Take a trip to Barcelona’s famous and historic district El Raval right here in South Austin. The streets of this neighborhood are famously filled with art, markets, wine, food, and a blend of cultures that makes this area stand out. Chef Laila Bazahm has transformed a South Lamar spot into a slice of Spain and beyond, serving perfect paellas, tasty tapas, and delightful drinks in a sophisticated street setting.

El Raval is celebrated for its diversity. Influences from all around the world filter through this bold barrio and have made for a fantastic fusion of flavor and personality. Chef Laila’s restaurant reflects this inspirational area in all aspects of the experience.

You’ll find an open kitchen that almost seems to be situated streetside, surrounded by graffiti, wood, plants, art, and even sneakers dangling from the rafters. “El Raval” is sketched in black and white continuously on many surfaces, reminding guests where they’ll be dining for this meal. There is a certain level of grunge that is balanced with glamour. Glance around the warmly lit space to see a room filled with bustling conversation, bubbling drinks, and beautiful people. Here you get to enjoy an expertly crafted experience that brings the best of many worlds. They’ve combined the busy energy from the markets of these special Spanish streets with the mastery and polish of fine dining.

Chef Laila herself will most often be found studiously sliding up and down the kitchen line and the entire staff is skilled and dedicated to the menu. Food is guaranteed to be sent out precisely as it should be with flavors perfectly paired to the drinks and atmosphere. Their menu is a traditional tapas style selection and designed to be sampled and shared by the table. Options may be unfamiliar or intimidating to some so they offer a chef’s favorite “Feed Me Experience”, or if you know what you like you can pick and choose yourself. They serve the food as it is ready so each plate is dropped fresh at the table, ready to be devoured.

We chose to let the experts decide our food fate with the Feed Me Experience for two and the paired Spanish wines. Starting out we had the Ceviche de Hamachi. This was an extremely bright and fresh take on this sweet and tangy dish, served with the satisfying “leche de tigre” sauce under buttery slices of hamachi. We shared a plate of some classic tapas, the Croquetas de Jamon and the Pan Con Tomate. If you’re eating tapas, you have to get croquetas and they’re so good here you might have to order more. Surprisingly one of our absolute favorites from the night was the Pan Con Tomate. This simple and longstanding recipe packs the most impressive punch and I could eat my weight in those tomato smothered bites of bread. Another typical tapas treat is Patatas Bravas. You can’t go wrong with golden crusted warm potatoes and that brilliant red orange sauce. One dish that captivated us was the Calamares en Adobo. This was easily some of the best fried calamari we’ve ever tried, served with lemon and a rich mouth watering sauce. El Raval’s pinnacle is paella. Theirs is unique with a wide range of proteins to pick, each pan made fresh per order, and a certain panache to the presentations. Try versions of this dish with special ingredients like duck, squid, squid ink, eel, scallops, crab, muscles, shrimp, and more! These paelleras serve two and make for a decadent date. To punctuate this meal we had the astounding Arroz Con Leche. This traditional treat is served with a legendary leche flan, pistachio crumbles, and unbelievable ube ice cream.

Try their tapas and wash them down with the perfectly paired wine or cocktail. If you lean towards vino, talk to the server and try a Spanish wine. Personally, I fell in love with the Spanish Gin Tonic. This light bubbly beverage is infused with spices and aromatic accents like cardamom and anise. They make a few of these special spins on classic cocktails. Another is their Not Your Standard Sour with rye and a stunning sangria floater layered on top. Prepare to sip and savor everything that hits the table.

Our entire experience was undeniably delightful. You can expect to be well taken care of when you travel to this restaurant. Chef Laila and her coordinated team seem to perform a precise dance as they work and their dedication radiates from every move and meal made. El Raval is a MUST TRY. 

See y’all there.