JerseyDevil
08-21-2007, 05:31 PM
My father was out this past weekend and we went to Liberty Science Center. Afterward we were trying to think of where to go eat and I suggested the Spain Restaurant in Newark - let me tell you we should have stuck with that plan. Instead we ended up at the Iberia Restaurant. Several years ago I was told that Iberia was better than The Spain and since I had never been there, we figured we'd check it out. I was in the mood for good Paella - something I love getting at the Spain Restaurant.
Our meal started out good, I had the Clams Iberia as an appetizer and the decor of the restaurant was really great. Then my entre came out - the thing I was dying for - Paella à Marinera. The first thing that caught my eye was that the rice was orange - not yellow like traditional paella. Then I tasted the rice, it was way over cooked. It was pretty mushy. On top of the rice was lobster claws, clams, mussels, shrimp etc. Well I tasted one of the shrimp - it was dry. I had one of the lobster claws - it was dry. I thought maybe the lobster claw was dry because it was one of the smaller ones and so I tried the other claw which was much larger. That one was so incredibly dry that the meat was actually hollow and looked like spider webs inside. :roll: After that I just decided I couldn't eat it at all. So we did something that I hardly ever do - I sent it back.
I ordered Shrimp in Green Sauce - well that was hardly any better. The shrimp they used was the small frozen kind and they were tough. The sauce hardly had any flavor. At least this time the rice was the yellow Paella rice and wasn't overcooked.
My father had gotten stuffed broiled lobster - which for the most part was okay. However, the stuffing was supposed to be a crab stuffing - which ended up being mostly bread and the crab ended up being imitation crab meat.
Needless to say, I will not be going back to Iberia Tavern & Restaurant or their sister restaurant Iberian Peninsula Restaurant any time soon. The Spain is MUCH MUCH better and we should have stuck with that. I'm still dying for good paella - so I guess I'll have to take another run up to Newark (anyone want to join me?).
The Iberia Restaurant reminded me of a tourist trap restaurant in New York. It's a shame - The Ironbound is better than that and when I go to one of the restaurants there - I expect authentic, freshly made food. The only thing I can think of is that the Paella was pre-made (seafood and all), put in the pot (which it is served in) and let sit for hours until someone orders it.
My suggestion - don't waste your money at Iberia - go to The Spain!
Our meal started out good, I had the Clams Iberia as an appetizer and the decor of the restaurant was really great. Then my entre came out - the thing I was dying for - Paella à Marinera. The first thing that caught my eye was that the rice was orange - not yellow like traditional paella. Then I tasted the rice, it was way over cooked. It was pretty mushy. On top of the rice was lobster claws, clams, mussels, shrimp etc. Well I tasted one of the shrimp - it was dry. I had one of the lobster claws - it was dry. I thought maybe the lobster claw was dry because it was one of the smaller ones and so I tried the other claw which was much larger. That one was so incredibly dry that the meat was actually hollow and looked like spider webs inside. :roll: After that I just decided I couldn't eat it at all. So we did something that I hardly ever do - I sent it back.
I ordered Shrimp in Green Sauce - well that was hardly any better. The shrimp they used was the small frozen kind and they were tough. The sauce hardly had any flavor. At least this time the rice was the yellow Paella rice and wasn't overcooked.
My father had gotten stuffed broiled lobster - which for the most part was okay. However, the stuffing was supposed to be a crab stuffing - which ended up being mostly bread and the crab ended up being imitation crab meat.
Needless to say, I will not be going back to Iberia Tavern & Restaurant or their sister restaurant Iberian Peninsula Restaurant any time soon. The Spain is MUCH MUCH better and we should have stuck with that. I'm still dying for good paella - so I guess I'll have to take another run up to Newark (anyone want to join me?).
The Iberia Restaurant reminded me of a tourist trap restaurant in New York. It's a shame - The Ironbound is better than that and when I go to one of the restaurants there - I expect authentic, freshly made food. The only thing I can think of is that the Paella was pre-made (seafood and all), put in the pot (which it is served in) and let sit for hours until someone orders it.
My suggestion - don't waste your money at Iberia - go to The Spain!