A Seat At The Table: Su Casa (Plymouth)
The majority of my life revolves around food…creating menus, cooking food, discovering food, talking about food, dreaming about food, and exploring food wherever I go. The best part about a life full of flavor in a world in which there are limitless opportunities to bring food to life, is the people you meet along the way that become a part of your journey and claim a seat at your table – for a meal, for a moment, or for a lifetime.
In a world where big box stores, mass production, quick fixes, and hurried schedules are the norm, the intimate & time-honored tradition of slow-cooking, scratchmaking, authentic production, and truly savoring “the process” is hard to find. Walk through the doors of Su Casa (Plymouth, MA) with me and discover amazing food, great people, and a vibe where “family” is truly felt in every corner.
Su Casa, located at 30 Main Street in downtown Plymouth, MA, is widely known for their creative, authentic, modern Mexican cuisine, and hand-crafted cocktails. It’s fun, it’s cozy, everything is delicious, and it truly feels like a home-away-from-home. Owners, Nick Crosby (left) & Erin Murphy (right), alongside Manager, Demi Harvey, and new (and highly acclaimed) Executive Chef, Brandon Baltzley (center), have curated something truly special by capturing the feeling of “family” and pouring it into everything they do. Within the first 30 seconds of meeting Erin and Demi, just as Erin was opening the doors for the evening dinner service, I knew Su Casa was going to be one of my new favorite places with some of my new favorite people.
Su Casa’s new, highly-acclaimed, innovative, Chef Brandon (who instantly reminded me of Superstar Chef Michael Voltaggio – you can totally see it, right?), has infused the menu with his innovative creativity and has added flavor, flair, and some serious umami to an already stellar menu. The tacos, burritos, and enchiladas get a lot of airtime (for good reason) already so, we all thought it would be fun to introduce you to a few new menu items – and classic menu items with a new Chef-Brandon-twist.
The Beet Cured Tuna Tostada and new Baja Fried Rice are two perfect examples of the hidden gems here on this incredible menu. The Tostada is my new obsession – the sweetness of the mango, crunch of the radish and gorgeous, fresh beet-marinated Ahi Tuna is perfection. The Baja Fried Rice is a little spicy, a little smokey, and every bite offers a new way to experience this awesome combination of flavors and textures. Break the perfectly cooked egg yolk over the rice and you instantly have a silky, tajin-spiked vehicle with to savor the fresh pop and crunch of the (also perfectly cooked) spicy shrimp (this was my husband’s favorite dish and might be HIS new obsession).
The Street Corn and Dip Trippers w/homemade chips (trio of salsa roja, homemade guacamole, and chorizo queso) are a MUST for the table. Each dip in the trio is homemade, super fresh, and distinctively unique. This is not your typical “chips & salsa” that is mass-produced and tossed on the table. This is an experience of culinary talent, fresh ingredients, and authentic flavor. Add the Street Corn with spicy aioli, cotija, & lime and then Chef-Brandon-it-up by dusting it with Takis dust (genious) and just go for it. Now is not the time for demure and mindful, if the Su Casa Street Corn is on the table, just grab extra napkins and enjoy every bite.
Chatting with Erin and learning more about her upbringing in Redondo Beach, CA, and life as an entrepreneur, restaurant owner, and mom to boys ages 12 and 2, I instantly connected with her story. Just as I relocated here from San Francisco, CA and created Clandestine Kitchen from my own desire to bring the food I love to this area (while being a mom to my own 3 children), Erin found passion in the same path with the creation of Su Casa alongside her husband, Nick.
Nick, originally from Roslindale, grew up in Plymouth, attended College of Miami, then moved to Redondo Beach to find Erin, before moving back in 2016. Fun fact: Nick worked just down the street at The Tasty for years before opening Su Casa with Erin.
