Dinner Fiesta - 7/14/2005

From the street, Cascal's isn't a place that Tiff and I would give a second thought to -- the facade of the restaurant blends in with the rest of the block, the sign with the restaurant's name was unapparent. However, we had both talked about exploring downtown Mountain View more earnestly, instead of always dining at the usual joints. So, on our list was this mysterious tapas restaurant that we had both heard about.

Our quest first led us to Zucca's. We knew that there was a place on Castro that was a tapas restaurant. Tiff threw out Zucca's as a suggestion. At first, Zucca's seemed to fit the profile, having a handful of tapas dishes. However, it didn't seem quite right that it wasn't a Spanish restaurant. So, on the day of our dining engagement, I looked at the tapas options in Mountain View a little more closely, and realized that the more popular place for tapas was Cascal's. It had received pretty good reviews and had more than once been recognized as one of the best restaurants for "small plates" by Citysearch. So, we made last minute reservations to go there.

When I first stepped into the restaurant, I was slightly overwhelmed. There was no lack of color, sounds, or people! The decor was colorful and festive, perhaps even a bit over the top. Tiff made a comment that it reminded her of the decor at La Fondue, loud but in a fun way. The only difference was that Cascal's lacked the pretentious air of La Fondue.

Immediately, the staff greets you in the warmest, most welcoming manner. We were seated promptly (thank goodness for reservations!). All around us were many larger dining groups; everyone was having a great time. It added to the festive atmosphere, as well as the noise. Cascal's certainly wouldn't make for a good romantic spot, but I could see myself dining here with a group of friends, or perhaps joining co-workers for drinks and appetizers.

For dinner, Tiff and I had trouble deciding on one or two dishes, there being so many great options. Our solution to that problem was to order the sampler tapas platter which was comprised of Anchovy tapenade, Spanish tortilla, calamari salad, eggplant terrine, Serrano ham, chorizo leon, Spanish dried salami, cold shrimp, mussels vinaigrette, Mahon cheese, quince paste, olives, almonds, and marinated grilled asparagus. We ordered a small paella to round off the meal, and asked the waiter to start us off with a couple of cocktails. I had the mango-mint margarita, while Tiff chose the Mai Tai.

Not much to describe about the cocktails, other than that mine tasted, well, surprising. It tasted of neither mint nor mango. Rather, it tasted a lot like perfume, though not in an off-putting manner. The sampler tapas platter was quite a journey. There was a variety of tastes in this small platter. Tiff and I ventured around the sampler platter together -- some of the tastes were subtle, while others were much more bold. All in all, the entire platter fit together well, teasing and tantalizing your taste buds. In the end, Tiff and I agreed that both of our favorites was the Anchovy tapenade. It was the one with the most complex taste, at once salty and tangy, coupled with the nutty and subtly sweet taste of the toast.

Tiff and I were surprised at how full we were by the time the paella came out. The paella was good, though unremarkable. It tasted exactly how Tiff and I expected it to taste, I suppose.

Overall, Cascal's was an enjoyable dining experience. All said, the total came out to be about $30 a person. The service was warm and attentive -- we never once were low on water. With the great company, and fun atmosphere and decor, I have to say that the food did not stand out. But, I think I would definitely go back. It's one of those restaurants that I could really put on my list of regular haunts.

Address: 400 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA
Number: 650-940-9500
Price: Tapas Sampler Platter: $17; Small Paella: $19; Cocktails: $7
Decor: 8
Food: 6
Service: 7
Value: 8