to the social aspect of dining in the country. Tapas can range from simple items like olives, cheese, or cured meats to more elaborate dishes such as patatas bravas (fried potatoes with spicy sauce), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), and croquetas (breaded and fried rolls with various fillings like ham or cheese)

Originally, a tapa (which means "cover" or "lid" in Spanish) was a small snack served on a plate that would cover a drink, possibly to protect it from dust or insects. Over time, this evolved into a culinary tradition where people hop from bar to bar, enjoying different tapas with their drinks, often turning it into a full meal. Tapas can be cold (like mixed olives and cheese) or hot (like chorizo in red wine), and their variety and flavour profiles are vast, reflecting the rich and diverse culinary heritage of Spain.

Our culinary exploration commenced with a selection of tapas. First was the Plato de Jamon Serrano. As someone with Spanish roots, I found the flavour slightly lacking compared to the Jamon I remember from Spain – it missed that distinct, rich taste that I've come to associate with this iconic dish.

The Patatas Bravas, however, were a delight. The simplicity of fried potatoes was elevated by the smoky paprika and the homemade Brava sauce, which added a perfect spicy kick.

Next were the Canelones. These homemade Catalan-style cannelloni, filled with ground cod fish in a pine nut cream sauce, truly reminded me of Catalonia. The flavours were well-balanced, with the nuttiness of the pine nut cream complementing the delicate fish.

Unfortunately, the Croquetas did not meet our expectations. They seemed to be more oil-laden than anticipated, detracting from what should have been a crispy, savoury treat.

Main Courses.

Our group then sampled two main dishes. The Paella de Rabo de Toro was a point of contention. The traditional Spanish Bomba rice, a key element of paella, seemed questionable, and the overall flavour profile and texture didn't quite capture the essence of this classic dish.

In stark contrast, the Fideua Negra was the star of the evening. The noodle paella, rich with the flavours of calamari and squid ink, was a true delight, especially when complemented by the best all i oli sauce we had ever tasted.

The potential for an improved culinary experience is there, and I look forward to revisiting them in the future to see how they...

I think I have finally found the best place for paella in the Bay Area.

Ever since my visit to Valencia, the birthplace of paella, where I was impressed by Casa Roberto, I have been trying to find somewhere in the Bay Area to satisfy my craving for paella from time to time. I had heard good things about Teleferic Barcelona, but in my opinion, while their tapas are great, their paella is just wrong (and runny). Finally, I checked out La Catalana, and from the moment I took the first bite of the paella (and the socarrat), I knew this was it. This is probably the closest you can get to authentic paella in the Bay Area compared to what you can get in Spain.

I don't know what it is exactly, but there is something that separates good seafood paella from the others. Even in Valencia, we visited a couple of famous places for seafood paella and were disappointed. Then Casa Roberto made me realize what was missing - the taste of the seafood. Maybe the brain juice of the shrimp, liquid from clams, or something else. But a good paella has this unique seafood taste I am craving for, and La Catalana's Arroz Pelado has it, as well as the socarrat.

Other dishes are also great. Pulpo is done right, soft inside, crispy outside. Xai is a surprise. I've never had a lamb slider before, but this is good (and filling, which is the main reason we didn't manage to finish the paella :P).

The sangria is a bit interesting. I think I tasted strawberry jam, probably homemade, but still unexpected. It's a bit heavier/sweeter than I like, but still a good drink.

The desserts are great. No complaints about the churros, caramel pudding, and pistachio ice cream. Especially the caramel pudding. Especially since it's on the house. :D

Not only is the food great, but the service is also excellent. Josh was our waiter, and he did all he could to make our special occasion even more special. His work convinced me that La Catalana deserves five stars, even though I have only visited once.

Keep it up! My now-favorite Spanish...

Came here for dinner (@ 5:40pm--still during their Happy Hour) w/ a friend after work. Main reason for docking stars is the service. For a place as costly as La Catalana, I was expecting superior service ESPECIALLY since there weren't that many people there when I went. (There was only about 10 other people).

One of the things that kind of had me in a sour mood already was the fact that my friend and I weren't presented w/ the Happy Hour menu when we received the other menus. There was still at least 15 minutes before happy hour was over (it runs until 6 PM), so I had to ask our waiter after we were able to locate one.

Parking: Shared parking lot b/c it's located in a plaza. Would recommend coming earlier for dinner, it was getting packed by 6:30 (when I left).

Service: Could be better. Not sure if it was due to the dim lights, but it was hard to get anyone's attention to get the order.

Best Part/Liked: Happy hour. 5 PM - 6 PM (they open @ 5). Quality of food was pretty good, but I guess that should be inferred from the cost in comparison to the portion.

Worst Part: Service. Took 10 minutes to try and get a waiter to take our order. There were a lot of other workers, but I assume they were part of the bar. It was just hard to get someone's attention. They would walk by but not pay attention to their surroundings, so even if you put up a hand, they'll walk right by you. Aside from that, it was the XAI. On the menu it says 2 sliders, so my friend and I were planning on splitting it and taking one each. But upon arrival, the waiter said that they switched it up and did a new presentation--MEANING they've "combined" it into one. So we had to cut the slider in half, and it wasn't pretty afterwards.

Tip: Try to know what you want before going in, so you don't have to hunt for a waiter to take your order. You can order as you're being seated.

Return: Most likely not, unless it was on...