Telefèric - Review - Brentwood - Los Angeles - The Infatuation
"Telefèric is a chain from Barcelona located in the former Vincenti space. And similar to the beloved Brentwood spot that came before it, Telefèric is on the pricier side. Unfortunately, though, it's nowhere near as good. This modern tapas restaurant delivers way more misses than hits, from a flavorless pan de tomate, to lukewarm Spanish meatballs coated in a gloopy "Canary masala," to a $46 squid ink paella that's so salty it's inedible. The sole highlight was the grilled pulpo, which had nice charred crispy edges but still cut like butter. That said, we wouldn't send someone here for a nice octopus tentacle. If you're going to Telefèric, use it for the other thing it does well: drinks. The drinks menu has everything from sangrias spiked with three types of liquor, a separate gin and tonic section worth exploring, and craft cocktails served with flair, like the La Flaca topped with a smoke bubble for dramatic (and slightly cheesy) effect. The bar is also the buzziest part of this San Vicente restaurant, so maybe swing by for a grapefruit gin & tonic before dining elsewhere. photo credit: Teleferic Food Rundown photo credit: Telefèric Spanish Meatballs These curry-coated meatballs hit the table before the water arrived, which is a major red flag. Unsurprisingly, they were lukewarm, while the sauces on top were so thick they stuck to the roof of our mouths. Pan Con Tomate This tapa is the poster child for deception. The bread is charred, the tomato puree glistens under the restaurant's wicker lamps, but then you take a bite. The grilled bread is cold and flimsy, and the tomato is void of all salt, olive oil, and life. The side of chorizo butter came out rock solid from the fridge, but more importantly: how do you spread solid butter on a soggy piece of bread? Pulpo Telefèric This beautiful grilled octopus is the crown jewel of this menu and the one thing you should order. A knife effortlessly cuts through it, and its edges are charred until extra crispy/borderline burnt. The pimentón potato puree on the bottom is pretty forgettable, or at least next to this perfectly cooked tentacle. photo credit: Telefèric Catalan Cod We had high hopes for this filet but couldn't eat it since it was wildly undercooked. On the bright side, the blistered butter beans and nutty romesco were nice. Paella Negra This paella is gorgeous, and the large shrimp on top are expertly grilled, but that's where the compliments end. There's very little socarrat in this mushy rice, and its seafood stock was so overwhelmingly salty that we couldn't finish it. Churros Con Nutella Churros are churros, right? We wish that were true—these came out chewy and undercooked." - Sylvio Martins
