This meal was part of a press dinner meet and as always, all opinions are mine.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

The onset of Spring gives me a chance to venture out more and once again do what I do best – taste some of the best foods at some of the best restaurants in New York and share my thoughts with all of you.

Last weekend, we visited the beautiful Marbella Restaurant located in Queens, New York. Queens has an array of lovely restaurants and Marbella is truly a hidden gem that left us impressed! 

About Marbella Restaurant

Having started in 1967, the restaurant recently celebrated its 45th Anniversary and has been serving impressive Spanish and Continental Cuisine for over 40 years. 

 

 

The ambiance and the decor is really impressive and has a unique charm that reflects elegance.

Since Marbella’s Chef Esteban Barroso is classically trained in Spain and has previously cooked for the Royal Spanish Family, I was really looking forward to our lunch. I mean it’s not every day that you come across a Chef who has such a fabulous experience, right?

Hospitality & Service

You know you’re in the right place when not only is the restaurant around for more than 40 years – but also its staff! I mean when a place is around for that many years with such a loyal staff, they must be doing something right. Marbella also offers a unique tableside service – something that you don’t often see in many restaurants.

One thing that I truly liked was their efficient service and the friendly attitude of their staff. All their servers were going to each and every table, and chatting with them as if you’d speak with friends.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by Juan – the Hotel’s Manager – a truly kind and generous soul who made sure we are comfortable and also recommended us a few of their best dishes.

We were welcomed with a delicious Sangria made right in front of our eyes in a ceramic pitcher.

I always appreciate a freshly made Sangria and to see it made right in front of our eyes was truly delightful.

Appetizers

For appetizers, we got the Seafood Avocado. With an impeccable presentation and a subtle medley of citrusy flavors infused with shrimp & lobster meat – this was a great way to start our meal.

We also ordered their Stuffed Mushrooms with Chorizo and Three Cheeses for our second appetizer.

It’s really amazing how the humble mushroom can be turned into something so delicious and amazing. Right from the stuffing to the melted cheese on top, everything about this dish was incredibly perfect!

 

Entrees

Marbella has a pretty large selection of entrees that are sure to tempt you.  Since I couldn’t decide what to order, I asked Juan for his suggestion. He said that one of their specialties is Paella which takes almost 30 minutes to prepare. Based on this suggestion we got their Paella that had seafood chicken and sausage in it as well as their Lamb chops in our entrees.

The Lamb chops that were served with a side of veggies were tender, succulent and juicy with the meat literally falling off the bones. To be honest, my mouth is watering just thinking about them!

 

 

Next came the Paella Valenciana con Langosta.

Now before I proceed, can we just pause for a moment and admire this stunning-looking dish??

This tempting dish originated in the Valencia region of Spain, but Marbella’s talented chef has elevated it to the next level. The dish was a delicious medley of flavors and came with lobster, clams, shrimp, sausage and rice. Every bite managed to work wonders!

You can see from this photo how eager my husband was to taste this dish. Generally, he is always patient when I’m clicking pics. But this time he just couldn’t wait to dig in! 

In my opinion, this was a true winner – Utterly satisfying and a true seafood lover’s Paradise!

If you’re a seafood fan, their Paella a la Valenciana is a must try. Not only does it look amazing but it’s full of delicious flavors that will leave you begging for more. But if you’re someone who doesn’t really enjoy seafood that much, you do have a lot of options including those tender and juicy lamb chops.

Dessert

Despite both the entrees being so impressive, if we would have eaten everything, I don’t think we would have had room left for any dessert.

I mean I certainly, didn’t want to miss out on dessert – especially when they serve tableside ‘flambe crepes!’

It was an amazing experience to see the creative preparation of the delicious crepes with brandy, orange juice, lemon juice and what not right in front of our eyes. And what should I say about its taste? I went into a blissful state the moment I put it in my mouth. And I’m not even exaggerating when I’m saying this.

Here’s a sneak peek of its preparation –

A truly rich-tasting yet light dessert.

I’m also a huge fan of Flan so we decided to get that as well. But if I have to be completely honest – although the Flan was phenomenal, the crepes truly stole the show.

I want to give special thanks to Juan as well as the Chefs at Marbella for a hearty and delightful meal – we will be definitely seeing you soon once again.

I also want to pause for a second and applaud the wonderful and friendly staff at Marbella Restaurant. It’s not that I have not come across friendly staff before. But Marbella has a warmth of its own and is a class apart. You’ll know what I mean when you visit them.

Final Verdict?

Marbella is one of those restaurants where you’ll want to keep coming back again and again. If you truly want to enjoy an elegant and authentic Spanish as well as Italian and Continental cuisine, Marbella is the place to be.

Address: 220-33 Northern Blvd. Bayside, NY 11361

I would also like to highlight that the restaurant has free rooftop parking which is really rare especially in a place like New York.

You can read more about the restaurant and take a look at their menu on – marbella-restaurant.com

If you liked reading this delicious post, please share it – Pin it, tweet it, stumble it, or maybe share it on your Facebook!

You can also follow us on –

• Twitter @smilingnote
• Facebook Smiling Notes
• Pinterest smilingnotes
• Instagram smiling_notes

XOXO