I hesitated to recommend the plant-based options at Casa Carmen Restaurant, mainly because their menu is loaded with all kinds of animal, and health harming dishes. Having said that, I actually had a nice dining experience due to the friendly staff, the few vegan options that were offered, and the manager, Andrei. Once Andrei found out that I was plant-based, he really stepped up, and went above and beyond to make sure that my meal was not only vegan, but delicious too!
I started with a green tea, and quickly moved on to a bottle of Estrella Daura (a vegan friendly, gluten free Spanish beer). Next up was an order of Guacamole with Totopo Chips (non-GMO), that did not disappoint (you can never go wrong with fresh avocado, and tomatoes). I then ordered the Spiced Vegetable Curry (peppers, onions, mushrooms, eggplant), and jasmine rice, which was surprisingly excellent. In fact, the curry sauce was so good that if it had been a soup, I would have ordered a bowl! I topped the meal off with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, and then wondered why more restaurants don’t offer fresh juices for dessert. Hmm.
I learned that Andrei is from Russia, and that he believes that good service, quality options, and affordable prices are what make Casa Carmen special. Although it can be difficult to find the right people in Spain for his restaurant, he is happy with what they have created so far. Andrei hopes to eventually own “two or more” restaurants himself, that use only sustainable ingredients, and are “ecologically friendly”.
Everyone at Casa Carmen was good-natured, and attentive, and I have no doubt that Andrei will soon realize his ambitions! In the meantime, hopefully, he can convince ownership to add more cruelty free, and health promoting dishes to Casa Carmen’s menu.
The bottom line on Casa Carmen’s service, and plant-based options? A solid and appreciative thumbs up, of course! 🙂
