Carmen Spanish Restaurant is a restaurant that deserves a lot of special mention and has a prominent place in Beijing's Spanish restaurant circle. This is not only because of the high "seniority" of Carmen's Spanish restaurant, but also because of the profound influence of the restaurant's founder, Carlos Chordi, in the Spanish restaurant in Beijing.
In 1998, the restaurant's founder, Carlos Chordi, opened Ashindy, the first Spanish restaurant in Beijing and the predecessor of Carmen. Carlos then opened TAPAS in Dalian, then back to Beijing, where it was renamed Carmen in 2009. In addition to Carmen, Velvet and Bocata are also restaurants owned by Carmenda Pasz; The garden is a small building with a Spanish style, which is also the work of Carlos. In "A Bite of China 2", Carlos also appeared on behalf of Carmen's Spanish restaurant with paella in his hand. Carlos has also established its own Spanish ingredients import and distribution network in Beijing, where 80% of the city's Spanish restaurants source their ingredients. The Spanish restaurants in the gardens have a good relationship with the Spanish restaurant Carmen, and the famous Spanish restaurant Saffron in Wudaokou has a chef who was apprenticed to Carlos at Carmen. It is no exaggeration to say that Carmen is the leading boss of the Spanish restaurant in Beijing.
Carmen Spanish Restaurant does have a gorgeous resume and a great story. However, back to reality, compared to the rising stars, the long-established Carmen does not win with high-end sophistication, but is positioned as a commoner and casual restaurant. Tapas make up a lot of the menu of the Spanish restaurant in Carmen, which is positioned to resemble the street Tapas bar in Spain. There are indeed many types of tapas here, but most of them are more coarse. The boiled egg is cut in half to remove the yolk, then filled with tuna puree and mayonnaise, topped with milk, small slices of bread as a base, accompanied by green dill and black roe, the taste is brilliant and fragrant.
Unlike more sophisticated restaurants such as agua and saffron, Carmen Spanish Restaurant is more approachable, with a lower profile and more traditional and conservative cuisine. Such as fried shrimp in olive oil, homemade blood sausage, Spanish spicy potatoes, garlic potatoes, Spanish potato cakes, etc., are all simple traditional dishes. The gazpacho is an unexpectedly amazing dish that is also a common delicacy, with tomatoes, cucumbers and fried bread cubes made in a more authentic way, although not all diners can accept it.
The paella at Carmen's Spanish Restaurant is of a decent standard, with average freshness and a bit of meat; However, there are plenty of ingredients, such as scallops, squid, clams, mussels, red shrimp and other ingredients, which are affordable and cost-effective.
It is worth mentioning that the owner of Carmen is also a supplier of Spanish ingredients, and there is a "taste spain" shop on the first floor of the garden, on the side of the Spanish restaurant in Carmen. There you can find a wide range of Spanish food, including top-notch hams from well-known brands such as 5J and JPD, a variety of Iberian cheeses, Spanish olive oil, and a variety of Spanish canned food, as well as a wide selection of Spanish wines.
Located in a small bungalow outside the garden floor, the Spanish Restaurant del Carmen is a fresh and bright white house with green shutters dotted on the white walls, and the interior of the restaurant is also mainly green and white, full of Mediterranean style. However, from the outside, this small bungalow is not very recognizable, it is easy to miss, and the style of the environment is a little mediocre. The indoor dining room is relatively cramped, the restaurant is very popular, and there are bands in the evenings, which makes it bustling with activity. As a result, the dining style here is more casual and the atmosphere is warm and unrestrained, which is suitable for friends to travel together, and it is not a good choice for business banquets or formal dining. Restaurants are often tight on seats, so diners are advised to make reservations in advance.
