LaLoLa
1358 Mason St
(between John St & Pacific Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94133
Rated: ♣
Ever since we came back from Europe, K and I have been craving Spanish tapas. After a quick search on Yelp, we came across LaLoLa in Chinatown. I called ahead. No wait? Okay, let’s go. When I first walked into the restaurant, I was smacked in the face with a strange smell. It was pungent and sour. If I wasn’t so hungry, I would’ve turned around and walked away.
I ordered a ton of food - crab stuffed piquillos, patatas bravas, fries topped with Iberian ham and a fried egg, mushrooms with garlic and white wine, and fried calamari. To be honest, nothing really stood out. The flavors were muted. The first red flag was the stale complimentary bread. Seriously? What Spanish restaurant serves bad bread?? I order patatas bravas anytime I see it on the menu and I was so disappointed after my first bite. The potatoes were dry and they were topped with way too much mayo. It’s safe to say I won’t be coming back here again.
