A Look Ahead

Over the last five weeks, I’ve led you to my favorite local treasures here in Athens: Donkey Coffee and Espresso, Athens Book Center, Casa Nueva, Athens Underground and Bagel Street Deli. I must say, I’m glad I had an excuse to visit each of these, and then promote them through my posts.

As a part of this project, we are required to have an interactive map. So for mine, I decided to mark the places I’ve been to in pink, the places I will be visiting shortly in purple and where I live in yellow.

View "Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?" in a larger map

As you can tell by the map, I haven’t really branched out from on- or near-campus attractions. After this week, I intend to change that. While my next few treasures are still within about a mile (walking distance) from my little corner on East Green, Read Hall, they’re a bit of a trek for me, though I’m sure I can manage.

So, without further ado, I would like to present my final few destinations.

Passion Works Studio 
Passion Works is an art shop and studio located on East State Street. The best and most unique part about this artwork remains that it is a place were creativity is born and collaboration is the key.

Beads & Things 
This shop not only carries beads from around the world, but also bags, sarongs and gemstones. Customers are even allowed to make their beaded art in the store, where they will receive free instruction by employees.

Village Bakery 
The Village Bakery offers a wide selection of baked goods and pastries made from locally grown produce. This café measures its success on its “social, environmental and financial impact in the local and global communities,” according to the menu.

Miller’s Chicken
Though I don’t know much about Miller’s Chicken yet, I’ll be updating you as soon as I do. I do know, however, that its menu items include fried chicken, seafood, fries, sandwiches and salads. I’m definitely anxious to try it.

The Whole Enchilada

Like many of the shops in Athens, Casa Nueva Restaurant, Cantina and Bodega has a rich history of community involvement and business expansion.

Environment

The Restaurant proudly uses the “reduce, reuse, recycle” method by recycling plastic, paper, newsprint, cardboard, clear and brown glass, aluminum and steel. The kitchen also has buckets for food composting. These buckets carry all vegetable and fruit waste products, and at the end of each day, community members can take the waste products to use on their compost piles.

Community

Members of the Casa family helped to write Ohio’s cooperative business law in 2003 and they host forums concerning educational and political issues in the area, according to a 2003 article by Karen Thomas.

The Restaurant also supports local farmers and producers by purchasing their fresh, organic produce.

Co-op

Casa is not only unique for its locally-grown food options and commitment to the community and environment, but the restaurant is a worker-owned cooperative. (I had no idea what a worker-owned co-op was until this blog post. I guess you learn something new everyday.)

Thanks to USLegal.com, I found the definition. “A worker-owned cooperative is a business that is commonly owned and managed by its workers. By organizing a business as a cooperative, the owner/employees make the initial investment in the enterprise, work for its success, and reap any benefits,” states the Web site.

“At Casa, we feel that our efforts are part of a larger movement in which owners can provide direction and vision to create a workplace in which all individuals are treated with equality, respect and compassion,” states the Casa Nueva Web site.

Expansion

In 1993, the cooperative expanded the restaurant to include the Cantina, a full-service bar with a D-6 liquor license. The Cantina also serves as a waiting area, where guests can purchase appetizers while they await seating. The Bodega was recently added as an extension to provide “a ‘quick’ daytime deli kitchen and a nighttime appetizer kitchen,” according to the Casa Web site.

Can't take the heat?

One thing I’ve noticed since starting this blog. It has triggered massive cravings. I apologize, but I just can’t help myself.

Now, with that said, I ventured to Casa Nueva (right off Court Street) this week. I felt the need for non-dining hall food.

I sent out a mass text to my friends Wednesday morning about my urge to go to Casa, and three of them agreed. (You’ll get to watch them eat in the video.)  Since I formulated the plan to dine there, I squirmed with anticipation all day, and I even knew exactly what I was going to order. Filling my head were daydreams of fresh, local veggies combined with a splendor of smoked jalapeños and garlic… Mmm…

Anyway, the time arrived at last. I met with Alec, Alex and Vince, and we strolled the 10 minutes from Read Hall to Casa.  Little did the guys know, I had been plotting to make them try the habanero salsa, Casa’s spiciest salsa, and capture the moment on video. (I did finally caution them before trying it though.)

I ordered a basket of chips and two different salsas, habanero and black bean, as an appetizer.

Here’s what happened:

According to the menu, Casa’s habanero salsa is “A flavorful infusion of citrus followed by the intense heat of habanero peppers.”

The definition is dead on. The slight citrus tang complements the fresh, juicy tomatoes.  But as soon as you taste the citrus and tomatoes, an extreme burning sensation fills your mouth, tongue and throat. It’s almost painful, and I can take really spicy foods. I can eat a dozen hot wings from Buffalo Wild Wings without breaking a sweat. This was different.

Thankfully, I also ordered the black bean salsa to ease the pain of the habanero salsa. (The black bean salsa was gone within minutes.)

Now, on with the main entrée, my Enchilada Roja, which is an enchilada stuffed with Monterey jack cheese, veggies of the day, tomatoes, onions and in my case, chicken. Customers can choose between black beans, tofu, jasmine rice, pork, Puerco Pibil, beef or chicken.  Chipotle salsa is smothered over the enchilada, with shredded lettuce and carrots stacked on top of the salsa. Sigh…

Although I didn’t get to taste-test any of the special autumn desserts, I know I’ll be back in the near future.