Abbeydale Road tapas hotspot La Mama celebrates their 12th birthday this year, so obviously we had to get down there and commemorate the occasion with some authentic Spanish/Latin American cuisine!
The staff are always so warm and welcoming the moment you step through the doors of this intimate, cosy venue, where you’ll be rubbing shoulders with regulars and loyal customers like ourselves – the whole Exposed Mag team have visited before and we sing nothing but praises for them in the office.
On a chilly night we nestled into La Mama’s warm, cosy surroundings.
The great thing about tapas is you get to order more and try a bit of everything, so we ordered a range of small plates from each section after chatting to the owner Daniela about her Chilean heritage and what dishes she’d recommend. It wasn’t long before they started coming in thick and fast. We particularly enjoyed the big, juicy Chile Prawns which arrived sizzling in garlic, olive oil and fresh chillies, looking tempting alongside the Chunky Chorizo and Sobrasada Stew topped with fresh sour cream.
The JUICIEST Chile Prawns.
The Chunky Chorizo and Sobrasada Stew was a revelation.
What really surprised me was the Sopaipillas al Pebre – a delightful Chilean tradition of lightly fried pumpkin bread served with a lively salsa that I couldn’t get enough of. No tapas meal is complete without fried potatoes, so we got ours with alioli along with some loaded nachos, fresh crispy calamari and Porotos Verdes – their famous green beans – the latter of which I wouldn’t ordinarily order but I’m so glad we did. they were wonderfully soft in texture and marinated in something that would make me eat more greens if they all tasted as exquisite as this.
It’s party time with the loaded nachos.
Sopaipillas al Pebre – a pleasant surprise!
A mouthwatering selection of tapas.
We then shared some perfectly piped churros with warm Dulche de Leche sauce. Now I’m not normally that keen on churros, but these were something else! Probably – nay, definitely – the best I’ve had in Sheffield. You’d think with ordering so much there’s bound to be a dud dish not quite up to par with the others, but there truly wasn’t. Everything banged. It’s unsurprising when you consider that this cornerstone of the Abbeydale Road foodie scene has been around for over a decade now, bagging awards and building up a loyal following in the process.
Sweet churros served with a decadent Dulche de Leche sauce.
We didn’t drink on this occasion, but they do have an excellent wine and cocktails selection and I’ll be getting on that Sangria next time. Speaking of booze, they host bottomless brunch every Saturday from 3pm and are currently taking Christmas bookings where you can create your own tapas party set menu. Feliz Navidad!
Bookings: La Mama Sheffield
238 Abbeydale Rd, S7 1FL
0114 327 9597
Words by @theinsatiablefoodie – follow on Instagram for more local foodie content
