Food Review By Siddhanth Rameeswarran,
8 September 2022, Monday
Established in the year 2000, La Cocina Restaurant & Tapas Bar is a Spanish restaurant located in Taipan, Subang Jaya. Its owner, Mr. L. Jeganathan, is a Swiss-trained chef and once served as a Chef Wine sommelier and Maitre ‘d on board the world-famous cruise lines, the MS Vista fjord and the Queen Elizabeth 2.
It has two floors, the ground floor is the restaurant, and the top floor is a bar and private function room.
On the August 30, it was my parents’ wedding anniversary. So, at night, my family and I went to La Cocina and the moment I stepped into the restaurant, I felt a change of culture. There were posters of old 90’s Spanish concerts and movies, the tables looked grand and the workers were friendly to their customers!
Online Orders
Before we came to La Cocina, we had to make a reservation. So my parents made a reservation on La Cocina’s online website https://lacocina.com.my/.
So, after we sat down, we scrolled through the menu. We couldn’t decide what to eat, because everything looked so tempting!
We ended up ordering the Paella Negres (Spanish rice cooked in squid ink, large prawns, shrimps, fish fillet, squid, mussels, clams & vegetables, RM 85.00), the Fried Calamares (fresh deep fried squid rings served with homemade garlic mayonnaise, RM 20.90), the Lamb Meatballs (Spanish lamb meatballs with herbs served in tomato sauce, RM 24.90), the 'ordinary' Fish and Chips (RM 16.90), and for drinks, the Spanish
Breeze (lime juice, brown sugar, mint leaves and soda, RM 7.90), the Spanish Sunset (pineapple juice, coconut cream, grenadine, RM 9.90), and last but not least the Spanish Mint Julep (RM 9.90).
As we waited for the food, we talked about all kinds of things. The food took 45 minutes to wait but it was worth the waiting.
Here Came Our Meals!
The Fried Calamares arrived first along with the Lamb Meatballs and some free bread they gave us. The calamares were so mouth-watering. They were crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. And when I dipped the calamares into the mayonnaise, it tasted even better! The mayonnaise tastes like garlic mustardy mayonnaise and it’s crunch, oh, it was simply so satisfying!
The Lamb Meatballs and bread that they gave us was tasty, and with the tomato sauce coated around the meatballs, double tasty! I also dipped a piece of bread into the tomato sauce and it was delicious! And that... was only the beginning.
Next, the Drinks!
Next, when the drinks arrived, I was half full already! I thought, ‘Oh, I’m not going to finish the food.’
But I was surprised. I did not seem to feel full throughout the whole meal! The three drinks came together, but I’m going to review them, one by one. First up, my Spanish Breeze. First, I thought about ordering those fresh juices, but when I saw the Spanish Breeze, I instantly fell into temptation.
It tasted a lot like Sprite or 7up with mint leaves and ice cubes. I couldn't taste the brown sugar,but it was probably mixed up with everything. Even though it was ordinary, its presentation was 10/10! If it's the original you want, this is the right choice!
The Spanish Mint Julep was ordered by my mother. It did not show what ingredients they put in it, but it tasted exactly like my Spanish Breeze. But the presentation was nice, and it kind of looked like guacamole in a cup with a piece of lime on top. Still, it was fascinating.
Last but not least of the drinks, the Spanish Sunset. Although I don’t have a photo of it, I still can review it. The Spanish Sunset tasted a LOT like strawberry cake. I still can taste the coconut and pineapple juice, though. But, trust me, it does taste like strawberry cake.
Next up, everybody’s favorite, fish and chips! If you squeeze the lemon on top of the fish, it gives a sweet and sour taste!
And it’s served with healthy vegetables to eat alongside the fish and chips. This is every child’s favorite food!
The Finale
Last but not least, the Paella Negres! Now, this arrived after all the other food 45 minutes later after we walked into the restaurant. The waiting time is shown in the menu, so please take note of that. So, for all squid-lovers, this is what you’ve been waiting for!
The rice cooked with squid and squid-ink alongside clams and mussels, it feels like eating a meal by the beach. With prawns and fish and clams, this is the ultimate seafood dish.
Now, that’s all from me, and please check out La Cocina and try the food for yourself! Thank you!
(Sidd is 9 years old)
