Consistently delicious, healthy food!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Casa de Luz is one of my favorite restaurants in Austin. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed and the food is almost always perfect. Well balanced, filling and healthy meals. I always leave there feeling very full but never weighed down. The great thing about Casa de Luz is that the food actually tastes like what it is, a concept that a lot of people can't seem to wrap their heads around. The rice tastes like rice, the greens taste like greens, and so on. In a culture that's as removed from our food as ours is, macrobiotic cooking is a refreshing treat once in a while. I don't know that I could ever eat strictly macro, but I have to say I crave it occasionally and Casa does it better than anywhere I've ever been.
I feel like other reviewers have unfairly made it sound expensive. Twelve dollars for a plate packed with the day's offerings, free hot or iced tea, and seconds or thirds of anything you want can hardly be called pricey.
The dining experience is generally as refreshing as the food. You seat yourself at one of the many large communal tables and may just make a new friend while you're there. I've met lots of interesting people and had some great conversations with strangers while having dinner at Casa.
It is not packed with yuppies as one reviewer claims. While a good number of your fellow diners might be well-to-do, I've never encountered anyone snobby or rude. And mixed in with all these supposed yuppies is a large handful of hippies, artists, musicians, and just regular old nice people. If you don't like being surrounded by people different from you and maybe having a conversation with a stranger, I'd ask you what you're doing in Austin!
The open kitchen is a nice touch and allows you to see how your food is being prepared. As a chef myself, I love seeing how the kitchen works.
If you're closed-minded about vegetarian food, I guess you should stay away, but if you really love food, Casa de Luz should be a very pleasant experience for you.