New & Noted: Casa700
What: Wine, beef and paellas in Xintiandi
Where: 700 Huangpi Nan Lu, near Hefei Lu. Tel: 6386 0377. Web: www.casa700.com
Why: You’re looking for a bountiful Spanish feast.
Casa700, the newest Spanish restaurant to hit the Shanghai dining scene, intends to prove that there’s more to Spanish food than just tapas. The venue, divided into four different sections (the bar, dining area, garden rooftop and private dining rooms), boasts the art and landscapes for which Spain is most revered, with large vibrant murals of 'La Sagrada Familia' and 'The City of Seville.' The essence of the culture is intact within Casa700, hence making our dinner an experience of sight, taste and sound.
The restaurant serves traditional Spanish dishes a la carte, and also has two tasting set options that easily satisfy two people. We dined on the Tasting Set B (RMB 344 per person), a four-course meal of mini Spanish starters, seafood paella, tenderloin meat and desserts. Of this, we fully appreciated the opening spread, which included a gazpacho shot, an Andalusian-style baby squid, assorted croquettes, garlic prawns and homemade foie gras.
Though it was of course, Spain’s most famous dish that we were most looking forward to, which Casa700 serves with gusto. The Spanish Seafood Paella (RMB 114 per person, minimum two people) featured fat-grain rice that was toothsome without being tough. Whole pieces of mussels, clams, prawns, lobsters and squids sat invitingly in a bed of saffron-stewed rice (and even more sat buried beneath). We suggest squeezing a good amount of lemon juice onto the plate to add an extra zesty kick—trust us; your taste buds will love every bite.
Also worth mention was the Grilled Beef Tenderloin (RMB 220) with grilled vegetables served on a slate. Cooked with just the right amount of fat surrounding the meat, the beef was juicy with a bit of salt to taste.
Finally, our dessert course, the Mixed Plate of Home Made Desserts (RMB 75), was an exciting array of sweets that allowed us to try everything that Casa700 had to offer, including a creamy, traditional Spanish creation called Crema Catalana (RMB 48) that should not be missed.
