The Tapas Roundup by Eric Rosen continues...
 
La Paella

If authenticity is what you’re looking for…look no further than quaint, simple, utterly delightful La Paella. Located a short yet circuitous drive from the Beverly Center, La Paella’s extensive menu is the same as you’ll find in any tapas bar in Spain—and for a much more reasonable price than most other restaurants right here in LA. Though the décor is a little kitschy with tchochkes lining the walls, La Paella makes up for it with unconceited charm, friendly service, and strong sangria. Perhaps not the best date place, La Paella is more like the comfort food it serves: familiar, there when you need it, and completely satisfying to the last bite—be it of steamed mussel, octopus with paprika, fried chicken croquettes or good old patatas bravas.

La Paella
476 S. San Vicente Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

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Olé! Tapas Bar

Olé! must be what people who have never been to a tapas restaurant picture when they hear the words “tapas restaurant”—sleek tables, dramatic lighting, a lively bar scene, and theme paintings of matadors and toros on the wall. The well-priced menu of tapas include such mouthwatering items as the fried goat cheese in honey, escargot and chorizo cassoulet, and seared scallops with eggplant caviar. You can also enjoy a full-sized entrée if the tapas portions just aren’t enough. The wine menu’s bottles hail from Spain, as well as former colonies like Chile, Argentina, and yes, California. But if wine is not your thing, there is a full menu of specialty cocktails, and of course, the tapas menu staple of sangria—which is anything but a fallback here.

Olé! Tapas Bar
13251 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
818-986-3190

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Primitivo

Primitivo is the West Side’s answer to the tapas craze and serves up delectable California-skewed Spanish fare to celebrities and skateboarders alike. Tucked into the heart of Abbot Kinney’s too-cool strip of shops and eateries, Primitivo is a Venice favorite with a loud, busy main dining room, and a more subdued but breezy outdoor patio in the back. The staff is cheerful, if harried by the quick turnover, but they never lose their cool as they tote dishes that range from traditional paella to the more experimental (and finger-licking-good) pan-roasted quail stuffed with crispy polenta. The wine list is separated into Old-World and New-World sections to make it easier for both the snobs and the neophytes.

Primitivo Wine Bistro
1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
310-396-5353

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Tasca

Tasca is one of those places you don’t want anyone to know about—it’s just that good. Tucked into W. 3rd Street’s row of restaurants between La Cienega and Fairfax, its unassuming storefront façade belies the welcoming space within. Painted in zen-like green hues, the cozy space is dominated by a bar and tables of burnished dark woods that positively glow in the candlelight. The varied yet manageable menu is bursting with mouthwatering options like the mushroom and fontina risotto fritters, and the braised short rib with butternut squash. For dessert, try the empanadas stuffed with goat cheese and quince paste. Not least of Tasca’s many charms is its genuinely friendly staff—be it the host who seats you exactly where you’d like, or the bartender who is only too happy to let you try a sip of a few different vintages on the geographically diverse wine list before making your choice. Any evening at Tasca is sure to be a pure delight.

Tasca
8108 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323-951-9890

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Tinto Tapas

Walking into the beautifully lit dining room of Tinto Tapas, with its arching brick walls and gothic sensibility, is like walking into a scene from Don Quixote. Passionate Spanish folk music sets the tone as you and your Dulcinea peruse the mouthwatering menu, all the while being absorbed into the atmosphere of a Castilian countryside taverna. A family affair run by the Sola clan from Barcelona, Tinto has a small but excellent menu of both tapas and larger choices complemented by a Spanish-only wine menu. Start off with some tantalizing tastes like the jumbo scallops sautéed in white wine and chili flakes, or the tender chunks of chicken stewed in beer. Bigger plates include the grilled peppers stuffed with spicy ground beef. Though it’s a little pricier than some of the other restaurants listed here, it is a great choice for a romantic date, or just a quiet, intimate dinner treat for yourself.

Tinto Tapas
7511 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
323-512-3096

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