La Tasca
A gluten free paradise and more!
Review
Itchy was invited to La Tasca to sample the gluten free menu. We were
absolutely delighted, as one of our bestest friends EVER has to eat a
gluten free diet, which makes treating her to a meal out somewhat
difficult. (Gluten is hiding in EVERYTHING – trust us.) So, we
excitedly invited her along to our local La
Tasca, conveniently located near to Victoria Station.
It didn’t get off to an excellent start, as our phone’s sat nav decided to confuse us by taking us on a route which involved a little tour of the local shops, rather than a straight line from the station to La Tasca. (For those of you who want to visit, don’t bother with Sat Nav, just ask someone. It will be quicker.)
But it was all worth it when we got the menu – nearly every dish on offer was suitable for our friend… so we went a little crazy. We ordered (drum roll, please)… Langostinos, Fillet Steak, Vegetable Gratin, Stuffed Aubergine Rolls, Paella del dia aaaaaaand a Green Salad. (We didn’t feel too greedy cos firstly, it’s a tapas place so you’re meant to get lots of little things and secondly cos, well… we were hungry. And we were sharing…)
It. Was. Heavenly. The Langostinos (Wild Patagonian tiger prawns, salt-baked over a piping-hot plancha, served with lemon and a sprinkling of sea salt, for those of you who aren’t down on your tapas lingo) were slightly scary looking, but tasted incredible. The steak was perfect – we asked for it rare and that’s what we got – with a very tasty sauce (apparently it was made with sherry. Makes sense.) The gratin was perfectly cheesey, the salad had a lovely dressing and the Aubergine Rolls were worth fighting over.
Itchy fell in love with the paella – we opted for the chicken and chorizo option but you can also get it with prawns and chicken. Our only qualm with it was that we wanted more… but we are greedy, greedy bunnies. (Next time we visit we may just get a huge bowl of this. And the steak. And the Aubergine Rolls… Oh, sod it. And everything else we had before.)
We sampled the gluten free beer, Estrella Damm Daura, which tasted just as good as “normal” beer, but didn’t leave our friend feeling uncomfortably bloated (always a good sign!). We also tried the Sangria de Cava, which was yummy but potent.
The food was incredible, but sadly the service wasn’t quite so up to scratch. It was a busy Thursday evening and we ended up waiting for over 15 minutes at a time to be served. Despite this, we decided to take a chance and order desserts. Luckily, the long wait was worth it. Itchy went for the Arroz – a filling but deliciously creamy rice pudding with cinnamon and orange peel. We’d recommend that you have it cold, as this is the traditional Spanish way. (We were a bit dubious about it being cold at first, but it was perfect and incredibly moreish, even after our feast of a main course.) We also treated ourself to a scoop of strawberry sorbet and chocolate ice cream. The sorbet was amazing. Words can’t quite describe it – just have some. The chocolate was a perfect accompaniment as it was slightly bitter but also beautifully chocolatey (obv).
So, Itchy recommends a visit to La Tasca, especially if you have a specific dietary need such as a gluten free diet, as the range of dishes on offer is great and the food is really tasty – but we can’t guarantee quick service, even on a week night. Trust us, though – the wait is worth it for the reasonably priced and authentic tapas.
Click here to find your nearest La Tasca.
It didn’t get off to an excellent start, as our phone’s sat nav decided to confuse us by taking us on a route which involved a little tour of the local shops, rather than a straight line from the station to La Tasca. (For those of you who want to visit, don’t bother with Sat Nav, just ask someone. It will be quicker.)
But it was all worth it when we got the menu – nearly every dish on offer was suitable for our friend… so we went a little crazy. We ordered (drum roll, please)… Langostinos, Fillet Steak, Vegetable Gratin, Stuffed Aubergine Rolls, Paella del dia aaaaaaand a Green Salad. (We didn’t feel too greedy cos firstly, it’s a tapas place so you’re meant to get lots of little things and secondly cos, well… we were hungry. And we were sharing…)
It. Was. Heavenly. The Langostinos (Wild Patagonian tiger prawns, salt-baked over a piping-hot plancha, served with lemon and a sprinkling of sea salt, for those of you who aren’t down on your tapas lingo) were slightly scary looking, but tasted incredible. The steak was perfect – we asked for it rare and that’s what we got – with a very tasty sauce (apparently it was made with sherry. Makes sense.) The gratin was perfectly cheesey, the salad had a lovely dressing and the Aubergine Rolls were worth fighting over.
Itchy fell in love with the paella – we opted for the chicken and chorizo option but you can also get it with prawns and chicken. Our only qualm with it was that we wanted more… but we are greedy, greedy bunnies. (Next time we visit we may just get a huge bowl of this. And the steak. And the Aubergine Rolls… Oh, sod it. And everything else we had before.)
We sampled the gluten free beer, Estrella Damm Daura, which tasted just as good as “normal” beer, but didn’t leave our friend feeling uncomfortably bloated (always a good sign!). We also tried the Sangria de Cava, which was yummy but potent.
The food was incredible, but sadly the service wasn’t quite so up to scratch. It was a busy Thursday evening and we ended up waiting for over 15 minutes at a time to be served. Despite this, we decided to take a chance and order desserts. Luckily, the long wait was worth it. Itchy went for the Arroz – a filling but deliciously creamy rice pudding with cinnamon and orange peel. We’d recommend that you have it cold, as this is the traditional Spanish way. (We were a bit dubious about it being cold at first, but it was perfect and incredibly moreish, even after our feast of a main course.) We also treated ourself to a scoop of strawberry sorbet and chocolate ice cream. The sorbet was amazing. Words can’t quite describe it – just have some. The chocolate was a perfect accompaniment as it was slightly bitter but also beautifully chocolatey (obv).
So, Itchy recommends a visit to La Tasca, especially if you have a specific dietary need such as a gluten free diet, as the range of dishes on offer is great and the food is really tasty – but we can’t guarantee quick service, even on a week night. Trust us, though – the wait is worth it for the reasonably priced and authentic tapas.
Click here to find your nearest La Tasca.
