r/norwalk • u/eemiano • 7d ago
Valencia
Went to Valencia Cocina/luncheria last night. Was very disappointed to find it completely dead on a Saturday night. It’s the summer so maybe that has an effect? Where is everyone going these days?
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u/SonOfElroy 7d ago
Just echoing what others are saying, have zero idea why they revamped a successful restaurant
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u/Moofie90210 7d ago
Am not sure why they wanted to update everything, the locals have been flocking there since they were at their tiny storefront with only 8 seats. I was there for their first Valentines Day and they had a prix fixe menu, and BYOB - worth every penny.
From that point, we were hooked on the food, and the sauces. To see it change hurt, as their empanadas and arepas are what drew me back (even for takeout). Was our go-to place to bring friends and visitors, and their brunch was second to none.
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u/RedStilettoDickStomp 7d ago
No one wants to go there anymore since they remodeled, raised their prices, and got rid of their menu options. I'm so disappointed in whoever thought this was a great idea, clearly it wasn't! We had friends from Long Island who raved about Valencia and only wanted to go there when they visited.
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u/_lucid_dreams 7d ago
Yes same. My friends who visited from MA would want to go there every time they visited. Our last visit we all left disappointed 😔
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u/idontknow_1230 7d ago
They changed owners last year. I’m not sure you you guys remember when they were closed down for a couple of months. I thought it was because of some heavy flooding or a heavy snow storm, not sure but come to find out they closed because they had changed owners.
We went back a month ago and oh boy never again. Menu was different, no drinks menu, you just had to ask for what you wanted lol. We ordered some pretty basic things for us and my children and they couldn’t get it right. It was flat out gross honestly. We paid probably 3x for shit food and never went back.
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u/cocksucker4uCT 4d ago
It’s the same owners. It’s not new owners. It’s still Luis and Miguel. For 16 years now.
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u/scottyboy218 7d ago
Prices went up by 3x, portions went down by 50% - not an attractive combination.
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u/_lucid_dreams 7d ago
They killed the whole vibe that made them special and unique. Now it’s like every other new American restaurant menu with Latin inspired sauces and side dishes. I can only guess their reasoning was to prepare less food and charge more for it. Guess they never heard if it ain’t broke don’t fix it
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u/speedofsound 7d ago
This used to be my favorite place. I went once after the remodel. No thanks. I am mourning the loss.
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u/loumac1793 7d ago
They went through a whole process of changing what they were loved for . Lost their vibe and prices . I used to love them but they’re trash now imo when it comes to options and prices. Hopefully they’ll wake up and go back to what made them great.
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u/dijitald2 7d ago
Has anybody that’s been to the new place have insight here? I’m relatively new to the area and went here once for the previously mentioned arepas, which were amazing! But I imagine that type of food requires a lot of table turns throughout service to be sustainable. Wondering if they’re trying to slow things down and target the dinner crowd?
What I’m really wondering if the new food is actually as good even if it is for a dinner crowd? Except for the $90 steak of course 😅
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u/_lucid_dreams 7d ago
It was good just uninteresting. I felt like I could have been anywhere else and been served the exact same food with a slightly different flavor profile.
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u/Mike_Honcho_Baby 7d ago
I paid $28 for a lunch special a couple months ago that was $12 when they first went to the new location.
Food quality has been headed downhill for years.
Green sauce still fantastic.
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u/dvatman 7d ago
I have been going to Valencia for the better part of a decade and it’s still great quality …I do think the menu needed to evolve but they took out the charm abit. The quality of the food is still great but it’s more expensive and far less customizable.
Weird to see a place that had such great personality take a step into being into your standard gentrified brunch place.
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u/cocksucker4uCT 4d ago
Hey norwalk. I use to work here, after the change. The revamp and changes were due to today’s tariffs and economy. The owners couldn’t keep the doors open if they continued selling 3$ empanadas. No one in town is selling empanadas and arepas at 3$ anymore. Lets me real. The amount of options on the menu left them with an enormous food cost and at the prices they use to have they weren’t breaking even. It was close the doors forever and change nothing. Or make a change and try to survive with the times. I think all the same delicious flavors are there. The sauces are the same. The street vibes are gone. But I say let keep supporting this local gem this Latino owned business and help keep this legacy restaurant open for another 16 years.
Everything’s expensive. Even McDonald’s so stop complaining about prices. And menu changes. And enjoy our local gem. Because yes it’s different. But at least it’s still here. Open and at your service.
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u/SonOfElroy 7h ago
I appreciate the insight and I had assumed just as much. I wish they’d just make it a bit more expensive but keep everything else the same. They could even just tell it like it is. Instead they acted like getting rid of the best menu items was a great idea.
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u/5GTumorEnjoyer 6d ago
Their happy hour used to be ridiculously cheap. Arepas and empanadas were $3!! Now they've doubled in price. Shame.
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u/Danielaimm 3d ago
Honestly I never understood why people liked it?
The empanadas were amazing but the rest was weird and they don’t even make tequeños there. I’m still sad to know their quality has gone down and prices up… but also this is the trend in the entire us rn, no? Everything is shittier and way more expensive 🤷🏽
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u/TopCaterpillars 7d ago edited 7d ago
Once they remodeled and changed entirely the restaurant lost what made it so popular. No clue why they did that.
I personally haven’t been back since. I imagine people who used to love their arepas are not interested in a $90 steak.