Viva La Vida - Essen

Delicious, friendly, fairly priced read more Delicious, friendly, fairly priced

Delicious, friendly, fairly priced read more Delicious, friendly, fairly priced

It was my first time there. We received a very warm welcome, and although we had only booked a table for three, they spontaneously allowed us to add a fourth pe... read more It was my first time there. We received a very warm welcome, and although we had only booked a table for three, they spontaneously allowed us to add a fourth person. The food was very good and always arrived quickly. We were always served drinks promptly and in sufficient quantities. The only reason it doesn't get a star is unfortunately due to the payment process. We wanted to split the bill, which the server either didn't like or simply didn't want to do. She insisted that one of us pay everything and that we settle the remaining balance between ourselves later using PayPal or similar services. I personally found it a bit cheeky to disregard the guests' wishes like that. When she turned away, clearly annoyed, we did her job and split the bill ourselves. Otherwise, everything was great, and I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Delicious, friendly, fairly priced read more Delicious, friendly, fairly priced

I'm giving it 3 stars because, for the prices, it's a good place to eat some Spanish food. It's a tapas bar; there were two of us. The best thing was the Estrel... read more I'm giving it 3 stars because, for the prices, it's a good place to eat some Spanish food. It's a tapas bar; there were two of us. The best thing was the Estrella Daum and Estrella Galicia beers, with their authentic Spanish flavor. The tapas were more or less similar to those in Spain. We ordered 3 beers, an Irish coffee, and 7 tapas plus a portion of bread. The Padrón peppers weren't spicy anymore, and half of them were undercooked, but the ones that were cooked properly were edible and reminded you of Spain. The meatballs were nothing like the ones in Spain; I didn't like them. The garlic shrimp were good, but the mussels were like pickled mussels; they looked like they came from a can. The patatas bravas were more like wrinkled potatoes with their two mojo sauces, green and red, cut in half and slightly grilled or baked. They were good, and since I'm from Tenerife, I can tell you that I would eat them again, but I would change the name to wrinkled potatoes with mojo sauce . We also ordered sirloin steak; the meat was good, but the sauce had a strong wine flavor. Finally, we had some lamb skewers, which come in pairs; they taste like lamb, but without the... So, considering the food in other places, I would definitely go back to this Spanish restaurant because of the price and the food. It's good for going in groups, spending the afternoons there eating tapas and having a few beers—something similar to Spain, although I didn't hear anyone else speaking Spanish. The menu is in Spanish, and the price was 50 euros, a little more. Everything was booked, but the chef—I imagine he's the owner—came out and arranged a table for two. I think he was Spanish; he looked like he was, although I didn't hear him speak. He was busy in the kitchen. Thanks, chef!