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Restaurant Review: Casa Naranja
By Tonya Jone Miller | July 13, 2008
***Originally posted at PortlandFood.org***
Being in the neighborhood, I knew we’d try this place sooner or later since the hours and location make them convenient. No problem getting a table at 4pm on a Friday, but I’d advise against sitting inside on a hot day. The lack of air conditioning or any kind of breeze made it warmer than outside. While I like the bamboo bar and colorful decor, they seem sort of random. What I mean is, they don’t really establish an identity/expectations for the restaurant or food. Which is actually appropriate, because it’s all just kind of…there. We ordered:
caesar salad
fried manchego
scallops naranja
garlic shrimp
spanish meatballs
chicken croquettes
sangria
iced tea
Why is it so hard to find a decent caesar salad in this town? Romaine lettuce and croutons do not a caesar make. Like so many other places, the dressing desperately needed some tang. And I love grape tomatoes, but they don’t belong on a caesar. At least they make their own croutons.
I did like the fried manchego, which had a crispy coating that really reminded me of tater tots and complemented the cheese very well. Unfortunately, the “zesty romesco sauce” was a chunky, surprisingly bland paste that was too thick for dipping. And ice cold.
The scallops were properly cooked, but the flavor of the serrano ham overwhelmed them. I like the flavors, but they could use about half the ham to a better effect. I think I actually liked the simple greens salad that came with this dish better than anything else I had- not a great sign when the throwaway side dish is the most memorable.
Garlic shrimp. Huh. If I ordered this in a Chinese restaurant, I’d be happy, but it was not what I expected (or wanted) out of a tapas joint. Nice sized prawns, but they needed to be de-veined a little more carefully. And the flavor, while tasty, was decidedly Asian, not Spanish or Mexican by any stretch of the imagination.
The meatballs were flavorful but dry. The menu says they’re “glazed with almond sauce” but the only flavor I tasted at first was honey. Really sweet honey. Salted up, the honey actually accented the meat, but the glaze still wasn’t enough of a sauce. I tried slathering on some of the leftover romesco from the manchego, but it wasn’t wet enough to make a difference. They need to cook them less or add some fattier meat into the mix.
I just don’t like chicken croquettes, but H said his were pretty good. The tasted on par with others I’ve had, I’m simply not a fan. But if you like chicken croquettes in general, these are probably worth trying.
Check was $45 before tip. Basically, Toro Bravo has nothing to worry about. The food at Casa Naranja was passable, but I won’t be hurrying back. I will say that the sangria was quite delicious and a good deal at $4/glass. Also, service was friendly and quick, even though they were obviously in the middle of a shift change. I really wanted to like this place better, but with so many other great places nearby, it won’t be one of my top options for food. However I’m sure we’ll end up there by default every now and again.
P.S. It probably doesn’t help that looking at the place I kept thinking, “gee, this would make such a great Pok Pok North!”
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