La Parada has been open for a few years now and is located in the heart of Cape Town on the busy and bustling Bree Street. The one thing everyone knows about this restaurant is that it’s always buzzing with energy and atmosphere. I visited La Parada for the first time on a Friday afternoon and let me tell you; it was a great dining experience! The place was incredibly busy and I was lucky to get a table. Besides authentic and delicious tapas, La Parada also do amazing cocktails with a list so long, it will take you ages to decide on your first drink. Luckily, the service is so great that your waiter is sure to suggest something you’ll love. The restaurant is big and has some pretty extraordinary Spanish-inspired décor, with a modern twist of course. The open plan tapas bar creates a wonderful, warm, vibey atmosphere that definitely draws the crowd in.

They also have an extensive collection of alcohols, from wine to cognac to whiskey, bourbon and of course, those tasty cocktails I was talking about. To kick off my meal, I ordered the Whiskey Flower cocktail and the Fruit Sling. The Whiskey Flower has very sweet and floral undertones with a refreshing fruitiness that was quite addictive. My favourite cocktail was the Fruit Sling, with a subtle fruity taste and a sweetness that reminds me of jelly beans. Yum!

On recommendation (and translation) from the waiter, I ordered the Ham Croquetas, Patatas Bravas, Grilled Calamares with Ajili-Mojili and Mojito Sorbet for dessert. The Ham Croquetas are apparently their most popular tapas and you’ll get two in a portion, great for sharing! They were very tasty but I wasn’t overwhelmed by flavour. The Patatas Bravas came in a very small portion, even for tapas and I didn’t really enjoy it. The Grilled calamari was a total winner and very tender! It also came with tentacles and a delicious herb and olive oil dressing. After all that, the Mojito sorbet was a great refresher and what a stylish dessert! The hint of mint was great and there was a definite mojito flavour. Unfortunately the portion was so tiny and I would never be prepared to spend so much money on such little food. Sorry, La Parada!