Tapas at Casa Lucas, Madrid

It's 8.00pm on a Saturday evening and the street is deserted
coz locals don't come out till it's 9.00pm for their pre-dinner and their actual dinner is around 10.30pm onwards.
I'll die of hunger by 10pm if I don't eat :P

*off topic*
Steamboat dinner with friends at Kota Damansara scheduled at 6pm
another friend who just got back fr out-of-town quickly showered, got changed and hurried the Indian husband to do the same. The husband asked who has dinner at 6pm??? must be chinese, he added. Yes he's right...hahahaha I'm chinese and I need my dinner latest by 8pm


so when we arrived at 7.45pm, Casa Lucas wasn't ready for business, so we waited for a bit, chit-chatting and did some ppl watch around the street :))))

initially when we arrived, Monkey barged in, opened the door herself and said demanded a table for Quattro...the waiter's eyes almost popped open and told me in spanish that they only open by 8pm earliest :P


Soon when the doors were officially opened by the staffs, the windows were drawn....we were allowed in :P

Yes we WERE hungry customers...hahahahaha esp in late autumn chill like this. They do not accept reservation and the place is tiny with atmosphere, something that we really really liked. Only one staff speaks broken english while the menu is entirely in spanish.

well u must be wondering, for such a quaint place....it must be recommended by friends huh? heheheh yup it was highly recommended by Dr. Epicurean, so we went there with really high expectations.


clock that projected unto the wall

every table was served these :))))))
just now to down with a good glass of vino while goin thru the menu
not like we understand the menu -_-"
the entire table entrusted JS to order vino and Monkey the food...

When u are in Spain, u must do it their way
so we had a bottle of excellent...really excellent local white wines
Casa Lucas doesn't have a fantastic wine list but I must say they stocked pretty good local drinks from beers to sherry.




really yummy Croquettes of potatoes and Jamon serrano served with shoe string fries
the outer crumb was crispy and I suspected they fried it with lard? either way it has to be good quality oil...once u bite it in...the potato were mashed and soft with generous bites of jamon ham :))))

Pork chop with caramelized onions at the bottom
can't really see here...
it looked so normal but so so juicy and moist
how can something so simple be this good????


Dinos the Great, JS, Monkey and Saint Veeny
it was only our 2nd course and we were already happy bunnies
hahahhahahahha

Salad of scallop with crispy ham bits, dressed with aged balsamic vinegar
well u are in Ham country....everything revolves around it
leg of hams, jamon, salami, iberico~~~~~

Seared tuna with sweet apple puree and japanese soy
this was something fusion :))))))


soon the tiny place was packed with human beings :P
there's about 7 tables only....and a bar

Bar was also packed to the brim with ppl waiting by its main entrance
so it's totally worth it to come early :))))

next was the calamares

it's not ur usual calamari but of a bigger squid from the deep sea coz it's fat and juicy. Wrapped in thin bacon, dusted with some flour, fried to yummy goodness

but that's not all..notice the 2 dollop of black greenish stuffs?
it's a mousse of squid ink
interesting eh?

the waiter proceeded with his slice cut mix actions in swift movements that he's so familiar with. This was actually the star dish of this place.

Looked pretty unappetizing? but it has got such sweet juiciness fr the sea, saltiness from the bacon, the mayonaise was used to bind everything together from the squid ink mousse and extra virgin olive oil.

it was so good we had to ask the kitchen how did they do it.
the chef just came back with one answer.....fresh ingrediets
-_-"

we mopped everything clean....and were fighting for the last few pieces.
this is a must try...so good that we came back another day just for this :))))

our last and final dish was caparccio of Octopus served with more ham bits, with a sauce so orange bcoz it was infused with so much of saffron
*saffrons from spain are one of the best in the world*

in the middle were more yummy mashed potatoes.
I can't believe this is wat they eat for Pre-dinner...
after this yummy meal, I literally had to roll myself outta this place

When we left, finally someone came out to claim his Vespa :)))
it's been parked outside for a few hours

the street was soon packed with people, doin tapas-hopping with a sherry/wine glass with one hand and a ciggie with the other. This is their way of life...tapas-hopping around before dinner. I think it's such an excellent idea, bcoz each tapas place has their star dish, so u just need to have that dish and hop on to the next place with something else that u wanna eat. Good eh?

Till the wee hours in the morning, shops were not closed,
restaurants and bars were doin bustling business
and ppl were everywhere as though it's 7pm

If u are in Madrid, be sure to drop by this place. It's situated on a small road with 2 rows of a kilometre long of tapas bars.

Casa Lucas
28, Calle Cava Baja,
28005 Madrid,
Spain.
www.casalucas.es