Casa Tapas, Didsbury

...too generous. Well, not Casa Tapas - the garlic bread was enormous and we were both served one of our dishes in a giant cast iron frying pan! We almost had to move to a bigger table there was so much food! We got:

-garlic bread with cheese
- garlic mushrooms
- tortilla espanol
- patatas bravas
- pasta in a creamy mushroom sauce
- chorizo
- chicken in garlic sauce
- meatballs
...
...sauce - that was my dish served in the cast iron pan and it was wonderful - I cannot get it out of my head and can't wait to go there to eat it again. The garlic bread was amazing too - three huge chunks of sesame baguette with melt in the mouth garlic butter and cheese. The tortilla portion was small but lovely and my meateating partner seemed very happy with his dishes.

By the end of the meal, we were both incredibly full and rather ... more

This lovely little tapas restaurant in the centre of Didsbury, South Manchester comes with five stars and a big thumbs up from me.

We went on Sunday evening for the first time after wandering round Didsbury and thinking it looked like one of the nicest restaurants there.

It was quiet because it was a Sunday night but the atmosphere was still great and I imagine it is fantastic on a busy Saturday night. The tables are all nicely set out and each are lit by a lovely chunky candle.

The menu is very extensive and there is plenty of choice for meateaters and veggies alike - I am a veggie and have often struggled in La Tasca and the like to get a good amount of food but not here - there was too much choice so we ended up getting eight dishes between the two of us. We thought that would be fine as we know that the La Tasca portions aren't too generous. Well, not Casa Tapas - the garlic bread was enormous and we were both served one of our dishes in a giant cast iron frying pan! We almost had to move to a bigger table there was so much food! We got:

-garlic bread with cheese
- garlic mushrooms
- tortilla espanol
- patatas bravas
- pasta in a creamy mushroom sauce
- chorizo
- chicken in garlic sauce
- meatballs

I would highly recommend the pasta in mushroom sauce - that was my dish served in the cast iron pan and it was wonderful - I cannot get it out of my head and can't wait to go there to eat it again. The garlic bread was amazing too - three huge chunks of sesame baguette with melt in the mouth garlic butter and cheese. The tortilla portion was small but lovely and my meateating partner seemed very happy with his dishes.

By the end of the meal, we were both incredibly full and rather ashamed of ourselves for eating so much! Next time I think I'd just get the pasta and tortilla and garlic bread and a meat dish or two for my partner - it would've been plenty.

The prices were also brilliant which is partly why we ordered so much as from the prices you think the portions will be small. Most of the veggie dishes were £2.40 and the meat dishes ranged from £3 to £3.40 so including soft drinks our bill came to an astonishingly cheap £25.30 and we were incredibly stuffed and very satisfied!

The main disadvantage I found was the drinks service - the bartender seemed to go to everyone's table but ours while they were eating to ask if they wanted more drinks. We were sat right next to the bar and he could see that our glasses were empty and he didn't come and speak to us. Nobody at all was going up to the bar so we didn't feel comfortable doing that so we were left thirsty throughout the end of the meal. This was probably just a little slip up though and it certainly hasn't put me off from going again in the future.

The drinks menu was also extensive with a lovely wine list and of course Spanish beers and good old sangria! We resisted though so cannot comment on what they were like.

The dessert menu is very brief - chocolate cake, carrot cake and two other cakes but you really do not need dessert after a feast like that!

There were quite a few couples in when we went but there was also a family with some children and I would say that it is a great place for a big group on a works night out or for a special birthday - you could then get many dishes and have a big sharing feast!

So...in brief...a highly recommended great value restaurant with a lovely atmosphere. Will definitely be going back again soon...I can't wait! 

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