Family Dinner at Ole Rochester

While going to an event in Rochester, we wanted to go out for a nice meal! Dann got to picking a location, and as I had just gotten back from Madrid, he figured having a bunch of Spanish food would be fun. Dann’s grandmother is Spanish, so he had Spanish food growing up, however we don’t make much Spanish food and often don’t eat it. Dann excitedly selected Ole Rochester and it was a fantastic decision.

Drinks

I ordered a Mango Mojito for my drink, which was very fruity and tasted so much of Mango! This drink looked really pretty. Amelia and Robin got sodas and Kai got a juice, where as Dann got a beer. However, the manger brought out a pitcher of Sangria on the house, so we had that too! The Sangria was quite fruity and not too wine-tasting, which is exactly how I like it. We had a big spoon to hold back all of the chopped fruit that was in this pitcher when you pour it.

Olives, Chicharron en Salsa Agridulce, Potatoes Bravos and Croquetas

Often, when we take our kids to somewhere that has a new type of food, we have them order mains and we order a bunch of starters so everyone can try everything. We ordered three types of Croquetas, though pictured above is the first two. One was ham and the other was mushroom. The mushroom was a little mealy in texture, but tasted delicious. The ham and potato is a classic and one that everyone enjoyed, even the pickiest of us; Robin. We also got a cod croquetas, which were very fishy and turned out to be Amelia’s favorite of the three, so we ordered two starter plates of them. We also got chicharron en Salsa Agridulce. I was going through a pork belly phase and eating anything that said Pork Belly! This starter was over fries, but the salsa was really spicy. Myself, Dann and Kai all liked this! We also got Potatoes Bravas, which is sort of like potatoes and tomato sauce, which Amelia ended up eating the majority of. We also got olives complimentary to the table, which came out first along with some complimentary bread. Both of these were simple but delicious and we were really grateful that Ole Rochester was treating us so well!

Mains at Ole Rochester

Dann ordered the Paella Ole, which is Paella with chicken, chorizo, mussels, prawns, large king prawns, peppers, shallots, asparagus and broccoli. There is actually plenty in this pan for two people to share, however we were hungry and Dann finished the lot. He said it was very delicious and much like his grandmother’s cooking, though it was more wet (which he prefered). Robin got a kid’s menu chicken nuggets and chips, which was – again – a massive portion to her. Though it was pretty plain, it’s good that she had something that she wanted to eat. Amelia, Kai and I all got the Pechuga de Pato Con Salsa Dulce, which is a duck dish, served with a spicy salsa, baby tomatoes, vegetables and a little salad. Now, this was not labeled as spicy but was, with the same type of salsa as the pork dish. Kai and I really loved this main. The duck was perfectly cooked and the vegetables were delicious. Amelia on the other hand, after a few bites, thought it was too spicy for her, so she focused on eating the Tapas and ordering some more of them. We always encourage trying new food and if they don’t like it, providing other foods that they can enjoy.

The service at Ole Rochester was a bit slow at the start, even though it wasn’t that busy when we went. However, the staff were very kind and helpful, and didn’t mind that we ordered so much things off the menu. We really enjoyed our time time and would happily come back if we are in the area in the future. It’s a stone’s throw away from Rochester Castle, which we have previously visited!

Check out some of our other restaurant reviews!