Photo by Emilie Lutostanski[/caption]After a soft launch in July 2013, Casa Lupita's owners are looking to build the restaurant's business this summer with plans to add new dishes, sell alcohol and put the finishing touches on a recent paint job on the building's exterior.
Located at 1005 S. U.S. 183 in Leander in the former Billy Jo's Family Bistro, Casa Lupita co-owner Onecimo "Oni" Garcia said the restaurant's first year was primarily about introducing its cuisine to the community before expanding the menu.
"We offer homemade Mexican food—tamales, carne guisada (stewed beef tips), guisado de puerco (pork stew) and caldo," Oni said, noting that the restaurant also offers caldo de camaron con pescado (shrimp soup with fish, $9.75) in addition to the more traditional soup, caldo de res (beef soup, $7.50). "Everything is fresh here; we don't sell premade food or food from a can."
All of the plates—which include breakfast staples such as huevos rancheros (ranchero-style eggs, $5.99) to dinner options such as chile relleno (poblano chile served with choice of meat, $7.50)—served at Casa Lupita are made from scratch by Oni's wife, Guadalupe "Lupita" Garcia. Casa Lupita is the couple's second restaurant; the Garcias also operated La Mesita (The Little Table) on RR 620 at El Salido Parkway for about 10 years before closing in 2002.
Oni said Lupita is equally versed at whipping up American dishes, a skill she learned as a chef in large kitchens in the Austin area prior to becoming a business owner.
"She used to work at the Saltgrass steakhouse, and she also worked at Rosa's Caf and a few other places [before opening La Mesita]," he said.
Lupita cooks in the Guerrero style of Mexican cuisine, which Oni said is spicier than the more common Mexican style of Jalisco. He said the restaurant's carne guisada plate is an old family recipe that belonged to his mother, Teresa.
"[Lupita] uses that recipe that my mom gave to her, and it's the one that's very, very popular," Oni said. "We have a group of five families that come from Georgetown [regularly], and all they order is chile relleno and carne guisada."
Looking ahead, the Garcias plan to expand their menu with a variety of new dishes such as tortas and seafood options such as tilapia and shrimp plates. The restaurant's application for an alcohol license was approved, so the Garcias plan to sell beer and margaritas starting in early July.
Casa Lupita customer David Starkey, who was dining with his wife, Brigitte, said he used to come daily for lunch, but a new work schedule limits his visits to a few times a year.
"This is some of the best and most authentic Mexican food served up by some of the nicest people," Starkey said.
Oni said he encourages Casa Lupita patrons to think beyond the menu if they have a craving for a Mexican dish not listed among the various plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"Mole [for example] is not on the menu," Oni said. "But we can make it."
