La Paella

The scent of seafood, garlic and saffron hits you the second you enter La Paella, which feels more like a friend’s hacienda than a restaurant. Colorful ceramic plates line the walls, the lighting is low and warm, and the tapas come out sizzling in delectable pools of garlic and olive oil. As the name suggests, the paella is the focus, but I’m more smitten with the lengthy list of tapas: flavorful shrimp, grilled squid, simmered meatballs and more. By far the city’s most authentic in congeniality and ambience, La Paella is a restaurant where I would be more than happy to enjoy a long lunch, take a siesta and then return for dinner the same day.