Mamita's Kitchen

It has been a while (a year at least) since Mi Casita closed. This Costa Rican restaurant occupied a divey-looking building on Buffalo Street across from GreenStar, and the sketchy exterior kept us from going inside for a long time. But when we finally did, we were pleasantly surprised by a warmly decorated interior with rusty-orange walls, cozy seating, and lots of plants. And the food! There was the Costa Rican Breakfast (eggs and gallo pinto), fried plantains, smoked sausage with peppers, empanadas (beef and potato or beans and cheese), casado (stewed shredded beef, rice, beans), and lots more. Many of the dishes were accompanied by generous portions of cabbage cilantro salad and corn tortillas. And for dessert, the tres leches rum cake was out of this world — moist, light, and decadent. Everything was so fresh and flavorful and not the least bit heavy. This was high-quality eye-opening comfort food, honestly prepared. We were saddened to see the "For Rent" sign when we drove by one day....

This past Sunday, we discovered that the owners of Mi Casita had taken root at the Ithaca Farmer's Market and renamed themselves Mamita's Kitchen. Apparently, they've been there for quite some time without our knowing. By necessity, the menu is a shadow of the old one, but everything is made to order and just as delectable as before. We sat by the waterfront, joyfully consuming our empanadas and stuffed tortillas. If anything, the cabbage cilantro salad tasted fresher and more cilantro-y than I remember. And the tortilla was packed with roasted corn flavor, as if the cornmeal had been ground that day. We ate slowly, savoring each mouthful, in complete silence. It was a happy reunion.