Mi Casa in Harvest, Alabama

Yesterday I was treated to a wonderful lunch with a great group of people from the Tennessee Valley.

I headed just a few minutes out of Huntsville to the Harvest, Alabama area to a restaurant called Mi Casa. When I arrived, I was introduced to the owner, Lency Guzman and the manager Chris Moore .

I started lunch off with a cup of really good coffee. I was asked what kind of coffee I wanted, and just told them to surprise me. I got a cup of their gourmet coffee, and it was fantastic. Normally when I go to a restaurant and get a cup of coffee, I have to add 2 or 3 creamers – at least – and about 6 sugars. This coffee was perfect with a single creamer and only two sugars. That’s a first for me. Great start!

I took a little tour of the restaurant and just soaked in the charm.

Magic happens here.

Look at these adorable, hand-crafted chairs.

One of the things that really stands out about the décor of this quaint restaurant is the little casa inside.

Inside the little house is a private dining area that can seat 20 people. It is perfect for special events and can be reserved for those who would like to come eat, and also have private-closed door meetings or celebrations.

And now on to the food. We started off with warm, crisp tortilla chips with a variety of salsas to choose from.

Our lunch party had been invited there as special guests, to come and enjoy all that Mi Casa has to offer. We were treated to all sorts of samples of goodies. The first to be brought out, was a platter with testers of their aqua frescas.

I had this horchata, made with rice milk and cinnamon. This was absolutely amazing. What a way to get started!

Up next, came a sample of their award winning chicken tortilla soup. I need the recipe! But I’ll have to settle for a great big bowl of it.

The next tray of goodies that came out was a sampling of their margaritas.

I chose the tropical margarita – I could not resist those beautiful colors! It was very refreshing. One sip took me straight to a beach with sunshine and salt air.

Then came my favorites – samples of their signature international cocktails. On the left, Coquito from Puerto Rico and on the right – from the Dominican Republic – Morir soñando, which means “dying dreaming.” Holey. Socks. These were both simply sublime. Heavenly. Mi Casa’s international cocktail menu also includes offerings from Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Peru, Chile, and Columbia.

Later, the full sized versions were brought out so we could see how they would be served to patrons.

Aren’t they lovely?

Now for the food. Up first, shrimp with spicy chipotle dip.

Lover of hot wings? They have those with a Mexican twist.

I am a lover of plantains, so I practically squealed with glee when these goodies were brought out.

I have to say, that almost everyone of the lunch party, when it came time to order our entrees, responded with “surprise me.” I know I did. Mi Casa offers a large menu to choose from, but they also have a special menu that you can inquire about, of authentic Latin dishes. Dishes that most Americans have probably never heard of. I don’t know of any other restaurant around that offers these. The beautiful Tessy who grew up in the Amazon jungles of Peru, ordered this authentic dish from that special menu – Mojarra al Mojo de Ajo.

This is Mi Casa’s most-ordered dish – Extravaganza Enchiladas. Three enchiladas – one filled with chicken and topped with tomatillo sauce, one filled with cheese and topped with a creamy cheese sauce, and one filled with beef and topped with enchilada sauce. They are served with rice, beans and a guacamole salad.

Here is what I was served. I had only given one stipulation with the “surprise me” request, that it not be too spicy, because I’m a wimp. It is the Fajita Taco Salad. Beans, grilled chicken (also comes in steak) peppers, onion and tomato with guacamole salad and cheese served inside a flour tortilla shell that is so crispy, it practically shatters. I thoroughly enjoyed this!!

While we ate our meals, we were served samples of their virgin mojitos. Again – these were just as refreshingly delicious as everything else we had been graced with.

I was about half way through my lunch, when it was announced that dessert would be out shortly. I immediately stopped eating. I was already stuffed! I brought the rest of my lunch home to have for supper that evening – under the pointed gaze of my family, hehehe.

And here is what was brought out. A Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Chimichanga. Crispy and not too over-the-top sweet. You could taste the rich chocolate inside. This is normally served with ice cream, but they knew we were all shutterbugs, so it was served with whipped cream, so it wouldn’t melt while we were all taking turns with our cameras.

This was a truly wonderful experience, and I’m so thankful that I was given this invitation to come and experience Mi Casa.

Mi Casa isn’t your typical Mexican Restaurant – they serve International Latin Cuisine. You can order the tame tacos or burritos, or you can go on a Latin adventure.

Mi Casa has daily drink specials to include $2 margarita night and $2 bottled beer night, and a really cool thing Mi Casa offers is Family Packs to go. If you are on your way home on a busy night, call in an order and they will have a meal for your family ready to pick up. Speaking of family – I am really looking forward to taking my own family to Mi Casa. It is only a few minutes outside of Huntsville, and definitely worth the drive.

You can find Mi Casa in Harvest at 5850 Highway 53 near the intersection with Jeff Road in the Publix shopping center. You can reach them at 256.851.3527, view their menu and offerings on their website, and connect on Facebook, where you can find specials and coupons.

 

Mi Casa invited me to the lunch for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was provided or requested for this post. All reviews are honest.