La Fonda Horsforth review: I tried one of the best-rated tapas restaurants in Leeds serving delicious paella

New Road Side is awash with options, spanning various different cuisines and types of atmosphere.

La Fonda is among Google’s best-rated tapas restaurants in Leeds and as a lover of small Spanish bowls of joy, I just had to pop down.

The exterior is neat if somewhat unremarkable, but do not be fooled by the lack of outdoor flash. Inside lies exquisite Spanish treats catering for an array of different tastes.

Inside, the venue is intimate and cosy. La Fonda strikes the balance well, retaining the intimate feel without making you feel as if you are on top of other customers.

Drinks came at a reasonable cost, with a pint of Estrella coming at £4.95 and a glass of sangria costing £5.50.

Staff are friendly and explain the best course of action for ordering, with the advice for a table of two to pick six small dishes and request more after if still hungry.

The first dish we ordered was homemade chorizo in wine sauce. Chorizo rarely fails to hit the spot for me and this particularly serving was delicious, perfectly complimented by the wine sauce.

We also went for some croquettes with serrano ham, which were delightfully soft and packed with flavour.

The canary potatoes with mojo sauce was a surprise hit. I had never previously sampled mojo sauce but, thanks to La Fonda, I am now an official member of the fan club.

On to the meat and we had a lamb stew, served with carrots, potatoes and peppers. The lamb was unbelievably tender and just fell apart in the mouth.

The chicken paella, meanwhile, was the biggest portion we ordered and, boy, was I glad we got a hefty plate. I am a paella fan anyway, but this was among the best-crafted paella dishes I have ever had.

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Pork tacos, however, stole the show. They were absolutely loaded with accompaniments yet the pork was not drowned out. They were beyond moreish and after scoffing our six dishes, we made another portion of pork tacos our seventh.

La Fonda have mastered the art of quality Spanish cuisine and the experience was made even better by the warmth of the service.

There is a set tapas price for adults to pay £25.99 for as much as they can eat. I think this is a very reasonable price considering the quality of the food and the fact you can hoover up as much of it as you like.

My only criticism is that this is not made clear on the menu, nor was it explained to us by staff. I later saw it was advertised on the restaurant’s Facebook page but it would have been helpful to see on the menu.

Had I known about the offer, I would have had more. I’d have probably had another Estrella or three as well, so I could not help but feel they had missed a trick not making the offer abundantly clear.

However, there is not getting away from the fact La Fonda is a fantastic establishment - and one I would not hesitate in recommending you visit.

Factfile

Address: 194a New Rd Side, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4DP

Telephone: 07465 957382

Opening hours: Monday-Friday: 5-10pm, Saturday: 3-10pm, Sunday: 3-8pm.

Website: N/A

Scores

Food: 9/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Total: 8.25/10