The first time I tried tapas was with my friend, Checha. She’s from Spain and I love her a lot because she’s really nice and says “Hola” all the time. Checha didn’t come with us this time when mama took me to dinner in the city at a restaurant called Encasa in Sydney. She would have liked it.
When we arrived I was starving and the restaurant smelled so good that I started to drool. It was quite dark inside and there were big black lights that were hanging from the roof that looked like they should be in a haunted castle. I really wish we could have borrowed them for Halloween.
A nice man called Fernando helped us choose what to eat. He brought us some plain toast that we rubbed with pieces of garlic, tomato and oil and sprinkled with salt. It was so, so good.
Then he brought us a big board covered in Jamon, which is one of my favourite things of all time. Fernando said it came from special black pigs in Spain and that it had been aged for 17 months. I think he must have been wrong because if I was the one making it, I could NEVER wait that long to eat it. It was the best Jamon in the history of ever.
The chorizo was epic. Mama only got two bits and I pigged all the rest… which is silly really because chorizo is made from pork and that means I pigged the pig.
Croquettes (with manchego cheese) were crunchy on the outside and oozy soft on the inside and mama ate most of them, I guess that’s fair since I scoffed all the chorizo. Some super yummy zucchini flowers (stuffed with cuatra quesos) came next and they were all crispy and delicious and had loads of oozy cheese inside too. I liked mine with a bit of lemon.
The garlic prawns smelled amazing! I think they were one of my favourite dishes. Mama really liked the lamb (backstrap dressed with pistachio and manchego and served on olive oil mash) and we both loved the juicy lamb on sticks with Moroccan spices (pinchos muruna).
When the meatballs in almond sauce arrived my mum she said she was full and that she didn’t want any so I got to have them all and they were so, so yummy. I think the best thing about tapas is that even when everyone else is full, which is always before me, the little plates of food are small enough that I can keep ordering and eating… though mama did say no when I asked for paella as well. I guess we’ll have to come back for that another time.
I have to admit I was feeling pretty full by the time I ate all the meatballs but I have a second stomach for dessert so I still managed to squeeze in a plate of churros and chocolate… and ask for an ice cream on the way home.
Reviewed by Raffles – aged 6
*bracketed detail by his mama
Encasa Restaurante
http://www.encasarestaurant.com.au
423 Pitt Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
PH: 02 9211 4257
An award-winning travel writer and photographer, Aleney de Winter was fresh from school when she first set off to explore the far reaches of Australia with a two-man tent and a beaten-up Kingswood for company. Three decades, and two kids later, and she's still on the go, with her itchy-footed offspring in tow. 
Christine Knight (@christineknight)
November 4, 2014 at 3:02 pm (12 years ago)The churros! Yum!
BOYEATSWORLD
November 4, 2014 at 7:24 pm (12 years ago)So yum!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
November 4, 2014 at 9:46 pm (12 years ago)Aww Raff, I do love your reviews. Because you say things like “the history or ever” and “epic” 😛
Sandra | Photobook Moments
November 5, 2014 at 6:32 am (12 years ago)I would love to try that place ! Big fan of Spain and tapas (spent a year in Sevilla as a student). Thanks for the review 🙂 Everything looks delicious.
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 5:41 pm (12 years ago)Everything I tried was delicious RX
Deborah Dickson-Smith
November 6, 2014 at 12:22 am (12 years ago)I think my kids would give it the thumbs up for the churros alone!
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 5:41 pm (12 years ago)I’m sure they would. It’s so so good Rx
Amy @ HandbagMafia
November 7, 2014 at 7:32 am (12 years ago)This place looks amazing!
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 9:46 pm (12 years ago)IT’s great Amy!
Ai Sakura
November 7, 2014 at 10:04 am (12 years ago)OOooh everything looks so delicious!! I think we’ll go for Spanish food tonight ;p
Ai @ Sakura Haruka
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 5:40 pm (12 years ago)Make sure you have chorizo because that’s my favourite Rx
yinyangmother
November 7, 2014 at 1:37 pm (12 years ago)Love Tapas – even if it’s not exactly diet-friendly! How many stomachs does Raffles have?
BOYEATSWORLD
November 7, 2014 at 9:55 pm (12 years ago)We’ve lost count Kathy;-)
kirstyrussell75
November 7, 2014 at 2:27 pm (12 years ago)Yum!!! I’ll look it up next time I’m in Sydney – thanks for the most excellent review Raffles!
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 5:40 pm (12 years ago)It is yum. I hope you like it Rx
Rachel
November 7, 2014 at 4:12 pm (12 years ago)God he’s so articulate! Love the look of these tapas and its reminded me that we’ve never taken our boys to a Spanish restaurant, and that we should probably fix that!
BOYEATSWORLD
November 7, 2014 at 9:56 pm (12 years ago)We’re pretty proud of our little wordsmith Rachel. But he balances out his skills in English by being crap at maths and sports . Just like his mama 😉
Blah Blah Magazine
November 7, 2014 at 10:14 pm (12 years ago)I’ve been meaning to go to Encasa and now you’ve sold me x
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 5:39 pm (12 years ago)I’m glad. I hope you like it Rx
Have A Laugh On Me
November 7, 2014 at 11:40 pm (12 years ago)SNAP, I too have a second stomach, and a third when it’s really necessary! Love this. He is quite the wordsmith x
BOYEATSWORLD
November 9, 2014 at 9:45 pm (12 years ago)We’ve lost count of his stomachs, Em. He’s doing so great with his English. Am a very proud mama.
Grace
November 10, 2014 at 7:40 pm (12 years ago)I’ve been here. Chorizo sausages – my mouth is now drooling. Thanks!