Casa d’ Paco is a lively neighborhood establishment filled with families and locals. The food is good, prices reasonable and service efficient. However, I have a “heads up” for you: The parking is awful and while there is a very small parking lot, which will hold perhaps four cars, we were concerned that if we parked there we would not be able to get out. There were also double parked cars that were still in front of the restaurant when we left. This street makes Hoboken look good.
We shared three tapas. Portuguese rolls were used to mop up a scrumptious spicy garlic sauce that accompanied large sautéed shrimp. Croquetas de Jamón Ibérico contained three smoky tasting fried cylinders of mashed potatoes without any flecks of ham and Galician-style octopus, served with paprika and olive oil, which tender but too salty for our palates. One entrée, rabbit, was a big enough serving for two. It was described on the menu as being beer braised and served in a garlic and white wine sauce. Unfortunately it was dry and overcooked with a bland brown sauce and no taste of garlic. A large side of potatoes, zucchini, string beans, broccoli and carrots were enjoyed. Spanish potatoes were also ordered and these crispy chips were addictive.
Three desserts were offered; a Portuguese cookie cake, cheesecake or flan. We opted for the flan which was dense and a delicious conclusion of our dinner.
The extremely reasonable wine list offered Spanish wines with bottles starting at $22. Red or white sangria ($20) and passion fruit, peach, strawberry and mango sangrias ($25) were also available as were beers and Galician craft ciders and liquors.
The restaurant is staffed with gracious and polite male waiters, some heavily tattooed and/or with man buns, wearing T-shirts that say on the front “La Estrella Galicia” which was a Spanish beer being ordered by many patrons and PACONATION on the back which is a reference to the name of the restaurant. Expect the space to be noisy as there are two TV’s and music blaring.
Open Tuesday through Saturday fro 11 AM; Sunday from noon.
Casa d’ Paco
73 Warwick Street
Newark
862-307-9466
Sauteed shrimp in a spicy garlic sauce.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
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