Courtesy of the Cocktail Shaker
Chef Luis Damian, one of the owners of Oaxaca in Chamblee and El Valle in Midtown, has multiple new restaurants in the works. First to open—likely the second week in April—will be Casa Balam, replacing Ted’s Montana Grill in Decatur. Focused on dishes from the northern side of Mexico near Monterrey, Casa Balam will serve shared plates and sous vide cocktails in a casual environment designed for families. Targeting a late April launch, Dixeebe will take over the former Tapa Tapa space in Midtown Promenade. It will offer Peruvian-Mexican fusion and mezcal-based cocktails. A second location of El Valle is also in the works—this one in Brookhaven. Look for it to open in the fall.
Courtesy of the Cocktail Shaker
Casa Balam
Though both Oaxaca and Casa Balam feature “from-scratch” kitchens, Casa Balam strives to offer more approachable fare. “Decatur is a family-oriented neighborhood. We want to be part of that community,” says Damian, who is opening the restaurant with partners Jay, Harry, and Neil Patel. “Oaxaca is super traditional (spicy). Casa Balam’s salsas will be different—we will tone it down a little here.”
Serving dinner and weekend brunch, Casa Balam will feature guacamole, queso fundido, empanadas (carnitas, beef birria, and duck confit), as well as ceviches, salads, and tostadas. Sold in pairs, taco varieties include cochinita pibil (marinated pork roasted in a banana leaf), steak al pastor, carne asada, and mushroom. Chargrilled meat and seafood entrees come with house-ground corn tortillas. “As Mexicans, we’re carnivores, so we like meat,” Damian says. A children’s menu will offer smaller portions of chicken, steak, and fish with rice and beans. For brunch, expect masa pancakes, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and more.
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