Casa Toro Paella
Paella
Chef Dean Diaz-Albertini of Casa Toro
Chef Dean Diaz-Albertini
Casa Toro—house of the bull—calls itself a Mexican grill, but it’s really a bit of a misnomer. Sitting unsuspectingly in a strip mall off Route 309, this colorful restaurant isn’t really Mexican. Yes, you can find the usual suspects—tacos, enchiladas, salsa—along with the requisite ample and varied use of the avocado (including frying it—more on that later). And there are pastoral paintings of the countryside and all sorts of other visual signifiers of a Mexican restaurant. Oh, and Casa Toro serves margaritas, but not just any margarita. One Style staff member refers to these as “mind erasers,” a humorous description confirmed by Michele Dilger, general manager, when one drinks these in succession.
So yes, it’s Mexican, but it’s much more than that. The best way to really describe what Casa Toro does is Latin fusion. Many of us are not familiar with that concept in Latin cuisine simply because it’s not as commonly represented in dining opportunities around here. For example, we’re more apt to find Asian fusion restaurants, delineated as Chinese, Japanese and/or Thai on a menu. But when you think about it, it’s not a stretch, because most cuisines are an amalgam to begin with. “A ton of Latin cuisine has major influences from Africa and Asia,” says chef Dean Diaz-Albertini, 26.
Suffice to say there’s quite a bit of borrowing that goes on, but there are some surprises. The menu also borrows from American staples—there’s a whole section of hamburguesas (hamburgers)—albeit rendered with Caribbean, Mexican and straightforward “north of the border” toppings and accompaniment options. Casa Toro also offers a kids’ menu with both American and Mexican options. “We like to accommodate everyone. Sometimes you might be eating with someone who doesn’t want Mexican food,” says Dean. (This seems unfathomable to me, but it’s entirely possible; otherwise, why would they offer burgers?)
In January 2013, Dean’s parents, Gary and Therese Diaz-Albertini, bought the same-named successfully operating Mexican restaurant, one that had opened in August 2006. Since then, the space has expanded—there’s a chill-out lounge space adjacent to the restaurant—and the menu, too, to include those fusion elements such as Cuban, Argentinian, Peruvian and so forth. Specials refresh every Thursday and often feature dishes from these cuisines. Everything is fresh and made from scratch—including all the sauces—by Dean, who oversees the kitchen at this location and their sister location in Doylestown. Despite the fact that he says he “grew up around food,” he didn’t intend to work in the kitchen. He started college for construction management at Drexel, but food was always a draw; his parents bought the restaurant and “it got me out of trouble,” he says, with a chuckle.
Casa Toro Jefe Tacos
Jefe Tacos
Of course, that’s not the whole story. Many people know Cuban food through Cuban sandwiches or rice and bean dishes. Casa Toro offers its own spin on those flavors and dishes. For example, the Cuban Cheesesteak takes its accompaniment cues from a Cuban sandwich but swaps the ham for steak, along with melted cheese, grilled peppers, onion and hot peppers, and pressed on Cuban bread, served with yucca fritas and a side of cilantro-tinged mayo for dipping. Dean grew up cooking with his grandmother (his dad’s Cuban mom), who affectionately dubbed him jefecito—little boss—when he was a kid. The name inspires the dish he calls Jefe Tacos, which basically amounts to taco sliders, on the appetizer menu—pulled pork marinated in orange and pineapple juices, adobo and jalapeño. It’s topped with pickled red onion, queso fresco and cilantro, served in corn tortillas.
He learned a lot not only from her, but also from his mother’s mom, who has an Eastern European background, says Therese. “I learned how to distinguish different flavors, when to add fat or use citrus,” Dean explains. “His childhood fascination grew into an adult passion in culinary sciences. Now as executive director/chef of the Casa Toro restaurants, he is putting to good use his experience and fond memories of spending time with his grandmothers,” says his mother, Therese.
A lot of Cuban dishes, he explains, have that mojo marinade, which is a combination of orange, lime and lemon juices, and spices. “Cuban food is more spiced—seasoned—than Mexican food, with spices such as oregano and cumin,” he explains. For a prime example, check out Lechon Asado, a Cuban dish of 12-hour slow-roasted pork in a mojo marinade, served with white rice, red or black beans and either sweet fried maduros, yucca fritas or tostones.
Casa Toro
Another standout appetizer is the fried avocado. When asked of its origin, Dean says a customer who’d seen such a thing at a restaurant in Texas suggested it to them. Imagine a very firm avocado sliced in half, stuffed with seasoned ground beef and cheese and flash fried. You get a savory-creamy-crispy-crunchy combination that perhaps you never thought possible from an avocado.
I commented on how many dishes require avocados, which is to be expected, but avocados are tricky. Dean says, “They get moved around the kitchen a lot,” depending on the level of ripeness. The fried avocado is served with red sauce, pico de gallo and house-made corn chips. You can see how something of this ilk would garner a lot of attention. “It is one of our signatures,” says Dean. It is also a meal in and of itself.
Food is only part of the equation—you’ve got to have service that matches. The large number of regulars speaks to its appeal, and it helps, too, that the personnel has been consistent. Michele Dilger has worked there for 12 years, predating the current owners, and credits the “great staff,” too. (She started behind the bar.) “It’s like family here. I’ve been invited to weddings of people who had first dates here,” says Dilger.
The irony of the comment is not lost—it literally is family at Casa Toro. And with that comes the kind of bracing honesty among people who spend long periods of time together in situations that run the gamut of the human experience. “There’s a lot of trust here, which makes for a smoother working environment,” says Dilger.
Conversation turns to Dean’s dad, Gary. “If you give him three words, he’ll have your ear for an hour,” says Dean. “People say he looks like the guy from the Dos Equis commercials,” Dilger says, laughing. See what I mean?
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Casa Toro
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Casa Toro Tacos Al Pastor
Tacos Al Pastor
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Casa Toro Fried Ice Cream
Fried Ice Cream
Casa Toro
Hours
Sun.–Thurs.: 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Fri. & Sat.: 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Reservations
Not accepted. One-hour call-ahead seating is available for parties of six or more (it puts your name on a waiting list).
What to Order
Those famous margaritas, without a doubt. The signature Casa Toro margarita, with Jose Cuervo Gold, triple sec and freshly squeezed lime juice, is most popular. The novelty item of fried avocado is worth a try—it sits on a bed of crispy tortilla chips along with a couple of sauces. Molcajete is popular, with either beef or chicken. Fish tacos are always a hit, and the seared mahi mahi mango entrée, which comes with a mango sauce and tropical salsa, is too.
Parking
An entire strip mall worth of it!
Payment
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
Special Events
There is always something going on at Casa Toro. Happy Hour takes place Monday to Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and signature margaritas are all $6 each. Otherwise, every night offers a slightly different promotion; Monday nights, kids eat free, plus there’s trivia; Taco Tuesday means tacos are $2.50 a pop; Wednesday is mussels night—one and a half pounds for $16.95 with salad and garlic bread. “It goes until you quit,” says Dilger. Margaritas are also $6 on Wednesdays. There’s live music on Friday or Saturday nights. And last but not least, Cinco de Mayo celebrations start on May 1. “It gets crazy in here,” says Dilger. “Last year we made 68 gallons of our house-made margaritas.” Consider yourself fairly warned.
7001 Rte. 309, Coopersburg | 610.282.8888 | casatoromexgrill.com
