encasa

nice restaurant
this spanish themed restaurant in asian restaurant dominated chinatown is a breath of fresh air. the food and drinks menus are lovely, the service is friendly but somehow the food just isn't as amazing as it could be!

been here two times now, and i have to say my memories of it are much better than the time we went recently. we ordered a few dishes - patatas bravas, lamb with chimichurri, and a southern-style fried chicken. usually patatas bravas knocks my socks off, but these ones didn't give that same punch although they were still very nice. the lamb was very salty and i didn't like how it was red in the middle (though that is personal taste, i know a lot of people like it taht way). the chimichurri was nice though. the fried chicken was a huge let down. wayyyy too salty, and very flabby. usually when you make chicken like this, it shouldn't have flabs of fat on it - the skin should be nice and crispy. we also ordered a plain salad which was very basic (dressing would have been nice) and expensive. pretty slow service too. anyway it was pretty average, probably won't rush back any time soon.

we went on a tuesday evening within 2hrs the restaurant was chop a block.

i recommend their sangria, probably one of the best i've tried. good for those who prefers a more fruity sangria.

we ordered 3 tapas -

baby octopus- yummy but slightly burnt. didn't bother my partner he actually prefers it to be slightly burnt.

scallops - this is a must have! the scallops was huge and fresh. the sauce (saffron shallot and cream) made the dish

bravas - we've had this before, you really can't go wrong with bravas. bits of of potato with sauce nomnomnom

we ordered paella without the chicken, you need a min of 2 people to order this dish. a very generous amount of tender muscles, king prawns and baby octopus. we love paella and thought this was delicious i felt that t was a tad over salty

for dessert we ordered the recommended chocolate mousse type dish, the mousse was between an ice cream and a mousse. i have no idea what was in the sauce that went over the dessert but it tasted like durian and i'm not a big fan of durian. partner loved it though

we haven't had tapas and paella for ages, encasa makes us want to have it more often. will be back

*we were kindly invited

favourite. ever.. i've become a regular at this restaurant, and i am so happy that i was introduced to it by my sister a few years ago. i had never really had spanish tapas before, and now i can't get enough. i can say in all honesty, i have tried many, many spanish restaurants now, and i have also been to the infamous movida in melbourne, but have so far not found a match. as soon as i got back from melbourne that time, i rushed to encasa to eat with my boyfriend, only to find to our complete horror, it was a sunday and encasa is closed on sundays :(. craving it so bad we went the next night.

i have been coming here for a few years now and it's amazing that i have never ordered a main meal. i only ever order tapas to share. you just can't pick one thing after trying them all.

encasa is a great place to go in a small group of four to try bits and pieces of everything, of course it's great for any number. the food is always amazing, and always fresh. the pricing is very cheap and the service is wonderful as always!

you must try:
• patatas bravas - these are delicious potatoes covered in the most delicious aioli (garlic mayonnaise) i have ever had along with a tomato salsa.
• chorizo a la sidra - spanish sausage in a nice cider (i recommend these more than the regular chorizo as i like the juiciness)
• sangria - buy the jug! it's refreshingly light in comparison to a lot of other places who have sangria. i don't like the full bodied red wine taste, and if you aren't a big red wine drinker, then try it here first.

i'd recommend a whole lot more, but i'd be listing the entire menu.
also, go for their specials menu because everything on it is amazingly delicious.

they have steaks, pizza, pastas, tapas (lamb, chicken, omelette, seafood, and more) and paella. oh the paella. yes. try that too.

very tasty food but a little bit overpriced. lamb tapas and mushroom tapas are outstanding. meatball tapas is soso. not recommended. the seafood paelle is really large portion.

encasa (pitt street) is conveniently located walking distance from central station. the restaurant was very cosy, and the staff were very welcoming. we ordered a range of different tapas from the menu, along with a pasta dish. the standout for me was the pinchos morunos and the bravas – both were incredibly tasty and cooked to perfection! the chef and staff have done a remarkable job of representing spain right here in sydney.

haven't had much experience with spanish food before, this place is quiet good . the octopus is a must try, nicely grilled with oil sauce and lemon over the top. chorizo is always good no matter where you eat it. the paella was okay but nothing special. the pizza's looked quiet nice and was popular from what i saw from the other tables. will have to try next time. staff was helpful and nice.

perfect for groups especially the set menus which provide generous amounts of food. talking of food - all of it was very delicious - particularly the garlic mushrooms and the seafood paella and the sangria goes down really well too - just make sure to order the jug not by the glass! service on the night was fantastic - efficient and attentive without hovering over us to finish quickly . having been to a few spanish eateries around town - this is one of the best.

having eaten here a few times before we knew what to expect. however its always a pleasure eating here anyway - its reliable and tasty and the quantities are always good too. the next challenge is what to order - decisions, decisions!! first choice was the chorizo a la plancha - grilled spanish sausage. this dish is always a winner and probably one of the first choices for any tapas meal. it came out sizzling hot with a good sized serving for $10.50. next choice was from the specials menu. it was lamb and haloumi skewers. the lamb was very tender and the haloumi was - well - haloumi. this was a tasty combination but sadly i cant remember how much they cost - but i think it was around $14.00. patatas bravas - like chorizo - is another almost obligatory tapas dish. it consists of fried potato with garlic mayonnaise and spicy tomato salsa. it was an absolutely huge serving and it came out steaming and sizzling. the mayo was lovely as it melted in among the pot

wonderful tapas as delicious as it can be. we were so stupid and not able to find paella on the menu.. could've just ordered it by telling them. had a fantastic night with my girlfriend ❤️

encasa has a few branches around town. being around the lane cove neighbourhood for a long time, i used to go to that branch for lunch and dinner. whilst the one on george street embraces the same menu, it’s a lot more buzzing being situated at the heart of cbd. tabla mixta$25.00. simplicity is the best. i often just opt for the most basic items when i go to any restaurants. this mix board consists of salchichon (40gr), jamon iberico (40gr), manchego (80gr). and no, i can’t say no to thin cut savoury hams and olive oil drizzled bread! it’s just such a great way to break some ice with whoever dining with you, over a glass, or a few, of their sweet and also very boozy sangria.

after dozens of bocadillas from the deli, finally tried the restaurant. it has the same cozy feel & friendly staff - a good start.

we kept to the tapas - everything was good without being crave-worthy. garlic mushrooms, garlic prawns, mussels, meatballs in almond sauce, special cauliflower & cheese croquettes. plus this toasted bread that you rub with raw garlic & tomato & sprinkle with salt & olive oil.

the sangria is toothache-sweet, and the churros had great chocolate dip but small dry & fatty churros.

$99 for two, so not cheap. overall i enjoyed it - much better than the last tapas i had at the nearby sjy hotel - i'll be back, but the deli is still my favorite.

great food, great service and friendly staff. the scallops were delicious.

food comes out quite fast and servings are very generous. not a place for a romantic date as it does get very loud, but perfect for a good and satisfying dinner before heading out on a friday or saturday night. perfect for groups.

wow, i am surprised by the reviews below. as someone of a spanish background and who grew up with this food and has eaten it in spain many times this was quite simply terrible. the tapas were totally bland and devoid of any flavour - how can chorizo taste boring??? encasa found a way. the only dish which was passable was the paella but not memorable and certainly not good, just not as bad as the tapas. the sangria watered down so devoid of any kick. the only good thing i can say is that the staff are professional and friendly. was in a big group and felt ashamed that this was the spanish food they experienced.