Restaurant review: Casita, Sherman Oaks

Mexican food on this side of the border is often better suited for casual consumption than fine dining, but the versatile cuisine can easily be dressed up. Sherman Oak’s Casita is a more upscale yet unpretentious alternative to the corner cantina.

Wicker lanterns hanging from a jungle of faux greenery illuminate the dining room, while recessed arches behind a long bar display decorative bottles of tequila and mescal. The retractable glass panels of the restaurant’s facade blur the boundary between indoors and out.

A spicier version of the ubiquitous Italian specialty, Casita’s calamari is deep-fried with jalapeño and plated with lemon- and chipotle-accented aiolis, while cumin-dusted roasted cauliflower is served in a snappy caper-studded romesco sauce.

Tuna tartare arrives in a creamy vinaigrette gently spiked with Peruvian ají amarillo oil, but even more intriguing is yellowtail with diced mango, cucumber, and onion, artfully presented with bright-red passion fruit–flavored aguachile (chile-infused water typically served with shrimp).

Tacos range from crispy fish—chipotle slaw and jicama-avocado salsa provide a nice twist on the Baja classic—to an indulgent filling of uber-pricey Japanese A5 Wagyu beef. Panela cheese is flamed at the table with mescal, creating a dramatic effect reminiscent of saganaki served in Greek restaurants (not something usually found at your neighborhood Tex-Mex).

Larger plates include pepita-crusted Chilean sea bass, while shrimp benefits from a silky Tajín-infused lime-butter sauce. The kitchen uses steakhouse-quality beef for its carne asada, and plates it with grilled Mexican onions, cilantro salt, chile salt, and a red salsa.

A range of margaritas from passion fruit to hibiscus, along with other signature cocktails, are available to pair with an impressive presentation of chips, assorted salsas, and guacamole.