I finally got the chance to use it with J, who despite his picky eating habits, loves tapas. We went one evening and decided to go for two seafood dishes, one poultry and one red meat. Plus dessert. I do like a man who understands the value of a well rounded meal in the name of research.
Their lighting was “ambient” (i.e. shite for food bloggers) so excuse the lapse in quality.
Sinful Shrimp (11.95)
Black tiger shrimp sauteed with white wine, tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers and fresh basil. Not something I would usually go for but I’m glad we did. Very succulent shrimp and all of the flavors really worked well together. Kind of wanted more bread to soak up the juice with.
Barcelona mi Amor (10.95)
A disarming wrap of marinated chicken sauteed with baby carrots in a garlic and lime juice sauce. On a bed of mixed baby greens topped with Don Fernando’s ultra secret dressing. I don’t think J and I would have ordered this had we realized it was coming to us deep fried. I also think that wrap was stuffed with way more than just chicken and baby carrots, but either way it was still very good. I’d get it again only if I were sharing. The salad was good for topping into the wrap and give some green to it.
It was about this time that I asked one of the staff for their recommendation on white or red sangria. It’s usually an obvious choice (red!) but I caught a glimpse of their white sangria at another table and was intrigued. The hostess – lovely creature that she is – gave me a generous sample of both. Wouldn’t you know it, I went with white!
White Sangria ($9)
Heavily laden with nectarines, peaches and oranges. Sweet and citrusy goodness, I found this to be more refreshing and crisp than its red counterpart.
Galician Scallops ($13.95)
Jumbo scallops wrapped with bacon and leeks sprinkled with lightly seasoned breading and baked. I don’t think this description means what La Luna Negra thinks it means. The part about the scallops being wrapped, yea yeah sure, totally accurate but nowhere was the heap of tomatoes mentioned. Not that it was problematic, just another surprise (see: deep fried chicken above). I think I finally need to admit my dislike for bacon wrapped food. Sometimes it’s okay but I believe bacon-wrapping food is a privilege, not a right, and gets abused often. Thankfully, mercifully, blissfully the leeks rescued these poor, delicious scallops from being overwhelmed by the bacon and added a much appreciated depth.
Cordero Asado ($10.95)
Grilled lamb chops served with eggplant, lentil couscous, goat cheese and rosemary jus. I don’t know what that crispy flat bread cracker thing was underneath this pile of delectable eats, but it was also good eatin’. Our only quibble with this dish was too much bone, not enough meat – but I also understand that bone equates better flavor. All of this was so harmoniously stacked together and I think my favorite savory of the night.
Lady Fingers & Chocolate (approx. $8)
Unfortunately I kept all of my information recorded in my phone, which died not three days later, so the exact price and title of this dish is unknown at this time. All you need to know was that it was amazing and J and I would have had another one if we weren’t already calling for the Oompa Loompas to roll our us out of there. A huge sundae dish loaded up with lady fingers, rich chocolate, fresh strawberries, ice cream and cream – this was better than anything we could have imagined.
Would I return and recommend La Luna Negra? Unquestionably, yes! The tapas run a bit pricey for my liking, but it’s often seen on Groupon and you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be loading up the next time it comes around (still sobbing I missed the last go). Perfect for a date night, girls night or special treat.
Further Information
- Park in the Delacey Street structure just around the corner. First 90 minutes are free.
- Enjoy live music and dancing certain nights.
- Menu for their tapas/entrees/happy hour are on the website, but no drink or dessert menu is available online.
- Happy Hour runs from 3-7pm Tue-Thurs and 3-6p on Fridays. They have some heavily discounted tapas that are worth trying to see if you want to come back and spend big money.
- Noise is kind of a factor due to the nature of their ceiling, which is similar to a factory with pipes and ventilation system. Definitely not a place to patronize if you want a quiet, snuggle filled date.
La Luna Negra
44 West Green
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 844-4331
website
Tuesday through Thursday: 11am – 2pm; 5pm – 10pm
Friday and Saturday: 11am – 11pm
Sunday: 11am – 10pm
Monday: closed
