Casa Sensei

This restaurant located on the Southeast side of the Himmershee Canal has been on our list forever, and now that we have finally gone, we will definitely be going back with friends and family.
We had a reservation for 6 pm on OpenTable (to get the bonus rewards) and had virtually no wait to be brought to our table. The place was fairly busy and it looked like it was starting to pick up for what is a typical Saturday night in Las Olas. Behind us was what looked like a bachelorette party ready to take on Casa Sensei.

As we were walking through the restaurant to be seated we could see the many different sections that this restaurant has to offer, every space different from the other with only the food, drink, and Casa Sensei to bring it all together. Directly on Las Olas Blvd., they have a few tables for Street Café Style dining, and also along the bank of the Hermershee Canal, there are tables for waterside dining. There is also seating alongside the building that is slightly elevated from the canal seating and offers protection from the elements. These seats also offer a view of the water.

Inside they offer a fully appointed bar with seating and an accompanying lounge area along with a full sushi bar that also offers seating. In the rear, there’s more, even a more intimate dining area that can also be used for a good-sized private party.

After we were seated Devinne, our server, who was helpful and friendly brought us water and a dish of fresh popcorn that had been dressed with Kimchi butter and was simply delicious. In fact, Doris with a D asked for a second bowl and was accommodated. LOL. We ordered a pitcher of the White Sangria that was the right balance of fruit and flavor.

Devinne gave us time to review what is quite an extensive menu with a little bit of something for everybody Soups, Salads, Dim Sum, Latino Bites, Rice & Noodles, Small Plates, and Large Plates. We opted to go with several small plates to get a feel for the place and see what the cuisine was about. (Just fast-forwarding here we are definitely going back to try some of the larger plates and the desserts!)

We ordered the Tacos de Casa which are made with tender & juicy slow-cooked shredded pork and topped with fresh cilantro, minced onions, crumbled queso fresco, homemade salsa verde, and served on soft corn tortillas. I have to say that the shredded pork on the tacos made my list of some of the best tacos that I have ever had; and yes I am comparing them right up with many of the local “taco places”. Next up was The Rock Shrimp Tempura which arrived in a large martini glass consisting of succulent tempura shrimp topped with chipotle mayo, scallions, and crispy rice noodles. The gently fried tender and juicy shrimp were topped and coated with just the right amount of Chipotle Mayo. From there we took on The Chino Sticky Ribs which are St. Louis Style ribs, caramelized Chinese BBQ sauce, kimchi apples, and sesame seeds. The meat was fall off the bone tender, cooked, and dressed to perfection. We also ordered a bowl of the Sensei Special Fried Rice which is made with fried rice, pork, chicken, shrimp, and mixed veggies which was also an excellent choice. Midway through the meat, we decide to add in an order of the LA Street Tacos that are made with BBQ skirt steak, cabbage, and gochujang sauce. Another home run! Who is making these tacos?!!

This entire Eastside of Las Olas is being Revitalized into an extension of the main Las Olas Boulevard and is filled with many interesting places to eat. I must say that Casa Sensei is without a doubt the cornerstone of its growth. This memorable, creative and quirky eatery brings you a sweet surprise with the bill – a bowl of Cotton Candy!