Erick D.
Yelp
Finca Spanish restaurant in Salt Lake City
As someone of Spanish descent and has lived in Spain, I was genuinely excited to dine here. While I wouldn't describe the experience as bad by any means, I did leave with some mixed feelings. The restaurant itself is charming, with a lovely patio and great ambiance. This is a great place to bring a date. The staff was warm, welcoming, and attentive throughout the evening. The food was decent overall, though I do have a few critiques.
We started with the croquetas (ham and cheese fritters) which were just okay. I found the pile of cheese on top and the accompanying dipping sauce unnecessary. For me the croquetas lacked a sufficient amount of ham and had too much cheese. The croquetas were decent, but they lacked the depth of flavor I was hoping for. They were okay, but I've definitely had better
The tortilla española (Spanish omelette) had good flavor, but I was surprised--and disappointed--to find whole, small, unpeeled potatoes inside. In Spanish tradition, serving unpeeled potatoes, especially in a tortilla, is considered impolite and unrefined. While the taste was acceptable, the unpeeled potatoes were off-putting and hard to overlook.
The patatas bravas (Spanish potatoes) also featured unpeeled potatoes and were slightly overdressed with sauce, though they were otherwise enjoyable.
The albondigas (meatballs) were moist, well-seasoned, and flavorful. However, once again, there was an unnecessary addition of cheese, and the sauce leaned more Italian than Spanish in flavor. Still, they were one of the better dishes we tried.
Next, we tried the gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp). This dish is usually simple yet flavorful, typically made with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon, and sometimes white wine. However, these seemed to be cooked in ghee rather than olive oil. While the shrimp were well-cooked and tasty, the richness and heaviness of the ghee overwhelmed the dish and left us feeling too full to continue. We had planned to order several more dishes, but the excessive greasiness put a stop to that. I even found it difficult to wash the oil off my hands afterward.
We also ordered the churros, a dish I've seen my grandmother make countless times and one I've enjoyed many times during my visits. Traditional Spanish churros are typically no thicker than a finger, have a slight curl, and are known for their light, crispy, and airy texture. They're usually only lightly dusted with sugar. The version served here, however, closely resembled the Mexican-American churros, I've had in Los Angeles--thick, straight, and heavily coated in sugar and cinnamon and more of the texture and consistency to a cake doughnut. While they were undeniably delicious, they were not authentic Spanish churros.
Overall, the experience was pleasant, and the staff was truly fantastic. The food, while tasty, fell short in terms of authenticity. As someone who grew up eating traditional Spanish cuisine, I found this disappointing. That said, if you're unfamiliar with Spanish food, you'll likely enjoy the flavors and the ambiance. It is good food just not authentically Spanish like I was hoping.
I do plan to return and explore more of the menu, as I'm hopeful there are other dishes that might capture the authenticity of Spanish cuisine that I was looking for.
You should definitely try this place and make up your own mind.
