Jersey Exploration: Casa d'Paco

A quick search on this blog will tell you that we LOVE tapas and will perpetually be looking for an awesome place to enjoy them.  DJ heard that Casa d'Paco in Newark is ranked among the best in the area, so of course we had to check it out.  

We're trying to take our little guy out to eat as much as possible at a young age.  Then hopefully by the time he's a toddler he will know how to act at a table while his foodie parents scour menus.  So we've started trying to go to restaurants on weekday afternoons when DJ has off from work.  That way, we don't have to worry about being "those people" should the kiddo decide to have a crying moment, and the whole meal will move relatively quickly since there aren't many other patrons.  That's at least what we aim for...  So we went to Casa d'Paco on a random Friday afternoon at a random time... and it was still packed!  On the one hand, we were pumped because it meant the rave reviews of this place are legit.  But on the other hand - would the meal be cut short by our pint-sized formula drinker who doesn't care about Iberico ham?

(We ordered drinks right away in case our lunch was cut short.  The sangria was fantastic and the bread was so fresh - ideal combo of crunchy outside/soft inside!)

We'll spare you the suspense: we did have a long wait because of the crowd, but he did fine and spent a large chunk of the time playing with butter packets and flirting with the woman sitting next to us.  Whew!

Meanwhile, we enjoyed feeling like we were back in Spain.  The vibe of this place is perfect!  Small, homey, and welcoming.  In fact, the owner, Angel, was behind the bar and greeted us when we walked in.

 

Whenever we first try a tapas place, there are certain dishes we like to order to get a sense of whether we want to return to try more:  

the ham croquettes, patatas bravas, something with squid, and something with beef.

iberian ham croquettes / patatas bravas

 

fresh baby squid grilled with onions and spicy cherry peppers /  bacon-wrapped filet mignon with potato puree 
 
After just a few bites, we knew we eventually want to try everything on the menu at Casa d'Paco.  The croquette fillings were rich yet somehow light (not sure how that is achieved, but so delightful!).  The patatas bravas were among the best we've tasted: amazing crunchy outside with that perfect pillowy texture inside, and the aioli was seasoned beautifully.  The squid was extremely fresh with a spicy kick.   The filet mignon melted in our mouths, and the potato puree underneath had a lovely hint of coriander (which we now want to try in our potatoes at home).  
 
It is safe to say that this is likely just the first of a series of blog entries about Casa d'Paco.  We're already trying to find a date on the calendar to run back.  Stay tuned!