Review: Casa Mia

We hadn't been to Casa Mia since it had its latest change in name/cuisine/management. Actually, we missed out on Rouge entirely, something I regret keenly. With our Fabulous Savings coupons due to expire soon, we opted to use up the last few of our downtown coupons and stopped by for BoGo tapas. The interior hasn't changed much since the last time I was there - still the same stained cement floors and well-rennovated charm. Parking is a problem (it's downtown) so if you've got bus access, use that instead. We were seated immediately and brought table water and chips and salsa. The chip plate was really tiny (seriously) and the chips were a bit stale. The salsa was also weak and bland. No kick. Since it's a free courtesy expected of Mexican restaurants in the south, I won't complain too much, but you can get better chips and salsa at most other restaurants in town. I ordered the Latin sushi roll and my husband ordered empanadas. We also got a side of fried yuccas. The Latin sushi roll turned out to be a fried plantain stuffed with seasoned chicken. I had a bite of my husband's beef empanada , and we split the fried yucca. Portion sizes were a bit on the small side, but these were tapas and not real entrees, so that was to be expected. Still, getting a whole three yucca fries for two dollars felt a bit stingy. The meat was well seasoned, however, and everything was delicious, a far cry from the stale chips of moments before. We left a little hungry, and opted for dessert at Suno to fill up. Location: B - Downtown means parking is going to be difficult to find and probably cost money. Take a bus if you can. Atmosphere: A - Clean bathrooms are always a winner with me, and I like the heavy atmosphere of the interior. It's survived several incarnations of the restaraunt, but it was well done the first time and it shows. Food: B - Chips and salsa were stale and bland. The rest of the dishes were much tastier, but came in pretty small portions. Service: A - Quick and attentive wait staff, but then again it was a rainy Tuesday afternoon before the dinner crowd really hit. Price: B - Not the cheapest Mexican in town. Not the largest portion sizes for the price. Overall, the experience wasn't bad, but I get the impression Casa Mia doesn't know what it wants to be. Latin fusion? Gourmet? Offering cheap prices but providing stingy serving sizes in exchange is something that just rubs me the wrong way. I love yucca fritas and only giving me three of them was a tragedy. Grade: B - Eat there, but bring a coupon.