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Restaurant Review: Casa Mia

by Andre Gallant
01/29/2007

Casa Mia, a tapas bar under the old Mia Madonna roof, opened Wednesday, January 24, to muted Spanish guitars, subdued flamencos and hungry gourmands. Located at the corner of Hull and Clayton in downtown Athens, Casa Mia is the third restaurant to inhabit the building in as many years.

Arriving just after the dinner rush, we had the perfect opportunity to watch a young restaurant recovering from its first charge of customers and all the jitters involved.

Large windows, a leftover from the Mia Madonna era, allowed a glimpse into the frantic world of chefs, waiters, managers and hosts, leaving no place for the staff to hide their confusion. We got to see every pointed finger and frazzled look that flowed from cook to expeditor to wait staff. The affair felt like our own episode of Top Chef, or The Restaurant, but without Rocco DiSpirito's sex drive mucking it up.

A decidedly Southern staff greeted us to the authentic strains of "How 'bout it, do y'all want some tapas tonight... aw right." The accent alone hinted that, though we couldn't hear the conversations taking place between the waiters and the kitchen, a translation loss occurred as tickets became orders and orders came to our table. Luckily, one phrase need not be translated: "Desserts are on the house tonight."

We started the night off with red sangria. Following a tradition that may not be Spanish, but would be repeated by my party, we ate the saturated fruit in celebration of the drink's goodness. As the house ran out of the red, we moved on to the white sangria which, while not as good, was drunk quickly and with vigor.

A cheese plate followed that included a light, Spanish gorgonzola and a milder Drunken Goat. Accompanied by slices of a small baguette, the cheese plate quickly disappeared.

As for the heavier and meatier fare, table favorites included the ceviche, the salmon, and the tostones (both shrimp and chicken.) The ceviche is the first I've had that uses enough citrus to overcome any chemical agent for cooking, allowing fish and flavor to marry. The salmon, served at a perfect tenderness, is worth a return trip.

Although simple compared to the available tastes, the empanadas were wonderful, cheesy and would be a great start for a skeptical palette. And like the tostones (and many other plates), a ketchup and mayo dipping sauce was served on the side. One diner, having had a similar sauce at local favorite Calientitos, referred to it as the "Big Mac" dip due to its similar color.

Casa Mia offers a wonderful deal for diners, arranging 5 or 7 tapas together with half or full wines and sangrias for $35-$55, which allows for variety without tapping the wallet.

Though not available during our visit, Casa Mia plans to offer a few entrée options, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. Upcoming plans include, the ABH said, special nights which will spotlight specific cuisines, such as Argentinean style tapas coupled with regional wines and tangos.

Granted, I could've been intoxicated watching those first night wobblies on two glasses of sangria, but Casa Mia has something missing from other Athens restaurants, including those in the Bruno Rubio family. The live music, louder atmosphere, wonderful mixed drinks: it all creates an expectant dining experience. The meal does not leave you overfilled and you've had loud, boisterous conversation; now you're ready to dance, revel, or simply discuss which country makes the best empanadas.

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