Mi Casa Restaurant
By David Mandich - 765 words – December 11, 2003

Mi Casa Restaurant is located on the West side of downtown Cabo across from Town Square Plaza – the one with the whale bones on display. A fitting locale as the restaurant’s ambience evokes memories of an old Cabo San Lucas with its interior walls covered with faux faded and crumbling murals depicting old village street scenes.

Mi Casa Restaurant is almost a parody on a Mexican restaurant. The place is funky, with crude spindled wood chairs painted in vibrant colors of turquoise, parrot red and grass green. There are painted concrete and tile floors, four palapa covered patio dining levels with plants and Mexican bric-a-brac décor everywhere. Not-to-be-missed is the bar off the entrance lobby. The area is shaded with a wood pergola and hanging vines with a stained glass gothic window assembly rescued from an old church. It’s an exotic, and romantic bar in the old fish camp town we call Cabo San Lucas.

My wife Rosy and I visited Mi Casa Restauramt for the first time recently around nine in the evening. We decided to enjoy a drink in the bar before being seated in the dining area. As we are not big drinkers and had not eaten anything that day since morning, this turned out to be not the most brilliant idea I’ve had lately. By the time I was finishing my Cuba Libre, and Rosy her Strawberry Daiquiri, we were both on the verge of being… well, lets say this restaurant was going to get a great review even if I didn’t wake up the next day. The drinks were great … and potent. For the next round we ordered ice teas as neither one of us wanted to carry the other home.

Mi Casa’s menu is a tour-de-force of Mexican cuisine with many delectable regional meat and seafood entrée’s for the visitor to savor.

For instance, I enjoyed a mild Chile spiced Sopita del Mar or seafood soup for a starter. Mexican chefs are wizards with their country’s Chiles and can orchestrate them (over four dozen varieties) like a French chef does his sauces.

Rosy went for a Sopa de Frijoles con Nopalitos. In most Mexican restaurants I am familiar with back in the United States, one only gets frijoles served up as a side on a platter with tacos and enchiladas. Again Mexican chefs have a surprise for the diner here. Rosy’s black bean soup was simmered until it became a thick sauce, with chunks of cheese, onion, with avocado, cilantro and tangy slivers of Nopal cactus leaves arranged on top. Trust me amigo, nothing back home compares.

My main entrée, Sea Bass, was prepared ‘Sarandeao’ style. Marinated with herbs and spices, and then grilled. The portion was ample and a little spicy. It was accompanied by steamed veggies, flavorful rice cooked in broth, and hand made tortillas. There was a side cup of a special Chile sauce for dipping purposes. I’m not a Chile enthusiast but I indulged in this gentle, thick and rich Chile sauce without regret.

Rosy struck gold with her order. She picked the ‘Jumbo Shrimp’ in a sweet and sour Tamarindo sauce. Again, a huge platter laden with fresh, steamed veggies, and a side of rice. The sauce on the prawns was memorable.

It was slightly sweet, and tangy with a little Chile without being spicy. It was ‘Camarones’ with a twist, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Poor Rosy was stuffed like a relleno with soup, veggies, tortillas etc. and had to leave three giant prawns for me to finish. But I could only down one as I was in the same condition as she. What misery it was seeing those two big ones go back to the kitchen uneaten, when the table was cleared. Brings a tear to my eye just to think about it.

Other delicacies on the menu waiting to be enjoyed include: ‘El Manchamanteles de Morelia’ – A famous Mole of Chile Guajillo & Chile Ancho with chicken, pork and lots of fruit and ‘El Chile en Nogada,’ a Poblano pepper stuffed with sautéed meats, served with a fresh walnut cream sauce. My only problem with this restaurant was in deciding which menu items to choose from among the many exciting offerings.

At Mi Casa Restaurant, Mariachis strolled and played favorite songs, while the moon rose above the terraced dining patios. A veritable army of attentive waiters was always at the ready nearby or at your table having anticipated your every need. The food and beverages were excellent, abundant and of good value. What more could one want? Reservations: (624) 143 1933.