Tasca Cafe

Hola friendly friends!

We've always been attracted to the area where we stumbled upon this quaint little Spanish food haven. But we didn't expect this cozy place to serve so much goodness!

Quick Review:

 

We also have a guest judge this week! Click the link to read more! :)

Hello again food groupies! another day means another day to try new food at a new restaurant! We decided to step out of our comfort zone (Asian foods) and try this Spanish restaurant, Tasca. Upon entering, I immediately noticed the beautiful pictures, and paintings on the walls, and the "mood lighting" they had.

Here I am, perusing their menu. So much good food I can't choose!

MOCHACCINO ($4.50)

Karyn's meal: CALAMARES ($19.90)
Marinated calamari , pan fried with olive oil, sea salt & garlic with lemon, aioli, salad and fries

I was really keen for some squid rings that day so I opted for the Calamares. It was wonderful! Beautiful presentation, and I was glad that the squid rings were not battered. It had just the right amount of aioli, and the flavor of the salad and the squid blended together so well. It was divine! The fries were cooked perfectly, not too crisp, and not soggy. For my drink, I ordered a bowl of Mochaccino (it was raining that day, and I wanted something ti warm me up). I'm not really a Mochaccino person, I'm more of a Caramel Latte girl, but I wanted to try something new that day...and I was happily surprised. Having had barista experience, I can say that the milk was frothed perfectly with the right amount of froth for a mochaccino. It tasted great too, and what I really liked about it was that it wasn't scalding hot. The temperature allowed me to savor the bitter-sweet taste of coffee and chocolate. Yum!

Verdict: Highly recommended! If you're after a nice lunch at a nice, homey, and cozy place, this is the place to go to! Just remember though, the price range is a bit expensive at at least $15 for a main for lunch. However, it will definitely be worth it! Good food, nice service, and impressive interior! Will definitely come back for more!

Let me begin by saying how much fun this day was and finding this restaurant was just an amazing bonus!

The thing about Tasca that really inspires is the location. On our way, we found ourselves travelling through this little cobblestone street and then unassumingly hidden in between some bustling shops was this little homey retreat. Finding it felt like stepping into another culture. The mismatched furniture, different colored glasses and the random pillows were just perfectly imperfect. It was amazing!

TURKISH APPLE TEA ($4.00)

Tata's meal: CHICKEN &SHROOM PIZZA ($20.00)
Caramelized onion, roasted red peppers and sour cream

I have never had Turkish Apple Tea before and it was really interestingly sweet. It sort of felt like apple juice heated and believe me, I tried doing that at home and it was not the same. So it was a really great pair with the yummy chicken and mushroom pizza, which is a combination you can never really go wrong with.

I loved the sweetness the onion and red pepper added  to the dish. It was a great contrast between the mild taste of the soft pizza crust.


Verdict: I give this place a SUPER recommendation. I was won over by the great atmosphere and lovely food. I'd like to visit it again and again! I wish you guys could see it, it felt like I was at home. Or maybe Spain. Or maybe anywhere!!! I love it, I do, I do, I do... Oooh!

Now, we know you're dying to meet our guest eater. So here she is! Pin Orejana, is currently in her last year of BS Psychology in the University of Auckland. She's a very close friend and loves good food, just like us! She is also half of the duo that is Brain Break - The Psych talk over tea time.

Our good friend, and special guest, Pin Orejana

Here's Pin's review for Tasca:

It was a rather rainy, yet nice day out in the city when I was out with Tata and Kaka for an afternoon of quality girl time. I remember planning a lunch date with them, with all of us arriving later than 12 in the afternoon, until our lunch date became a late lunch date. We were all starving and but initially had no idea where to eat. Tata suggested Tasca, a little restaurant by Vulcan Lane specializing in Spanish cuisine. Tasca, is Spanish for “unpretentious, local, backstreet bar / eatery, offering a few tapas to accompany the drinking”

The atmosphere of the restaurant actually began on the outside. They couldn’t have chosen a better setting for their cafe, with the classic, old-European styled pavements of Vulcan Lane on the outside, and the warm, cozy interior with wooden furniture, red brick walls, and soft lighting. Tata, Kaka and I decided to sit at the back of the restaurant, with sofas, and paintings up the wall for decoration.

Pin's meal: ROASTED CHICKEN & RED PEPPER SALAD ($17.9)
Toasted almonds & feta cheese

I had the Roasted and Red Chicken Salad for lunch, because I was feeling rather healthy that day. I thought it was going to be a small serving, but the proportions were huge! I really enjoyed the salad because it was actually filling. It had enough chicken chunks to go with the fresh greens and the dressing. The salad was mixed with almonds and feta cheese, and for someone who does not usually enjoy nuts, I loved it with the salad. It gave a deliciously crunchy contrast to the tender chicken. And of course, who wouldn’t want feta cheese with their salad? I had ordered some lemonade to accompany the salad, but I preferred the Turkish Apple Tea that Tata ordered.

I had an awesome lunch with friends, and I loved the homey atmosphere of Tasca. The people were really great too, and offered to take a picture of the three of us once we finished our meals.

Verdict: Overall, although it was quite pricey for me, it was worth it since there was friendly service, good, filling food and comfortable atmosphere. I would gladly go back for another girls’ day out.

Interested to hear more from Pin? Visit her personal blog now!

Photo courtesy of our friendly waiter! (L-R: Tata, Pin, Kaka)

More food to come,

P.S. Check back in two weeks for a new restaurant review! (and possibly a Christmas special) :D

P. P. S. How do you like our new banner and background? We're playing with different concepts before we decide on our food blog's final look. Your comments, and suggestions (if you have some), are deeply appreciated. Thanks a lot guys!

Want to eat here too? Restaurant details are below!


Tasca Cafe
34 Vulcan Lane, Auckland CBD
Visit their website to learn more about their menu.

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