In May, CASA Managing Partner Dan Zink recruited Kris Morningstar (Blue Velvet, Opaline) to become chef-partner in a sleek Mexican restaurant at the south end of downtown’s sunken California Plaza. Now their vision is fully realized.

Ana Henton and Gregory Williams of Mass Architecture & Design (Intelligentsia Venice, Silverlake Wine, Locali, Corkbar, Barbrix) transformed the former home of Wall Street Deli into a contemporary brown-and-white space with brown metal agave paddles and rounded booths of varying heights known as casitas, which offer increasing degrees of privacy. The indoor and outdoor casitas go by varying names, including The Mayor, where you can “feel like a city leader”), Casita Grande (a 16-20 person casita that’s “the pinnacle of happy hour spots”) and The “Deal Closer,” a 3-4 person booth likely available for multiple motives. CASA hosts the only outdoor bar in downtown Los Angeles, along with a plaza fire pit. Inside, seating is primarily banquette and booth, with an exhibition kitchen and traditional Mexican cooking vessels showcased on ledges built into molded slab walls.

At lunch, CASA serves as a taqueria for local businesspeople. Step One: choose your vehicle, either tacos, a huarache, an ensalada or burrito. Step Two: choose your filling. Morningstar offers options like Al Pastor with tomatillo-avocado sauce, Pollo in an apple cider-guajillo sauce; and crispy beer-battered Baja whitefish with green chile crema. If four “vehicles” aren’t enough, CASA also offers Tortilla Soup by the cup and bowl.

At dinner, Morningstar’s menu is more elaborate, featuring dishes like Quesadillas stuffed with hen of the woods mushrooms, spicy onions, queso Oaxaca and pumpkin seed sauce; pork and beef Albondigas with a smoky tomato sauce and queso cotija; roasted halibut with achiote, pickled onions, lentils and pineapple; and Conejo: braised rabbit with chestnuts, roasted cauliflower, cinnamon, chile ancho, almonds and raisins. A late night taco “truck” menu is available from 10 PM – midnight.

To drink, Morningstar offers seasonal aguas frescas. Mixologist Billy Fanning has constructed a seasonal cocktail menu that includes a Prickly Pear Bellini with Cezadores Blanco tequila, Poema cava and housemade prickly pear syrup; Horchata Colada with coconut rum and Grey Goose vodka; and a Smokey Margarita with Ardbeg Scotch and house smoked salt. CASA also sells three varieties of Baja-based Cucapa beer: Honey Ale, Pale Ale and Obscuro (Dark).

Related Posts

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3. Bottega Louie Opens Downtown
4. Casa Noble Tequila Tasting at Maison 140
5. Q&A with bartender Billy Fanning (CASA)

1. mattatouille, January 6, 2009:

   Casa seems like a much tighter concept than Provecho. Plus that area has tons of foot traffic unlike where Provecho’s located.

This entry is filed under LA Culinary Compass.