La Parrillada

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

I was there for an early dinner on Sunday afternoon, it was just an amazing experience, and the food was delicious, including meals, drinks and deserts. It's not a fancy place, but the atmosphere is quite relax and friendly.

If you consider yourself as a real BBQ - lover and enjoy trying new flavours and cultures, this place is a must. I had no complaints about the service, considering it was not a busy day, our food arrived in less than 20 minutes which is a good timing for BBQ. Try the sangria and the Peruvian desserts ('Leche asada' and 'Crema volteada' ).

I'll definitely be back soon...

Mar 19, 2007 

5.3 Average

Food  4      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  4     

There always has to be one dissenter in every crowd. There with my lady last night after reading the rave reviews and the SMH Good Living so it had to be good, right? Well at least it wasn't terrible, but it certainly didn't live up to expectations. If you're driving there, leave 20 minutes to find parking. You walk in and the first thing that hits you is they you feel like your in the fire brigade's smoke testing facility - smoke pervades the atmosphere bit like a bushfire. And it's busy.

We arrived just after 8:30pm and got dinner served at 10:15pm. Remember, they close at 10:00pm. What we got was a hibachi (a portable BBQ that Asians use to char grill satay skewers, gai yang and such like), loaded with an assorted collection of 2nd rate cuts of meat. Pork rashers, a piece of steak and a chorizo both cut in half, a huge bowl of chips and a more than generous salad all for $45.00. Not the $39.90 advertised on their web page. This was washed down with the house sangria for $15.00 by the jug, which was quite nice.

Overall, this wasn't the pleasant or exciting experience I was expecting. The smoke from the BBQ on the edge of our table was blowing straight into my eyes. The atmosphere was like trying to have a picnic on a Wynyard rail platform at peak hour. The resident crooner dressed up like the Cisco Kid avoided us twice choosing to serenade the Chilean party on the next table - I thought discrimination was illegal. This is probably a hoot if you're with a crowd and you're half gone. I think this was my last South American culinary foray.

Mar 10, 2007 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  10     

After reading the reviews on this site my husband and my parents and myself headed off to experience a true South American steakhouse. It was a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't the busiest which was great because we had a one year old with us. We had beef anticuchos for entree and the parrillada deluxe plus chicken and it was very filling.

The food was very tasty, the meat cuts were A1 and the chicken was really tender. The meat has been salted before cooking which is great for flavour but warning if you are on a special diet. I was surprised that they did not have more variety in the salads but lettuce, tomatoe and cucumber was very nice. They also brought out a big bowl of hot chips and the owner was very attentive although she was on her own to attend to all the tables. The sangria was delicious and the imported drinks take you back to the flavours of South America. Wonderful experience, great food and very reasonably priced. Will definately go back.

Jan 08, 2007 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

This place has the friendliest service and the food is delicious. Great place to go with the family. Great value too!

Dec 19, 2006 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  10     

Superb place with no hang-up, food is excellent , the service is friendly and very efficient and relaxed. Can't reccommend this place enough if you enjoy a decent meat-fest in an informal enjoyable setting.

Dec 02, 2006 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  10     

The food is fresh, very well presented, cooked... and the taste I can only compare to "las parrilladas" I have eaten in Peru, so succulent and juicy! My favourite is the Peruvian style chilly, the charcoal chicken, the sangria... delicious! even for a non-meat lover like me, it's hard to resist the smell and flavour of these meats at La Parrillada. I come at regularly as I can, the food is fantastic and the environment, superb!

Dec 01, 2006 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  10     

On a whim, we decided to go to the Puerto Rican Charcoal Restaurant on Paramatta Road (practially at the bottom of Norton Street) that we had been driving past and reading their special offer. The offer is valid Monday to Thursday, and it gives you all you can eat (chicken, pork rib, beef rib) plus salad, bread, sauces and chips... for $19.90 per person!

The place is quirky, decorated with authentic knick-nacks, green plasma lights, Mayan masks, flowers and fairy lights... I only wished they had turned down the white lighting so we could have experienced the whole effect. It is run by a lovely, friendly couple - the wife doing front of house, and the husband in the kitchen.

We started with a jug of Sangria, which was delightful. Rather than the usual orange/apple mix, it had a lot of chopped lemon in it, and a zingy taste, which was rounded out with cloves and cinnamon. The red wine component was a light one, no heavy tannins, or bitter tastes - entirely enjoyable, and easy to throw back at $15 per jug. We also were lured by the unusual spirit selection. We tried a Puerto Rican Bacardi 151 degrees (meaning 151 proof, which puts it at about 75%, the only thing I have had which is worse is an alcohol called Stroh). The price - only $7.50 for a shot on the rocks!

The bread rolls were served warm (with Western Star butter). The salad was drenched in a light oil, and crispy fresh - the cooling properties of the cucumber, tomato, iceberg lettuce and capsicum were useful later). Our main arrived on a large silver platter, heaped high and all cooked to perfection on 100% natural charcoal. It was hard to know where to begin!

For two people, they put half a chicken on the platter, cut into quarters. It was moist, with great skin, and it went with the special green and red home-made sauces a treat. The green sauce was a mild chilli - based on green capsicums and special Peruvian chillis, and it was an amazing product in and of itself. The pork ribs were fried, and as a result a little less exciting. But the beef ribs took the form of thinly sliced Asada, and were smokey, and tasty (and again, delightful with both the green sauce, and the MUCH HOTTER red sauce). There was also some South American chorizo which was unusual, and lovely.

For a great end to the meal, share a Leche Asada - it's a milk based pudding, and only a little bit sweet, served baked to absolute perfection. The price? Only $4.90, but they're still happy to give you two spoons! The total price for alcohol and more food than two people could eat ($69). And they even suggested a doggy bag for the remaining food...

We will be returning to try their PARRILLADA DELUXE which uses some of the more expensive cuts of meat, like pork loin chops, and New York steak cuts... and they told us the platter easily feeds 4 people, for only $59.90. Amazing international cuisine that is brilliantly priced by Sydney standards.

Nov 07, 2006