Estrella

New foreign restaurants in Gwangju can often bring a mixture of anticipation with skepticism. Potential diners wonder if the food will be authentic or just another confusing fusion concept. The newly-opened Estrella passes the test with a menu that offers wonderful Spanish food that makes few compromises.

Atmosphere and Service

The most important thing to know about Estrella is that seating is very limited. As the kitchen is very small, dishes tend to come out sporadically, possibly causing problems for groups. The restaurant recommends calling ahead for reservations.

Food

The first dishes to arrive were the tapas of the day and the jamon salad. The tapas of the day were two pieces of toasted baguette topped with tomatoes, some greens and thin slices of jamon (Spanish ham). The jamon salad came topped with more of the delicious ham and a runny egg. While the egg white was a bit undercooked, the runny yolk made a perfect dressing for the salad. Both were delicious and made for a great start to the meal.

Up next was the spicy shrimp cazuela, which consisted of several large shrimp in a small pool of spicy oil and surrounded by rounds of bread. This was one of the most impressive dishes of the meal if only for its simplicity. The shrimp were tender and cooked perfectly. While the spiced oil around the shrimp was a bit mild, the bread was perfect for soaking up flavors.

The only dish to rival the shrimp cazuela was the jamon croquetas. These deep-fried balls of ham and cheese were the perfect combination of crunchy and creamy textures and had a ton of flavor. Consider the croquetas a must-order item.

The final dish to come out was the seafood paella. While the paella came with an abundance of clams, shrimp and squid, the texture of the rice was a little disappointing. Paella is typically cooked in a wide, shallow pan, which gives the rice at the bottom a nice, crunchy texture. However, this crunchiness was simply not present. On the other hand, the flavors were good, and the seafood itself was well done.

All of this food, aside from the croquetas, is included in the Estrella Set, which is available for 35,000 won and easily feeds two people. Most individual dishes range from 10,000 to 16,000 won. Sangria and Spanish beer are also available.

 

Directions: Take a bus to the Salesio Girl’s High School Stop. On the street across from the Mini-Stop, turn right on the side street with Pizza School on the corner. Estrella is a short walk from here on the right.

Address: 광주광역시 동구 장동로 43-1 / 43-1 Jangdong St. Dong-gu Gwangju

Tel: 070-4102-3990

Hours: 11:30 – 3:00 (Last order 2:00), 5:30 – 12:00 (Last order 10:00) Closed Sundays

Bus: 01, 15, 17, 27, 28, 35, 36, 55, 80, 1000 (Salesio Girl’s High School Stop)