Rambla--Bad Name; OK Food

[bam bam]

JAG was looking too good last for me to keep to myself, so we decided to hit up Rambla. This is the Spanish tapas placed owned by the Cuvee/Dakota group next to the International House Hotel. Fatzo has been drooling all over this restaurant for a few weeks now and I have wanted to check it out, regardless. We got there a little before 8 pm and arrived to a mostly empty restaurant. The decor can best best described as highly uncomfortable with mega tall bar stool type chairs facing a banquette that was raised off the ground to an equally absurd level. There are three huge tables in the center of the dining area with like 25 seats apiece, think Bennihanna without the hibachi. We joked that we should sit at one of the huge tables across from each other and attempt to dine as if we were on a severely awkward date. Kind of like the Michael Keaton-Kim Bassinger date from the original Batman.

JAG ordered the wine. It was Languedoc that was fruiity with a some earthy elements to it. She could talk more about the wine list as I just glanced at it. The menu is somewhat confusing. They list multiple items under different price ranges and it is hard to tell where the description ends and what the next item is. However the menu has a great variety to it and only a food moron couldn't find something to eat here, even if the food is prepared with some unique twists.

Now for the food. It started out in a sensational manner with a fig, serrano ham and spanish bleu flat bread that hit the right notes. A great flavor combo and that just had all the ingredients working for it. Next up was the fries with a tomato aioli. Not nearly as good as the fries at La Boca or Boucherie. We were then brought something called a citrus avocado salad that started out good but we both grew tired of it by the end. Once the avocado was consumed the salad tasted like Minute Maid fruit punch. Our final dish was also a miss, although it had some elements that we both enjoyed. Oysters were brought to us on top of creamy corn and spinach. The oysters weren't very plump and neither of us thought they were particularly memorable. However, the corn and spinach thing at the bottom of the dish was amazing. JAG suggested that it would make an awesome soup. I concurred.

We skipped dessert as nothing sounded all that creative. The waiter condescendingly explained to me what churros were. I was like "dude, I went to high school in the 80s, churros were a gourmet item in my high school cafeteria."

Overall, I think we would both go back due to the number of items on the menu and the flatbread we ordered was amazing. But if I hadn't eaten there, I don't think that I would have felt I missed anything. Recommended but you can do much better elsewhere.

[justagirl]

I got a new dress this week and felt the need to have a night on the town. Bam Bam was kind enough to humor me.

The wine was a 2006 Syrah/Grenache. I wanted something fruity but though earthy would be perfect with the flatbread and this had the best of both world to me. It wasn't anything that would blow you away but it was nice and decent with the food. I only really looked at the reds on the list and to me they would work well with the food on the menu.

The oyster dish was interesting. The creamy corn on the bottom tasted like corn chowder and I loved that. But the oysters weren't crispy or plump enough. The smokiness of the tasso on top was nice.

The fries weren't bad they just didn't hold a candle to a lot of the other places in town, as Bam Bam mentioned.

Minute Maid fruit punch is a great description for the salad. It was too boring to want to finish.

I'm going to try to recreate the flatbread tomorrow if I have time. It was that good.

We didn't actually skip dessert...we just didn't have it there.

[Yvette]

Good report, from both of you. I am still trying to decide if I want to try it or not.

[EatinAintCheatin]

I've been twice. First time with just my wife, second time with another couple. The second time we ordered many items. All were OK with a few very good. Dropped a benny and a half per couple. Definitely not the best experience, but very convenient to where we parked and what we were doing later in the evening.

Cons:
Can get noisy if crowded.
very small plates
skyscraper seating
limited wines

Pros:
Convienent (for me)
small plates (since I need to cut down)
decent flan
great menu selections
A/C works almost too well

So I pretty much concur with Bam Bam and JAG. For me, if I want something light and I'm in the area than this place works. I've never left with that "I'm not going back" feeling.

[Turbodog]

I understand the bad name opinions, however, having just been in Barcelona, I understand the name (La Ramblas is a mian drag through the city, with numerous small cafe's and tapas bars along and just off of said roadway).

I can't wait to go.

[Lucie]

I really like this restaurant. If it was packed , no one would notice the set up. I think they want people to intermingle, which we don't do enough
of maybe in New Orleans. Its hard to get too also.

[edible complex]

went back in Oct '08. everything we ordered was delicious, so much that we ordered another round of some food and many pitchers of red sangria. no complaints.