Eat & Drink

New & Special

Ole – A Taste of Castilla

Ole, the Spanish restaurant perched above Central on Ice House Street since 1998 and one of our favourite Spanish eateries, is celebrating the diversity of Spanish regional cuisine with the launch of A Taste of Castilla, a 6-course menu ($480 per person, minimum of two) with dishes chosen from the central Castilla Region and the adjacent capital city of Madrid. The menu has been created by Ole's two Spanish chefs, Antonio Martin and Jesus Pascual, and showcases the Castilla region (Y Leon and La Mancha) cuisine known for its stewed dishes, roasted and grilled meats, desserts, and cheeses.

The sumptuous meal begins with four starters to share: Cecina, Sliced Cured Spanish Beef with Almond and Arugula, using air- dried beef from the Castilla Y Leon regions; Tigres, Spicy Stuffed Mussels, a traditional Madrid dish made from deep-fried diced mussel meat paste; Calamares, Egg-battered Squid Rings with Citrus & Garlic Mayo; and Callos, Beef Tripe, Chickpeas & Chorizo Stew, another traditional dish from Madrid that is served with thick bread on the side.

Then the four mouthwatering main course options are: Roasted Lamb Shank, Segovia Style with Baked Potatoes, which is roasted with a marinade of salt, water and pepper, and looks salivating. Pavia Cod, Stuffed with Shrimps & Saffron Sauce in which the stuffed cod is baked in red wine and olive oil, tasting impressive. Other dishes that round out the choices include Pisto Manchego, Poached Egg & 48-Month-Cured Iberico Ham and Lentils & Quail Stew with Foie Gras. Two desserts are available: Rosquillas Mini Donuts with Orange Natilla Dip and Leche Frita with Toffee & Vanilla Ice Cream, both yummy.

A hearty Spanish meal is best consumed with refreshing sangria, especially in the summer. We tried both the Classic Red Sangria ($98/glass, $450/jar) and Strawberry Sangria ($108/glass, $480/ jar) which just hit the spot.

Spanish cuisine makes for excellent comfort food. That certainly is the case with Ole’s time-limited (now till June 30) Castilla menu. Do give it a try and book early.

1/F, Shun Ho Tower, 24-30 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong ;2523 8624