I very rarely write Yelp reviews, but my experience at Cast today left me no other choice. Every single detail-- from the food, to the service, to the atmosphere-- was meticulously thought out and perfectly executed to the point where I'm left picking up my jaw from off the floor.
Atmosphere:
As soon as I walked up to the restaurant, I was greeted by the sound of Stick Figure (a modern reggae band) and the sight of Cast's beautiful patio/terrace seating. Walking in to the dining room, I couldn't help but notice how pristine and bright the space was. While Cast isn't nearly as big as its sister restaurant Ella's, it felt slightly more welcoming and open thanks to the natural sunlight pouring in from all directions. I opted to sit outside to relish the last bits of summer we have left and I was not in the least bit disappointed.
Service:
Katrina is a rockstar. There's no way around it. Her service was attentive but not over-bearing, informative but not demeaning, friendly but not patronizing. Having worked in restaurants for over ten years, I saw all of the qualities that I believe embody the true spirit of hospitality and she made it seem so effortless. Kudos to you Katrina.
Food and drink:
I started off with a mocktail that was a modified version of a cocktail on their menu (I'm drawing a blank on the name) with passion fruit, strawberries, jalapeños (?), and a touch of coconut. The perfectly balanced notes of sweet, juicy, tart, and spicy paired perfectly with the breeze and sun on my face. No alcohol needed for that warm, fuzzy feeling we all yearn for in a pre-meal libation.
The Mexican Street Corn and the blistered shishito peppers were immaculate. With just a dusting of cotija cheese and a touch of taijin and chipotle aioli, the corn and shishito peppers really were the stars of the show, charred just enough to bring some of those natural sugars front and center. Unlike a lot of other restaurants I've been to, the cooking really spoke for itself instead of having to rely on the condiments that ultimately drown out the flavors of the dish's main component.
Though I blame myself for ordering two dishes with similar flavor profiles, they were incredibly flavorful and a perfect segway into my "main" dish (not pictured) which was the baked cana de cabra with maitake mushrooms and blue corn tortillas. The creamy and buttery flavors of the cana de cabra perfectly complemented the unctuous, meaty hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, making these three mini tacos the ultimate umami bombs that paired so nicely with my non-alcoholic pale ale.
Finally, we need to talk about the tres leches cake with house-made whipped cream, pineapple, a rum-caramel sauce, and a sprinkling of toasted coconut. This is by far my new favorite dessert. I didn't think it was possible for a cake to be soft and dense at the same time, but I gladly stand corrected. Katrina mentioned how the kitchen had first experimented with strawberries instead of pineapple, and while I'm sure strawberries would have worked well, the pineapple brought everything to the next level. Paired with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, this dessert was both refreshing and filling without being too sweet or needing to be rolled out of the restaurant.
Other details:
I love seeing more and more restaurants adopting a more equitable pay structure, which is why I am 100% a proponent for the kitchen/administrative fee. Knowing what I know about how restaurants actually work, it's important to recognize that the entire dining experience encompasses the hard work and dedication of both the waitstaff and the kitchen staff, which cannot simply be rectified by "paying your staff more" as I noticed some people mentioned in their reviews. That the owners/management recognize this fact reflects their true love and dedication to their craft. All in all, I'd say that the entire team did a terrific job in every regard and I very much look forward to coming back. read more