Dinner at La Cala Spanish Restaurant @ Bugis

7 Fraser Street #01-40 / 43 Duo Galleria, Singapore 189356

Tel: 6282 9200

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lacalasg

La Cala Restaurant is located at the new Duo Galleries, 2 towering blocks of stunningly gorgeous buildings. While we spoke to one if the partners (everyone here was so friendly and service was simply impeccable), we had no idea who he was, if he was someone prominent in the culinary scene. The restaurant's origins remain a mystery, but reviews are mostly raves, so I had to check it out with my favourite girls.

The interior is spacious, with a bar counter and well-spaced tables. The dim lighting cast an intimate vibe, providing comfort after a long day at work. Menu items comprise mainly Spanish and Mediterranean dishes.

Starters of Olives and Gratis Bread were served first. The bread rolls looked hard but their looks deceived- the exterior was crusty while interior was pretty fluffy, making it tempting to reach for more.

We shared a bottle of 12 Volts Mallorca Wine (SGD$110.00), under the "Cabernet Sauvignon" category. The first sip yielded a somewhat spicy tinge, but as I rolled it around my tongue, the sweetness of fruity notes burst forth, pleasing the palate immensely.

The Atlantic Cod with Pil-Pil (SGD$38.00) - a traditional way of preparing cod with black garlic, olive and hazelnut. We thought that the flesh could have been a little more taut (it was way too soft) and sauce too creamy.

The Crispy Suckling Pig with Melon (SGD$35.00) was exactly as its name entails - crispy, with succulent flesh; a delightful dish.

Highlight of the evening and my all-time craving - Pigeon Paella (SGD$38.00) - crispy and superbly flavorful carnanoli rice with with tender whole pigeon and porcini mushrooms. Worth the carbs for totally - even recounting it now makes me hungry.

 Overall dining experience at La Cala was nothing short of excellent in every aspect; I'm glad we visited!