Nick and Erin opened the doors to Su Casa in 2018, made it through the pandemic (the patio and outdoor dining are still incredibly popular in warmer months), and have truly expanded their family in so many ways. Born from a desire for their oldest son, Oliver, to get to know his grandfather (aka “Pops”), the move across the country back to Nick’s roots was to strengthen family relationships and create those bonds we long to have with those we love. They hired Demi (who started as a host 4 years ago and is now the restaurant Manager, and a great friend), welcomed their youngest son, and the family ties grew even stronger and deeper. Demi’s family and Nick & Erin’s family are now besties and, even as I sat there that very day, Demi was holding Erin’s youngest son’s hand, walking him down the street, and you could see the relationship that these colleagues have created with one another.
We sat with them for a couple of hours and now we feel like part of the family, too. That is the real magic of Su Casa: come for the amazing food & beverage program, leave with a new extended family of awesome people who exemplify the essence of welcoming you into “your home” with them.
Speaking of the hand-crafted beverage program, the cocktail menu (this is Nick’s baby) is a medley of creative song titles playing up the unique spirits and homemade ingredients used to make them sing. Where else can you read the description of the P.Y.T. while listening to Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.” (this actually happened) for ultimate inspiration? Nick is a genius and every cocktail he creates is seriously delicious. Housemade simple syrups, fruit purees, sour mix, hand-muddled ingredients all come together to create a truly unique experience of flavor combinations.
My favorite cocktail on the menu is the Yellow From The Other Side, made with a freshly-muddled yellow pepper, celery bitters, pink Himalayan sea salt, and tequila. Watching Demi muddling the yellow pepper, I knew this was going to be super fresh and the perfect blend of sweet and savory. This is a truly delicious pre-dinner cocktail and pairs perfectly with the Dip Trippers and Street Corn.
The most popular cocktail on the menu is the Your Sex Is On Fire-ita – a classic spicy marg made with tequila, muddled jalapeno, ancho reyes, jalapeno salt, and citrus.
The Buffalo Soldier is the most creative play on an Old Fashioned featuring bourbon, demerara, orange, housemade bitters, and absinthe mist. I recently posted a reel on our social media channel and one of the comments was “Buffalo Soldier in pint glasses, maybe? Think it over!”. So, this is clearly a fan-favorite on the menu, too.
The Margarita of the Month for April (a special rotating feature) is The Peep Show featuring carrot, habanero, ginger – and a peep (so, an adult Easter basket, basically).
Nick’s favorite cocktail on the menu is the Smooth Criminal, Demi loves the Blue Berry White (both also love the Smooth Criminal – pictured right), and Erin loves the I Can’t Feel My Face (order off-menu and I bet Nick and Demi would make it for you…) made with cilantro-infused vodka, lime and ginger. You truly can’t go wrong and you will need to try them all.
In addition to the cocktail menu, their curated wine selection is also terrific. So, grab a glass, take a mirror selfie, post and tag Su Casa?
Tickets can be purchased HERE (I have my tickets!) but, hurry – limited seats available for this very special event.
A fun way to experience Nick’s creativity behind the bar and Chef Brandon’s creativity in the kitchen is by grabbing a seat to the upcoming Mezcal Dinner on Wednesday, April 30th at 5:30pm. Four unique dishes will be paired with a tasting of Mezcal and a featured cocktail creation, designed to pair perfectly together ($95/pp). True to Su Casa’s family vibes, Mezcal Vago , the featured spirit of the night, was founded by a family in the hills of Oaxaca (each Mezcal was made by a unique family member) with a story of deep roots, love, and true family ties.
I love that Su Casa sources local ingredients and features handmade tortillas made right down the street at the historic Plimoth Grist Mill, a working grist mill that is part of a growing movement to localize grain production and rebuild grain economies.
They make all of their own sauces, salsas, marinades, guac, chips – literally everything that comes from the kitchen is scratchmade. Both Demi and Erin love the Lobster Enchiladas and one of Erin’s other favs is the Quesabirria, with scratchmade consomme and traditional birria, melty cheese, onion, and cilantro. It’s insanely delicious, rich, velvety and something you will definitely want Chef Brandon to make for you again (and again).
The next time you are craving authentic, homemade, farm-to-table Baja-style Mexican food and absolutely delicious margaritas and cocktails, head to downtown Plymouth and open the door to Su Casa. Nick, Erin, Demi, and Chef Brandon, will be so excited to see you and will save you a seat at their table. Welcome to the family – you will love it here.
