INGOOD TASTE
Edgar Alva , Owner and General Manager , Casa Amigos Tequila Bar & Grill
Casa Amigos Tequila Bar & Grill 333 Rouser Rd ., Coraopolis ; 412.264.0800 , casaamigospgh . com
On the Menu : Authentic Mexican fare , offering a variety of traditional dishes . Everything is housemade by scratch . The menu includes a list of dishes called The Originals , such as Enchiladas Verdez ( green sauce chicken with rice , lettuce , tomato , sour cream and guacamole ), Enchiladas De Mole ( chicken with special mole sauce served with rice and house salad ), Casa Burrito ( steak or chicken with rice , beans , cheese , green peppers , onions and tomatoes stuffed on a 12 ” flour tortilla ) and Pollo Azada ( 12 ” flour tortilla filled with grilled marinated chicken , cheese dip on top and served with rice and house salad ), to name a few . A seafood list includes a Mahi Mahi dish called Pescado Veracruz , three varieties of shrimp plates called Camarones a La Diabla ( served with a special hot sauce with rice and house salad ), Camarones Al Ajillo ( served with special butter sauce with rice and house salad ) and Camarones Mexicanos ( a grilled jumbo shrimp with bacon , sliced jalapenos , peas , carrots and corn served with rice and house salad ). There is a vegetarian menu offering
Candid conversations with the dining scene ’ s most engaging chefs
green sauce chicken enchiladas , cheesestuffed chile relleno , black bean burrito , a grilled vegetable and cheese quesadilla and a vegetable fajita with grilled mushrooms , peppers , onions , tomatoes , broccoli , and cauliflower and served with rice and beans with a house salad . A selection of specialty salads includes Steak , Chicken , Shrimp , Taco , Taco Salad Fajita and a Mexican Tossed Salad . From combination platters , fajitas , quesadilla rellenas and tacos , to pollo and steak entrees , Mexican-style favorites are in abundance . Plus , there ’ s a selection of more than 50 different types of tequila and an array of cocktails , house margaritas and beer . Catering is offered ( with at least 24-hour notice ) for residential or commercial events and parties .
Q A What led you to open Casa
Amigos Tequila Bar & Grill ? I was looking to open an authentic Mexican restaurant that would serve a large community in need of great food with even greater service . We chose the name Casa Amigos because in Spanish it means the House of Friends and it was something friendly . The location was ideal due to the amount of office buildings , which made it easy to focus on
Enchiladas Verdez with Casa Amigos ’ house margarita .
The Presidential Margarita ( Casa Amigos ’ most popular drink is a mix of Patron , a splash of apricot brandy , triple sec and house mix ).
our lunch crowd — and now our dinner is busy , too . We ’ ve been open seven months and it ’ s been very successful .
Describe Casa Amigos . We start every morning with fresh ingredients and make everything from scratch . Our menu offers a modernized palette inspired by dishes we eat back home in Mexico , but instead of hot spices we use mild spices .
What kitchen tool can ’ t you live without ? I can ’ t live without a knife . What else would I use to cut limes ? Mexicans love lime .
What is your favorite quick meal to make at home ? I like to make quesadillas with a nice salsa on the side . In my salsa I toss roasted tomatoes , jalapenos and onion . Then I add cilantro , salt and a little bit of water .
Best advice for a novice ? Start by working from the ground up : first as a dishwasher , then as a server and so on . That way you know the restaurant business . But the most important thing to remember is to never give up and keep moving forward .
What ’ s the next big food or dining trend ? Modern Mexican cuisine served on glossy white plates within an intimate , low-lit atmosphere . The food would stay the same , yet smaller quantity . n
— Reese Randall
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