Lou M.
Yelp
I had read the reviews and had friends recommend Cass House Grill for the last year or so. But seriously, I was still blown away by the quality of the dishes being served here. I took a friend to celebrate her birthday so we wanted to try several things and just take the extras for leftovers the next day. But once we tasted the food, we couldn't hardly stop! The meal we shared had to have been one of the most delicious I've ever had! We ended up taking home some extra quinoa salad--that's all that made it to a box!
We had several plates since the menu is tapas style with some items enough for 2 while others seemed portioned for about 4. The dishes we ordered were:
Heirloom tomato salad: 5 stars
Order it! You won't be disappointed. The fresh heirloom tomatoes were incredibly fresh, ripe, and appropriately firm. Perfect greens, crusty tostinos, and warm cheese created the perfect flavor and texture combo.
Grilled shelling peas: 5 stars
Better than edamame. Perfectly grilled and drizzled with olive oil it seemed. We didn't even need the mild sauce, altho it was tasty.
Quinoa salad: 4 stars
As far as quinoa salad, this was one of the best I've tasted--and the portion was very generous. From memory, I think there was arugula, golden raisins, almonds and some roasted vegetables. Very good, but I can't rate this dish as high as the others--it wouldn't be fair to the knock-it-out-of-the-park 5 star dishes. It was a really nice quinoa salad nonetheless.
Scallops: 5 stars off the charts!
Expertly seared with a crunchy crust on both sides yet succulent in the middle. Perfection. The scallops are served over a purée of avocado and citrus (I believe it was lime) with shelled peas and chopped tiny pieces of asparagus. An absolute favorite of ours.
Moroccan tri-tip: 5 stars all the way!
Wonderfully prepared, beautifully presented, and absolutely a treat to the taste buds. You will thank yourself if you enjoy beef.
Cauliflower empanadas: 3 stars
This was the only dish we didn't care for. The little empanadas were filled with creamy cauliflower and served with a brown dip that I will need to review the menu to remember. Compared to the flavors of the other dishes we ordered, this one was bland and dull including the brown side.
Meyer lemon tart: 4.5 stars
I loved loved the tartness of the lemon, but the crust was ordinary. It could have used ground nuts or something to liven it up. A crust made from brown butter cookies would also raise that tart to a whole other level.
Service: 5 star
Our server was helpful with suggestions and explanations, and yet left us to enjoy our long birthday evening in peace mostly.
One note: I couldn't find Cass House on Open Table and they're not open all nights. So I called and left a message to make a reservation. I received a call back within two hours. However, the evening we arrived, our reservation was not in the system. Without skipping a beat, they accommodated us and we were seated within 2 min. (At a busy 6:30 dinner hour.)
Ambiance: I enjoyed the openness of the grill and seating area. It feels fresh and warm with heaters at the same time. It's communal and yet the tables are a good distance apart.
I absolutely look forward to returning. What a great fresh truly farm to table experience.