Dallas' Most Interesting Restaurants No. 39: Casa Rubia

Leading up to our annual Best of Dallas® issue, we're counting down the 50 most interesting restaurants in Dallas. These spots bring something unique or compelling to the city's dining scene, feeding both your appetite and soul. While a few Spanish restaurants call Dallas home, finding a Spanish meal worth...

By Scott Reitz

July 30, 2015

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Leading up to our annual Best of Dallas® issue, we're counting down the 50 most interesting restaurants in Dallas. These spots bring something unique or compelling to the city's dining scene, feeding both your appetite and soul.

While a few Spanish restaurants call Dallas home, finding a Spanish meal worth making an event of isn't so easy. Most of these restaurants have been around for more than a decade and serve menus that haven't changed much since they opened. Sometimes meals like these can provide for nostalgic dining, but they won't exactly stir your interest.

A dinner at Casa Rubia, on the other hand, could keep you guessing from your first bite till your last. Chef Omar Flores has given classic bites a thoughtful update, making for plates that are recognizable but still inspiring.

Octopus and potatoes are a common pairing in Spanish cuisine, but here the small potatoes are cooked with so much saffron they look like golden eggs. Pickled onions provide contrast with a bright magenta color that resonates with their acidic bite, and the whole plate comes together unlike any other pulpo a la plancha you've ever encountered.

Humble chicken dishes, toasted bread rubbed with tomatoes — you've likely encountered all of these plates if you're familiar with Spanish cooking, but the presentation at Casa Rubia will always keep you guessing while retaining the dish's ability to satisfy.

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