When you're in the mood to see awesome flamenco dancing, Casa Vicente is the place to go. Every Friday and Saturday night, the Spanish restaurant transforms into a stage. Two mesmerizing dancers, tall and lean with their hair pulled back tightly, were dressed in red and black, respectively, on a recent evening. Their flowing skirts — the kind that keep twirling long after their body stops — lit up the stage in the main dining area.
Maria Voris and Sophie Everett are two of six flamenco dancers who perform at Casa Vicente. The dancers' ages range from 17 to 40-ish, and most use the Casa Vicente Dance Studio, 375 S. Stone Ave.
The dance studio is connected to the restaurant and used as a practice space or for rehearsals, since some dancers are more advanced and teach flamenco, and others are still learning the art.
On that recent night, the restaurant was noisy with chatter as flamenco guitarist John Bañuelos played tunes for the diners.
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The restaurant, with its three seating areas, smelled like someone had been cooking all day. Most people were drinking sangria, made with their choice of red or white wine, and were deep in conversation with friends and family.
Bañuelos starts playing at around 7 p.m.
The dancing starts at around 8 p.m. and usually lasts about an hour.
At the beginning of the dance, Bañuelos reminded everyone to "drink lots and lots of sangria," because it made the show better. A round of laughter from the audience followed.
At the end of the show, Maria and Sophie picked lucky diners from the crowd to dance onstage.
There are few bad seats, but if you want to get the true flamenco experience, sit near the stage.
Make reservations
The restaurant can get really packed on weekends, so reservations are a must.
Expect to spend around $20 a person for a dinner of tapas (small dishes meant to share) that include everything from garlic chickento Spanish chorizo to fried squid. Tapas range from $4.95 to $9.95.
If you have four or more people in your party, think about ordering a paella, a traditional Spanish dish made with rice, chicken and seafood, although Casa Vicente offers four versions. Paellas range from $10.95 to $14.95 per person. Beware that paellas take a while to make, so call two hours ahead and place your order, or relax with tapas and sangria.
On with the big show
On Sunday, Dec. 9, the Casa Vicente stage will morph into Tablao Flamenco, or "Flamenco Show" in English. "Flamenco del Pueblo Viejo y Amigos" will feature the dancers who take the stage Friday and Saturday nights, as well as special guests from New Mexico, Colorado and California. Tickets are $25 for the lunch matinee, which includes a light meal, and $50 for the dinner show, with tapas and an entree. Make reservations for tickets soon, as space is limited.
How it got started
Vicente Sanchez and his wife, Marita Gomez, started the restaurant two-and-a-half years ago. They decided, during a two-year sailing voyage with their two children, that they wanted to do something different, and followed in Vicente's family tradition (his parents and grandparents both owned restaurants) by opening Casa Vicente. Vicente, who is from a small town outside Madrid, met Marita in Berkeley, Calif., when he spent a year traveling around the United States.
