Casa del Sol started as an upgraded version of Bangalore’s Casa Piccola a few years ago .
On the rooftop of Devatha Plaza with its Mediterranean flavor , strong Spanish influence in the open air and seating , it was a lovely place. Charming setting , good view of Residency Road and all the trees , cool breeze, a little quirky ambiance , and great service . We thought it was a great idea.
The tapas menu ( first tested at Casa Piccola ) was fun, introduced by Chef Vijay ( at the time) with stuff like cheese jalapeno poppers and the batter fried prawns were awesome. Rs 450 for three starters and Rs. 550 for 5 starters is what it is now. It’s the only thing that’s passable in this place now. Please pass on the main course ! .
The couple of times I went back in the last two years were mediocre to say the least . However, last Saturday was pretty much the pits. The place looks down and out . The main hall was being prepared for a birthday party and it looked really weird. At 2 pm on a Saturday, we are the only guests, till one more couple stroll in fifteen minutes later . Everywhere you can see the edge of disuse and poor upkeep. The painting , the furniture the little artificial water body that looked so pretty on its launch , the roof cover that leaks, and the semi open barbecue which had some lost souls. Even the bathroom , with its zero watt bulb looked neglected, although it was ( hard to see in the light !) reasonably clean.
The manager was smart , helpful and pleasant . I passed up a stuffed chicken breast main course saying that I just had one in Toscano’s last week and would try something else. He actually confidently said that I SHOULD try it so I could get a chance to compare . Yeesh - in light of the awful food that followed, all I could say was ‘Toscano’s???! And this ? Some cheek!’
The tapas was alright, but the batter fried prawns were so-so, covered in Indian-ny batter rather than the crisp tempura I recalled. The Chicken Kiev were just a chicken kheema ball with no taste or granularity , forget the butter inside. When I mentioned to the is Chef Tomas, he said that is how they do it now, They don’t use cheese etc and they mainly barbecue. Wha-aat? After that I passed on further conversation. .
M husbands seer fish steak at Rs 325 came in well marinated but poorly cooked. Just pedestrian stuff. My chicken ( the same price I think ) with olives and jalapeños came in with two slices of garlic bread and a tired peppery sauce ( no Madeira mushroom base that I could see ) The worst was the pieces of chicken – they had given chicken thighs instead of breast which is fine, but it was uneatable - covered in half cooked gristle and sinew , and one could barely locate the meat . The chicken itself was the worst part of the entree , and he barbecued vegetables along with it were passable. We could not finish our meal . Husband and I are clear that the place has run its course , its falling apart at the seams . The physical disuse , obviously extends to the ( sadly , so ) the kitchens . But the food is a sad reflection on the redoubtable Casa ( whether del Sol or Piccola!) standards.
After we finished and climbed down, we passed the original Casa Piccola in the basement – it looked buzzing and prosperous . And probably , unlike its fancier cousin on the top floor , it had a darn good basic menu , and far more value for money.
Next time if I have to choose a Casa, the basement it shall be.
allhail
