Well, I'm from Miami and I now live in Boston, so I have feedback on both these places.

Boston:
Taberna de Haro (Brookline)has excellent food, nice wine list, but is fairly pricey. Still, overall, a very solid choice with a small but well-prepared menu, very nice and knowledgeable owners. Overall, a very good experience. Dali (Sommerville), I don't like so much, although the food is good. It's a little too cute (or faux-sophisticated, or over the top, or however you want to describe it) for my taste. Prices are very high, and they try to get a little too creative with some of the dishes. Tasca (Brighton) is an excellent value overall, with solid food and more reasonable prices, as well as decent atmosphere. I have not been to Tapeo (Newbury street), but plan to go soon. Iruna (Harvard Square) is, in my opinion, pretty bad and not worth it, although it is cheap. I've only eaten there once, as it rarely seems to be actually open. I don't know of any place in Newton.

Miami:
This is the mecca of Spanish food in the US. There are literally hundreds of Cuban restaurants that also offer (or claim to offer) Spanish food. Actually, some of the dishes are identical (tortilla, paella, some seafood is prepared the same), although the two cuisines are different in many ways. My favorite combined Cuban/Spanish restaurant is Casa Paco (bird road), which has the best chicken in Miami and an extensive, moderately priced and overall very good menu.

There are also lots (and lots) of purely Spanish places. Casa Juancho (calle ocho) is the old standby, a bit tired now, but still with excellent, very traditional food, very correct and traditional service, and the prices to match. Botin opened up a branch in Miami (Coral Way) that tries to match the original in food and decor. By and large they succeed, although I prefer the food at Casa Juancho. Botin is also very expensive. Casa Panza (calle ocho) is a fun alternative, with excellent (really) flamenco shows by a local troupe and solid, if not spectacular food. It is also more moderately priced. Diego's and Dorada (Coral Gables) are very, very expensive (esp. Dorada, where a business dinner for four cost $750) and, to my mind, not worth it, although the ambience is very sophisticated at both places. Diego's is the better of the two.

A really excellent little place is Delicias de España (red road) which has become the best "All-Spain" emporium in Miami. They sell hot and cold food, wines, and a huge assortment of food and other products from Spain, including ceramics, cosmetics and the like. Every time I go with my girlfriend, she ends up buying everything from deodorant to olive oil to chorizo to canned tuna. They also, however, have a few tables and do an excellent lunch at an excellent price. The menu changes daily, and there is always a "special", which is three courses for $6.00-$8.00.

Anyway, there are yet more, but let me know if there is interest. buen provecho!

Here's what San Diego Magazine had to say about "Costa Brava" the laduque restaurant! Congratulations!!!

Click here: http://www.sandiegomag.com/dining/dincrit/diningcrit0202.shtml

From what I can see, this writer loves it!

Great review on laduque and her husband's restuarant "Costa Brava" in San Diego - thanks for posting it!

Cooter - agree with comments about "too cutsy" and "too pricey" - but beggars can't be too picky when you just want to be in Spain and aren't! Will be interested to hear your review of Tapeo's...

I also live in Hoboken, and personally I like Vale better than Puerto Spain.
However, the first time I tried Vale I was not impressed and didn't return for about a year. But they have since made some improvments and expanded their tapa menu. I can't speak for the main course plates, but the tapas are very good. They have jamon serrano, queso manchego, scallops wrapped in bacon, patatas bravas, olivas, camarones etc. The atmosphere is also more lively and hip, and on Wednesdays they have live music.
This weekend I'm going to try Marichu in Manhattan. It's Basque food. I'll let you know how it goes.

I go to college in Boston and the Spanish restaurant we go to most often is Tasca in Brookline that Expressdance alluded to. WE LOVE IT. They have moslty tapas. A cool thing: they email you a gift certificate for a free meal on your birthday. Usually a bunch of us will go together and order tons of different dishes. Some of my friends are vegetarians and they are still able to try a lot of the dishes. It's great to try a lot of different things at once and the small portions are good too in case no one likes it. My friends are beginning to build a list of Spanish dishes they love.

We used to go to Meson Galicia in Norwalk CT back in high school at the end of the year for the Spanish Club celebratory lunch. That was a LONG time ago. Didn't know it was still there.

I lived in Manhattan and Queens for many years and will second the suggestion for Solera - that's where we had my Moving to Spain work goodbye party.

I will also say El Cid down in the village is good for tapas too.

Here's a link on our local Basque Dance Group's web site listing Basque restaurants in the country (not an exhaustive list, but gives you a few on each coast). If you know of any not on the list, send them to the webmaster [Basque only]:

Basque Restaurant Listings

¡Provecho!

Calling taravb, calling taravb: I'll be back in the Twin Cities in October for a HS reunion...my sister lives in Mpls and has told me already that the night I get in, she's going to take me out to "El Mesón" for dinner. She said the proprietors are españoles and the paella has a good solid reputation.

Are you familiar with El Mesón, and can you give me your recommendation???

There is a wonderful Spanish restaurant in Trenton, NJ. It is the Malaga. Run by a brother and sister, the food is good and quite reasonably priced, considering the quality.

Of course, Trenton is not exactly a tourist magnet, but the restaurant is worth a moderate trip.

Washington, DC: I can't believe no one has mentioned Jaleo yet!! Delicious food and EXTREMELY reasonable prices. I found the food very authentic and the service was wonderful.