Castilla, a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar, is now open on Bellevue Way Northeast at Bellevue Square. VIVO 53 was the previous occupant of this space.
The restaurant features traditional and modern Spanish dishes like paellas, empanadas, hot tapas like garlic shrimp and grilled spicy chorizo, and more. Their chef (and owner), Clara Gutierrez Carroll, is award-winning and specializes in contemporary Spanish rice and pasta dishes using a technique that highlights the texture. She is also an expert in wine from Rueda, Toro and Ribera del Duero regions of Northern Spain.
Chef Clara Gutierrez Carroll and her husband are the owners of Castilla. Carroll’s experience as a chef spans almost 20 years.
VIVO 53 closed in July 2019. The Italian restaurant was open for about four years. They were known for their artisanal pizza, 17-foot tall wood-burning oven and large sundaes. Boom Noodle and Kaisho were also previous occupants of the space.
The Spanish restaurant and tapas bar is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
We visited Castilla last Friday . I hadn’t been to the restaurant that was there prior, but found the space to be very inviting . We sat in a booth near the bar , so the gentleman behind the bar acted as our server. He suggested a very enjoyable Spanish red blend and was quite knowledgeable about the menu. We split several tapas in each category to get a feel for the offerings. It was difficult to choose, but we opted for bacon wrapped dates , tender calamari , ham and cheese croquettes and bacon wrapped garlic shrimp. All were well prepared , ample portions and delicious . We look forward to going again to try the flatbreads and other items that we were too full for this visit . My only constructive comment would be to possibly offer another dip in addition to the aioli . While it was delicious, it was in three of our four dishes. Having said that, we didn’t inquire about other sauces. Based on how helpful the bartender was, I am sure that he would have found options. This is a great addition to Bellevue Square dining options !