Casa Nueva – Ohio Local Mexican Fare
I am still in the formative stages of this blog and am not really sure of the exact direction I plan to take it. One thing I do not want it to become is a restaurant review site. However, sometimes I stumble upon a place that is so amazing that I have to write about it. Casa Nueva, nestled of block of off Court Street in Athens, Ohio, is one of those restaurants. They do local right – with Mexican food. In fact, it’s so local that it’s actually owned by employees through a worker-owned cooperative.
What rings true throughout the entire dining experience is that Casa Nueva cares about their products, the community, the environment, and their customers. The locals, students and townies alike, have taken notice. We stopped in on a Wednesday night during the summer and had to wait a half hour for a table. While we waited, Mrs. Gourmand and I had drinks at the bar. When I was a student in Athens, Casa was known for its margarita’s, but I think that has changed with their offering of infused vodkas – cucumber, ginger, garlic and peppercorn, chipotle, vanilla and coffee, mixed berry, and pineapple. While my wife decided which infused cocktail she wanted, I reviewed their list of draft beers – all from Ohio. Casa has embraced the craft beer movement. I settle for a summer wheat from Jackie O’s, a microbrewery located a few blocks over.
The food at Casa is quite addicting. Once you have eaten there, you will get a craving that has to be met. As a student, I couldn’t quite pin point why, but I think I have figured it out in my maturity. Everything they serve is local and fresh. Fresh, a flavor that’s missing from most restaurants today. Casa is so proud of their food and beverage producers that a pamphlet was included with the menu listing where the ingredients were from. That’s eating local.
We started dinner with an appetizer, a sampling of three house made salsas – seasonal guacamole, black bean, and chipotle. All three had a nice kick to them but I liked the guacamole the best. The hot wax chiles gave it a slow burn that was mellowed out by the freshness of the lime juice and cilantro. The black bean with its cayenne pepper and garlic mix and the smoky heat of the chipotle was also quite notable. My entrée was the seasonal enchilada stuffed with fresh summer veggies and local King Family Farm chicken, topped with a house made ranchero salsa. You get to choose the salsa. A seasonal empanada came on the side filled with local squash and spices.
The food was just as addicting as when I was a student. My only regret in dining there was that when that next craving comes, I won’t be able to meet it. I fear the withdrawals. Hopefully there will be flashbacks so I can at least have my memories.
