Casa Ama’s airy dining room blends contemporary style with warm wood accents and abundant greenery.
Robin Krause has built a reputation for delicious, mindful, ingredient-driven cooking at Billie’s Grocery, but with Casa Ama she turns her attention to the vibrant flavors of Mexico as seen through her lens. She’s created a menu that balances deep flavors with her signature freshness. Located in the former Salty Iguana space at 8228 Mission Road at Corinth Square in Prairie Village, the restaurant feels less like a reinvention of a neighborhood institution and more like an entirely new chapter, one rooted in bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and a polished approach to casual dining.
The restaurant’s expansive patio and bright bar area naturally lend themselves to lingering over cocktails and shared appetizers, but once you head inside, the former Salty Iguana has been transformed into a clean, contemporary dining room softened by warm woods, cobalt tile, lush greenery, and natural textures that feel appropriate for dining day or night. Large windows flood the space with light while maintaining an inviting neighborhood feel that fits comfortably into Prairie Village’s evolving dining scene.
Rather than presenting a strictly regional interpretation of Mexican cuisine, Krause, consulting with the chef Anourom Thomson, owner of Anousone at Strang Hall, and the director of operations, Rico Hernandez, has created a menu inspired by the dishes and ingredients that were shaped by her travels throughout Latin America and beyond. Look for Laotian and Thai ingredients sneaking their way into some dishes, offering a nice mix of cultures and cuisines that complement each other.
Sliced avocado, red onion, and micro cilantro garnish the shrimp aquachile.
At Billie’s Grocery, Krause built her reputation on creating vibrant, ingredient-driven dishes that never asked diners to sacrifice flavor for healthier choices. Her acclaimed pastry program also proved that gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan desserts could be every bit as indulgent as their traditional counterparts. So it came as little surprise that, within hours of Casa Ama posting its first photos on Instagram, loyal Billie’s Grocery fans began asking what dietary accommodations would be available at the new restaurant. The answer is reassuring: Casa Ama’s philosophy is the same as Billie’s Grocery.
That commitment is reflected throughout the menu. Krause cooks exclusively with avocado, olive, and 100-percent pure sesame oils; uses only non-GMO rice; and prepares nearly every dish, aside from one dessert and the house-made flour tortillas, without wheat flour; making much of the menu naturally gluten-free. Guests can also substitute corn tortillas for flour tortillas, and dairy is limited primarily to cheeses, sour cream, and whipped cream, making many dishes easy to modify. Even the beans are soaked overnight, a traditional technique that improves both texture and digestibility. These thoughtful choices ensure that diners with dietary restrictions have just as many opportunities to enjoy Casa Ama’s fresh, boldly flavored cuisine as everyone else.
Cold water oysters are topped with onion ash salsa, pickled red chili, and ginger jeow.
While the menu is rooted in familiar Mexican dishes, Krause reimagines them through unexpected ingredients, bold sauces, and thoughtful techniques that make each plate playful rather than predictable. Shaved rib-eye tacos share space with earthy mushroom tofu tacos. A chicken Caesar smash taco mixes seasoned chicken, crunchy romaine lettuce, shredded cabbage, Cotija cheese, and a smoky-sweet, charred apple salsa to create an unexpectedly addictive combination of flavors and textures.
A deeply savory birria rice bowl delivers slow-cooked comfort. The show-stopping crispy, golden fried fish arrives accompanied by rich, beef-tallow black beans, bright, fresh salsa, crunchy pickled radishes, and a glossy soy glaze alongside a stack of warm tortillas that invites diners to build their own tacos.
Even the burger reflects the restaurant’s adventurous Southwestern spirit—a juicy, double cheeseburger layered with smoky charred poblanos and served with crispy seasoned French fries.
Shrimp fajitas are served in a cast-iron skillet atop an open flame.
The cast-iron fajitas, one of the restaurant’s signature presentations, come to the table sizzling over an open flame, perfuming the room with the aromas of caramelized peppers, onions, and spices.
Diners can choose from smoky achiote-marinated chicken, garlic-lime shrimp, soy-citrus carne asada, or a medley of roasted poblanos and shishito peppers, all served with warm flour tortillas and an array of accompaniments that encourage every guest to eat them just the way they like them, a mantra for much of Krause’s cuisine.
Seafood receives unusually thoughtful treatment throughout the menu. The shrimp coctel elevates a familiar Mexican classic with plump shrimp, vibrant tomato-based sauce, and fresh avocado. The leche de tigre ceviche is a crudo of thick slices of raw hamachi floating in a creamy avocado sauce and sprinkled with pickled red Thai chili, crisp shallots, and micro cilantro, all drizzled with golden brown ginger sesame oil—a mouth-watering combination on the plate.
The traditional salsas are made in house, striking a balance between bright acidity and moderate heat, while a dark, fire-roasted version delivers a richer, smokier complexity. Perhaps the restaurant’s most distinctive condiment is its salsa seca, a deeply flavorful blend of dried chiles, toasted seeds, and spices, adding layers of savory heat and crunch to multiple dishes.
The cocktail program was developed with an assist from Christopher Ciesel, co-owner of The Campground and Sagebrush, and shows off Ciesel’s and Krause’s collective love of agave-based spirits. Signature “casaritas” introduce creative variations of a margarita, including a tropical coconut version with a softer, creamier profile. Mexican cocktails, such as the batanga, deliver singular refreshment with its combination of tequila, cola, and lime. The cantarito was a favorite at our table—a blend of blanco tequila, lime, orange, grapefruit, and blood orange juice with bubbly Fresca soda—an approachable drink that goes well with almost anything on the menu.
Left: Agave-based spirits are a specialty of the cocktail menu. Right: Lush palms line the expansive patio.
With Casa Ama, Krause has resisted the temptation to recreate familiar Tex-Mex formulas. Here the vegetable dishes receive just as much attention as the proteins, while still celebrating the breadth of Mexican flavors through carefully prepared food, fresh ingredients, and a beverage program that pushes far beyond the frozen margarita.
Krause has an unmistakable ability to bring us delicious dishes that deliver punches of flavor without the heaviness. Casa Ama is a light and lovely addition.
Dining and Cooking