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Mike Orren, verified:

Overall:

• Quality:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  4/5

• Service:

  3/5

• Value:

  3/5

The missus and I are longtime loyalists on the tapas scene, following the Cafe Madrid diaspora across the length and breadth of the metro-mess. Even in an early visit, we were ready to declare a new tapas king.

Hola never really measured up food-wise to CM or De Tapas, but they've gone over the top to ensure there are no such issues here.

The asparagus was amazing-- really well seasoned and cooked with just a touch of cheese. The topped breads were also remarkable, including one with what may have been the best sausage I've ever had. She preferred the apple marmalade, cheese and pine nut.

As a commenter on the story announcing the place pointed out, the rice is a-freakin-mazing. Simple, perfectly cooked white rice with a fried egg and a chunky tomato sauce -- served in sections to be mixed. Delicious.

Fried items (croquettes, empanadas) are servicable, but seem unfairly bland next to their grilled counterparts. (The ham croquettes fare better than the fish.) But that's a quibble-- I'd have raved about them if everything else wasn't so good.

Service is friendly and mostly knowledgable.

Sangria is fine-- nothing special (could use more floating fresh fruit).

The biggest problem I see here is that the old Watel's isn't big enough to contain the crowds sure to come. There's a tantalizing empty lawn behind the building that's owned by the power plant next door -- if only it could be subleased.

Colby Walton, verified:

Overall:

• Quality:

  5/5

• Vibe:

  4/5

• Service:

  4/5

• Value:

  4/5

Just visited this place for the first time, and found the quality of the food, the service, the atmosphere and the sangria all wonderful. Maybe not the same as being in Spain itself, but a close enough experience, for Dallas. All of the food we sampled was well executed, including a sampling of meats (jamon serrano, lomo and one other I'm forgetting), a cheese plate (manchego, idiazabal, cabrales and one other), fried boquerones, boquerones in oil, fried morcilla, mixed croquettes and pintxo moruno. Love the way they've transformed the former Watel's cottage. The bar up front and the back patio are both great hang-out spaces that I'd be happy to visit again and again. Next time, I'd branch out to try more menu offerings and to sample the varied, well priced wine list.