La Tasca with Charts

"Having read the positive feedback of other past clients of this restaurant, we decided to give it a go. Walking into the (practically empty)restaurant, we were duly ignored by the two waitresses on duty who were busy chatting to each other. After we asked to be seated, we were presented with menus and wine lists. Our attempt to greet our server met with a sigh! 15 minutes later and only after calling to our waitress, we were offered drinks. We ordered a bottle of House Rioja and a tonic water. The House Rioja was out of stock so an alternative was suggested. At £16.50, this was £5 more than the bottle we had asked for but we were told (in no uncertain terms) that we would have to pay the full price! After a further long wait our order was taken by another waitress who arrived at the table chewing gum (and even blowing gum bubbles - very entertaining .. NOT!). We ordered 2 steaks and a chicken dish. Observing that the waitress had neglected to ask us how we wanted the steak cooked, we informed her that we wanted one rare and one medium. She gazed at us blankly and we had to explain what we meant. She then asked us how we wanted the chicken done .. I kid you not!!

10 minutes later the same server arrived back to say that the steak we ordered was unavailable but we could have the fillet instead ... "you'll have to pay the extra though". At this point we all burst out laughing and decided to go to El Molino in Holloway where we enjoyed a reliable and delicious Spanish meal. It is worth noting that nobody on the staff of La Vina (on the night we visited) was Spanish. We will not be returning EVER. If you fancy feeling like you are on the set of Fawlty Towers, then La Vina is the place to be!"


"I've been living in London for a few years and this is without a doubt the best spanish food I've ever had in England. The service was great too. It's a shame is so difficult to park anywhere near by."


"La Vina is a real gem tucked away behind Harringay train station. Forget all the over-priced Crouch End hype; you'll get a much better deal here, and a smile from the lovely staff.

I think I've been here about 15 times now, I've tried just about every dish on the menu and I can honestly say I've never been disappointed.

Try to book a table beforehand though - most Londoners may not know about this place, but the locals certainly do!"