Spain in a Paella Pan! What a beautiful little spot in the old town of Rota, Spain. The buildings are close together with walkways in between that have wonderful places like Casa Emilio setup outside. The star of this show was our awesome waiter and our awesome Paella. The waiter was like your Spanish uncle that you wished you had. Awesome guy, awesome service. So the Paella was perfectly cooked, nice and tender with the most flavorful crunchy bottom, the Paella trademark. A wonderful saffron flavor permeated through the rice, shrimp and veggies. This was everything you hope for when it comes to Spanish Paella in one of the most picturesque settings. read more

Be very careful if you order anything that is priced "segun mercado". You may get a nasty surprise when they bring the bill. We did. We will not be eating here again. I might add that the way they prepared the fish was awful. And it was great raw materials. That added insult to injury. read more

Wish we had come here earlier into our stay in Rota, but they were closed Tues, and we went Wed evening. We had a great meal at Casa Emilio. The owner was super-kind and educated us on a lot of what he serves. His son is the chef, and he is a proud grandfather, as well! He is a little shy about his English, but if you know Spanish, he is super outgoing and loves to chat. We had so much fun just talking with him. We read that the tomatoes and olive oil were delicious, so we had that, and raves were right. The tomatoes were exceptionally flavorful for the winter; I can only imagine how crazy they taste in the summer. We also had the goat cheese and ratatouille app, which I recommend as a MUST! That ratatouille was magic! It had a sweetness but not too much, and the veggie tastes were so strong. It had to have been cooked forever, but it wasn't a mess of mush (as it is when we cook it forever at home). It was so good on their fresh bread. I could eat that stuff every day! YUM! Many reviewers recommended the paella, which was also very good here. My husband got a huge portion, and the seafood was done perfectly, tender and flavorful. We had seen a travel video about the Spanish teaching tourists how to properly shell and eat a crayfish, so you get all the meat, and suck the juices out of its head. My husband said it was actually so much better getting all that out of it. I had the beef tenderloin, which came with sauteed leeks, zucchini, peppers, and eggplant. The meat was the perfect temperature, and savory. The veggies were crisp but cooked, and had a nice grilled taste. My first cut of Iberian steak that I liked, and really liked! Dessert was an indigenous dish to Spain, which was completely new to me, called Poléa. It was not quite a pudding, more of a thick cream, kind of the consistency of yogurt or junket. It had a lemon flavor to it, and croutons with cinnamon on top. I asked if I should mix the croutons into the cream and the owner said there is no set way to eat it. I asked if the dessert is regional or national, and if it is just Spanish, or existing in other countries as well? He said it is an original, traditional Spanish dish, but it has different names in different regions. In Cadíz, it is called Poléa, but in other regions there are completely different names (he gave me a few but I didn't write them down). He said some places serve it cold, but he does it hot (which we really liked); he said he is the only restaurant he knows of in Rota who makes it. (We did not see it on any other menus the whole time in Spain.) I thought it was really cool that he favors the traditional dishes. He said it's been around a really long time, though he wasn't sure how long. He said his 92yo father remembers having it as a kid so it's at least a century-old dessert. Learn something new every day! We had a great time at Casa Emilio. They are so warm and sweet, and the food is excellent! For 2 apps, 2 entrees, and drinks, our bill was 50€. We asked to add to it for a tip (they do not have a way to fill out tip amounts on their receipts, so you have to ask them to just put it on your bill for their service). Tips in Spain are considered optional, but the general attitude is that it is much appreciated. Unemployment is extremely high, and tipping is quickly becoming customary, particularly in more metropolitan and touristy areas. The owner and I chatted about this too, and this was the second restaurant where I got this info, so it's directly from Spaniards in the food biz. * * * TIP * * * CLOSED on TUESDAYS Only open 12-4pm on SUNDAYS * * * TIP * * * Located on a walking-only "street" so your car cannot get there. And, um, our Google Maps lady was a total liar. I recommend just getting out of the car nearby, hailing a local, and asking for directions. When we finally did that, we were there in a second! read more

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I pass by this place so often it should be my home, but unfortunately I have entered just a very few times. Each time it's been great service and mood. Easy to find on calle Mina but in summer, this tiny little walking street is packed with filled chairs and the sweet smell of fried fish and garlic!! Recently walked in and had some tapas with some visiting american friends. I saw that they had tortas de camarones and since I like that, I ordered a few for myself and my friends who don't speak spanish. It was done fast and served piping hot. The first thing I noticed was that they were smaller than the normal size I've had in other places. That thought was quickly forgotten after I bit into it. It was so delicious! I have have this in many places, and in Cadiz, Vejer, Jerez and throughout Rota. I have tasted them prepared home-style cooked at friend's homes, but this was the BEST I have ever tasted!! Most I have eaten previously were larger but flatter, which - when fried - makes it more crispier but also with less flavor. This was smaller but thicker, and the taste is unlike I've ever tasted, plus I noticed they didn't use the tiny shrimp/camarones complete with antenna, head and shell (they are so small you don't even taste it) but real shrimp but just a bit bigger. All of their food I have tasted on one occasion or another, and I have been happy but these tortas de camarones will keep me coming back! They make their own and not purchased elsewhere which most places do - thank goodness for that! Outside seating available. No place to park within half a mile. VERY busy in summer. Remember that spanish lunch & dinner hours are different: lunch: about 2 till 4 dinner: about 8-ish till I have no idea. IF you arrive right at 8pm, expect to wait as the kitchen gets prepared. This is worth waiting for!!! read more

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This is my favorite place to eat in Rota! Domingo is the owner and cook. He is very nice and all his food is so fresh. He has so many options you can eat here everyday. Beer is cold also. read more

Casa Emilio - Shark so good. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Rota, California