Spanish

Mustering perfection is this slab of lip-smacking delight that simply must not be missed—the level of one’s satisfaction revolves around this. Beautifully charred (and evident in its smokiness) is the lamb ribs; no gaminess whatsoever, glazed with a sticky sweet confit of honey mustard that bears resemblance to that of barbecued honey short ribs, with more earthiness that complements the smoky, fork-tender chargrilled meat.

We recommend savoring this with the amontillado de príncipe ($15 per glass; $70 per bottle) whose sweet caramelized notes of honey and oak blend harmoniously with honey mustard confit to draw out the imbued smokiness of the meat. Absolute perfection, if we do say so ourselves. Read our full review at GourmetAdventures.net!

These cold tapas of piquillo peppers ($16 for three) are stuffed to the brim with chunks of dry tuna flakes, its sweet skin embracing the savory-sweet anchovy remoulade with a touch of saltiness. We reckon this would pair beautifully with a glass of Riesling; the natural fruitiness of the wine enhancing the sweetness of the pepper. Read our full review on GourmetAdventures.net!

The charcoal grilled octopus felt blanched a minute overdue; its meat lacking flavor and tenacity; no trace of smokiness one often looks for (even so much as hopes for) in such a dish. In place is a lingering bitterness of creosote caused by over-grilling. The croquetas, while deliciously crisp, bore no sign of the promised shrimps and scallops. The seafood béchamel, however, melts in the mouth beautifully. This would've been near perfect had it contained juicy chunks of shrimps and scallops.

Filled with flavors of the sea is the squid ink paella with crispy baby squid at Una. While the intensity of the black squid ink put me off (it stains the teeth; a big no for first dates), the briny flavors worked well with the unctuous crispy baby squid. My only gripe is the slightly mushy paella soaked in ink.

The chef's specialty scallops a la plancha is definitely a dish I would come back for. Plump and juicy Scottish scallops are gently seared, served with quivering tender cubes of braised veal cheek and a smear of mash (so smooth it was almost a purée) garnished with celeriac and a slice of Iberico ham crisp. Although prices veer toward the higher end (this cost us $28 for a small), the quality of the ingredients, cooking skills and technique is worth the price.