Casa Ama opens its doors to Prairie Village

Casa Ama // Photo by Anna Petrow

For Robin Krause, chef and founder of Billie’s Grocery, the best food comes from the heart.

Many of Krause’s favorite flavors come from Latin America, so it was only a matter of time before she put together a dedicated Mexican restaurant in Kansas City. That day has arrived, as Casa Ama just opened its doors in the former Salty Iguana location at 83rd and Mission.

Marie Effertz, the Director of Marketing for Billie’s Grocery and Casa Ama, says that Krause made a move very quickly when Salty Iguana in Corinth Square announced it was closing. “Robin’s son worked at Salty Iguana as his very first job,” Effertz says. “She has a lot of fond memories of the area and that space in particular. When she had the chance, she knew this was where she could bring a Mexican-inspired menu to life.”

Casa Ama // Photo by Jordan Baranowski

Working with Chef Anourom Thomson (of Strang Hall’s Anousone) and Director of Operations Rico Hernandez, Krause’s team developed a menu inspired by her travels and transformed the Salty Iguana space into a modern, inviting spot. Though it reads as a Mexican restaurant, Krause aimed to develop a menu that was more influenced by traditional ingredients and dishes than dictated by them. You’ll find menu items like tacos, birria, aguachile and more, but with plenty of playful spins to remind you that you’re in the wheelhouse of a well-rounded chef.

As we sampled some of the dishes at a pre-opening event, a few items stood out as early winners. The street corn Caesar salad was an impressive side dish, packing a punch on both the flavor and texture fronts. Their cast iron fajitas are sure to draw eyes as they are brought out to the table—they smell and look every bit as good as they taste, and Krause specially ordered the skillet burners after seeing them in action at a restaurant in Austin. The achiote chicken was the best version we tried, but garlic lime shrimp, carne asada, and roasted poblano varieties mean there’s something for everyone if they’re craving a sizzling skillet being paraded through the restaurant.

Like many good Mexican eateries, Casa Ama spent a lot of time developing its salsas. The two we tried were very similar in texture: They’re what you would typically call restaurant-style salsa, nice and thick but without a lot of chunks. They both had a manageable amount of heat and punchy flavor, but the darker-red salsa was our pick, with a really impressive depth of fire-roasted flavor coming through. The salsa seca is Casa Ama’s crown jewel—a dried chile, spice and seed mixture that’s sprinkled or mixed into several different menu items to help them shine.

Another aspect of the menu that’s pretty impressive is the seafood side of things. Shrimp coctel is basically everything you like about cocktail shrimp, but better. Full disclosure: Standard shrimp cocktail is NOT my favorite dish, but I would be happy to eat Casa Ama’s shrimp coctel all day. The whole fried fish is a feast for all who want to dive in and get their hands messy. And the raw bar options—ceviche, aguachile, cold water oysters and more—mean that Casa Ama has a lot more on offer than “Tex-Mex, but more interesting.”

Casa Ama // Photo by Jordan Baranowski

“Robin wanted Casa Ama to be every bit as intentional as Billie’s Grocery is, from its design to its decor to its menu,” Effertz says. “The minute you walk in, you can feel that welcoming vibe. It’s clean, it’s inviting, it’s modern, it’s delicious.”

Unlike the industrial-modern aesthetic of Billie’s, Casa Ama has a bit of a softer touch. There’s a striking cobalt and cream ceramic-tiled entryway, a clean, brightly lit bar, plenty of succulents, dried peppers, and palms to bring some color and life to the walls, and warm wood tabletops to keep the space bright.

Sadly, the giant mural depicting the team of anthropomorphic iguanas playing baseball is no more, but an impressive patio space and a wall of windows make up for it. Almost.

Casa Ama also knows that chips and salsa are nowhere near as good without a nice margarita to wash them down. The bar program has a variety of classic choices like a paloma, classic margarita, and cantarito, plus some really unique-sounding options. There are the “casarita” variations: signature margarita riffs like their coconut casarita. Other lesser-known drinks include the corajillo (a Mexican espresso and vanilla cocktail) and the batanga (lime, Cola, and tequila). Casa Ama also has a full bar, lo- and no-ABV options, beer, and a solid wine list.

All this adds up to a spot that seems nicely tailored for this little corner of Prairie Village. With its patio, bar, and small plate options, it seems primed for an after-work hangout spot or date night. Dinner is the focus, but Casa Ama is open for lunch and is looking to create a weekend brunch menu sooner rather than later.

Casa Ama is located at 8228 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208. It is open Sunday from 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.