Casa Espana – Amazing paella, perfect socarrat… but those tablecloths need to go — Impressions & Details

Paella should only be eaten if you’ve got a spatula ready to scrape the socarrat.
Don’t know what socarrat is? Go to an Italian place and get yourself some pasta. 😄

Spanish restaurants in Bucharest are rarer than free parking spots downtown.
But Alioli has proudly kept the Spanish flag flying for years – and Casa Espana, also theirs, carries that tradition forward in the same authentic style.

I was one of their very first customers, back when Alioli was near Cișmigiu. I remember it clearly: the owner cooked in a tiny kitchen and came to chat with you at the table. The man lived and breathed Spanish cuisine.

I visited Casa Espana recently and found 3 things I loved and 3 that bothered me.

✅ Award-winning paella – perfect rice, authentic taste, and socarrat just right to channel your inner rage productively.
✅ Warm, true Spanish atmosphere, down to the last drop of sangria.
✅ The same familiar team – I’ve known them for years; it feels like they grew up in this restaurant.

⚠️ Walkie-talkie wires hanging too visibly – feels more like a movie set than dinner.
⚠️ Fire extinguishers used as doorstops – small detail, but it breaks the vibe.
⚠️ Maybe I’m picky, but those tablecloths just shouldn’t exist.

It’s a shame when small details distract from food that truly takes you to Spain.
All in all, Casa Espana is an excellent choice if you want to taste real paella without booking a flight.

🧑‍🍳 Chef’s Eye:
“Acceptable, but not entirely satisfying. It needs a splash of color — even a sprinkle of parsley, anything, just something.
It’s a pity when great flavor is paired with a lack of attention to detail.
Being a themed restaurant, there’s a fine balance between dishes and the plates they’re served on.”