Casa Madrid

One of my old high school friends now lives in Dublin, which is a nice excuse for me to go explore the cute shops and restaurants in downtown Pleasanton. Last week we went to Casa Madrid, a Spanish restaurant with reasonable prices and a relaxing ambiance. We sat outside to enjoy the warm weather with our yummy food.

This place had an impressive list of cold and hot tapas ... stuffed baby artichoke hearts, serrano ham, seafood stuffed crepes, chorizo sausages ...

Stuffed eggplant ($6.75)

I love eggplant prepared in any style, including this one! The eggplant was thinly sliced, slightly baked, then cooled down and filled with a blend of feta cheese. Baking the eggplant brought out its juicy flavors, providing an interesting contrast with the creamy cheese.

Potato and onion wedges ($6.75)

A "traditional recipe from the Spanish inland area," this blend of seasoned potatoes, onions, and eggs is baked, sliced into two wedges, and topped with a generous helping of sun-dried tomatoes for serving. I wasn't too fond of this appetizer. It was a bit bland overall, and I couldn't make out much onion. But the sun-dried tomatoes were a nice touch.

Paella primavera ($18.95)

I had never had paella before, so I had to ask the waiter about the orange color of the rice. He explained that the rice was flavored with saffron, and then cooked with a combination of vegetables -- peas, peppers, and zucchini. They also throw in some pine nuts and raisins, which add some nice extra flavors to this simple vegetarian dish.

So colorful...

I think I'll definitely come back to this place! After I try all the other restaurants nearby ... I know, I'm greedy.

Casa Madrid
436 Main Street
Pleasanton, CA 94566
www.casamadrid.com