A touch of Spain

Culinary sophistication and high standards make for a memorable time for anyone in a fancy restaurant. However, the real issue that separates a casual dining restaurant from a fine dining or upscale restaurant is the decor. It is no wonder that the world’s top designers and architects are turning dining spaces into architectural beauties that impress just as much as the finely crafted entrees they serve.

Casa Rouge is a welcome addition in the upscale restaurants of Islamabad. The name is derived from the Spanish language, casa meaning house and rouge depicting the colour red. The structure of the restaurant has been inspired by the road side cafes at the Gran Via in Madrid, Spain.

“We wanted to give Islooites a place that not only provides good food but also an ambiance and decor similar to road side cafes at the Gran Via. Our vision is to give an environment that is different from the regular dining experience in the capital. For those of you who don’t know; Gran Via is an ornate and posh shopping street located in central Madrid. It is known as the street that never sleeps,” explains Ramiz Tarik, one of the owners of the restaurant.

Designed on European lines with tiled floors, this spacious restaurant has a seating capacity of 67 people. The interior of the restaurant has been tastefully done by Mr. Tariq Naeem Chughtai and his sons Haseeb Tariq and Ramiz Tarik. “We have our own interior designing firm and the fixtures, fittings and furniture for this restaurant has been imported from different countries including Italy, Spain, Austria, Dubai and China,” informs Ramiz.

Unlike most restaurants, Casa Rouge is devoid of paintings and the walls are adorned with striking wall papers. The restaurant has two dining lounges and a terrace. The indoor lounge area houses eight wooden tables and two Versace tables with black wooden chairs and golden trims. The lounge has dark tones of brown and is adorned by wallpapers and leather cushioned wall panels. The main ornate includes chandeliers that look like light bulbs itself with aluminium detailing. The outdoor lounge consists of two cane tables placed on a wooden deck.

The terrace consists of eight tables including a tea cup table for two made out of fibreglass in white and red details. The white terrace consists of a bar which is in red, black and white - complementing the name Casa Rouge restaurant and terrace bar. There is also a pebble sitting to accommodate 8-10 guests on a wooden deck which can also be used for small gigs; the furniture is made out of varnished wood and has shapes oriented from pebbles and stones.

Since it’s a fine dining restaurant offering Continental cuisine, great emphasis has been laid on quality control and cutlery. “Everything is labelled with date of arrival, processed date and expiry. Fresh vegetables and fruits come in daily with meat coming every 3 days. The food quality is checked by our store staff and then it is issued to the kitchen under the supervision of our executive chef. Our chef has over two decades of experience and all our managerial staff members have at least 10 years of experience with some of our PR staff member having experiences abroad in the US, Canada, Dubai and Thailand,” tells Ramiz. “The cutlery is nine pieces for five courses made out of stainless steel in dull finish, the glass ware is all acrylic, the bar has stainless steel glasses and tools,” he adds.

With subtle interior, a cosy and welcoming atmosphere, efficient and friendly service, everything about Casa Rouge has a feel-good factor. So, next time when you plan a nice evening out don’t forget to visit Casa Rouge, you won’t be disappointed.

- Pictures courtesy: Rezz Aly Shah