Food 4/5 Ever since I was introduced to the real delicious paella and patatas bravas in Spain Barcelona more than a decade ago, I have tried many places in the bay and also those up in SF city. Cascal has been one of the two go-to restaurants here in the bay whenever I crave paella. Their Marinara paella has been consistently flavorful while the Cascal paella can sometimes be a hit and miss in terms of taste. There were times when it was a tad bland and other times they came out more flavorful. The only thing I need to constantly remind them is to make the it more soccarat (scorched/burnt bottom). Socarrat is considered a key element of a good paella, as it adds a unique texture and flavor to the dish. Last night's visit was a let down when it comes to the Marinara paella. It didn't come out soccarat at all- in fact too damp/soggy in my opinion.
My family loves their wild mushroom with truffle oil empanadas. Again was a little disappointed with this dish yesterday as I felt the dough crust was a little too thick this time. They used to be buttery and flaky in the past. I wonder if that's the reason why the overall rating has been low - due to the inconsistency in the dishes. The palm salad was alright. Nothing to special. Their Peruvian cerviche was a hit among our family members. The others on the trip sampler was just alright.
Service - 3.5/5 Friendly server though the guy forgot to serve the complimentary dessert as a surprise to the birthday person on our table. We decided not to pursue as it was late and we still have a birthday cake waiting at home.
Ambiance 5/5 upscale, modern nice decor. If you like to dine, have some live music, and dance (on their super small) dance floor next to the band like me. If you are looking for a place for quiet fine dining, this is not the place you want to go on weekends. read more
