Lisa of Gosport (18 December 2008)

I went there recently in the afternoon with my sister and a friend. What a great afternoon it was. We sampled all the new dishes on the menu. The starter soup of tomato and mixed bean was superb and really hearty. I could have just eaten a whole bowl with some crusty bread and I would have been happy. The paella was delicious and full of lovely ingredients. The green bean salad was refreshing and colourful, and the pine nuts and avocado really made it feel like more than just a plain green salad. I am not a chocolate fan normally, but the fondue was gorgeous. We even had our spoons in it when all the doughnuts and fruit were gone. We felt like kids, but it tasted so nice it would have been a crime to leave it. All this was washed down with a jug of sangria. What more can a girl ask for?

Caroline (2 December 2008)

I visited La Tasca in Gunwharf last Thursday with my sister and her friend for a birthday treat, and we had a thoroughly great time. We tried the afternoon seating, and were shown to our seat by members of staff that were friendly and informative. We ordered several new dishes from the menu, and apart from a couple that we weren't that crazy about the rest of the food was to die for. We especially liked the bean soup for starters, it was huge, really hearty and flavoursome and great for this season; a real winner for the men as this will fill you up. The Serrano ham and prawns in white sauce on bread was fantastic, we all agreed. I found the meat paella was really tasty, the rice was extremely well cooked and the spicy sausage inside was incredibly moreish.

There is a great range of food for all tastes and appetites. I think my children would have no problem eating a lot of these dishes, although there is a children's menu anyway if you prefer it. I am not a vegetarian but some of the vegetable dishes were my favourite, especially the green beans in garlic and olive oil. The dishes all mix well and we were able to taste all the different ingredients in all the dishes. If you like chocolate puddings, try the fondue; dark bitter chocolate with Spanish doughnuts, fresh strawberries and sugared apples. There was so much chocolate we were eating it with our spoons at the end! Great for all chocoholics. I had never been to La Tasca in Portsmouth before, but will definitely be going again. Highly recommended.