Casa Brasa, the long-awaited Preston Center restaurant featuring multi-cultural cuisine, opened Monday, Oct. 27.

The opulent dining destination has been the subject of curiosity since I first reported about it last December. It took a while for the space formerly occupied by Nick and Sam’s Grill to be transformed into what is now, by far, the most beautiful restaurant in the Park Cities. And that’s just the start of it.

Chips, salsa, pico, chopsticks. PHOTO: KR

The cuisine at Casa Brasa is influenced by Japan, Mexico, and the Mediterranean, and created by Chef Omar Flores and his team in the restaurant and at Big Dill Hospitality, the group behind his other restaurants Muchacho, Even Coast, and Whistle Britches.

Open fire grills produce hearty steaks, pork, and seafood such as Mexico City’s famous Divorciado, sea bass with green and red salsa, and char-grilled oysters. The expansive sushi offerings include specialty maki rolls, nigiri, and sashimi, and more, and are prepared by a large team led by the intensely talented Jimmy Duke, whom I’ve written about in a previous review.

Mexican offerings run the gamut from guacamole to ribeye tacos to pork short rib carnitas. And the Mediterranean influence can be seen in dishes like the Mexican Fattoush salad and the Cauliflower a la Brasa.

So how is it? Very high wow factor.

My husband and I tasted six dishes, a blip on the expansive four-page food menu. Our Barra Fria (cold bar) selection was a stunning ahi tuna tataki with slabs of togarashi seared tuna perched on sliced navel oranges swimming in a yuzu ponzu sauce with salsa macha. We agreed this was our favorite dish and it was best to share it. The sweet, hot, slightly smokey flavor was outstanding.

Ahi Tuna Tataki PHOTO: KR

Beet salad PHOTO: KR

Sea bass PHOTO: KR

We split the Tulum Roll with crab, pineapple, avocado, and lightly seared salmon which was delicious and nicely textured thanks to toasted macadamia nuts. It was even better with a splash of the habanero salsa that diners are served complimentary with chips upon being seated.

Our Queso Panelo starter was unique and flavorful with seared cheese draped in an orange blossom honey and sherry vinaigrette. The wood fired beets were more pickled tasting than smokey but light and delicious. We shared the main course Chilean sea bass which was pan roasted in a Veracruzana lobster sauce. It was sublime, especially with a Spanish Albariño white wine.

Chef Omar Flores’ menu is ambitious in its complexity and scale. It has so much to offer; Casa Brasa is a place where you could dine several times a month and not tire of the menu.

This is a dress up restaurant. The booking reminder text includes this message, “We kindly ask our guests to embrace an elegant and sophisticated dining style. A polished appearance enhances the ambiance we strive to create for all.” 

Can I get an Amen?

This is a gorgeous restaurant with exceptionally well-thought-out details. From the tiger upholstery on the entryway banquette to the covered ceilings, Chef Flores and the Marshi Family put effort and capital into this project. So . . .

I’m not trying to shame anyone here, but, gentlemen, tuck in your shirts. Please don’t wear your ball caps and collarless shirts here. Jeans are great but how about putting on a jacket with them? Dallas women always turn out beautifully dressed so I’d like to see the men step up a bit. I’m impressed you played at Whistling Straits, truly, but save that shirt for a different restaurant. Rant over.

The Eye-catching pavlova
PHOTO: Kersten Rettig

Our final course was a passionfruit pavlova, filled with glorious vanilla crème, and topped with mango, macadamias, and mint. It was light, tart, sweet, crunchy — sublime. A word of caution with this — it requires you to crack the pavlova with your utensil to get at the goodness inside. Unbeknownst to me, a small piece of pavlova landed on my eyelash, so when I was chatting with CEO Alec Marshi after the meal, trying to be cute and all, I looked like I’d been in a food fight. Not cute.

Casa Brasa is a large restaurant with an expansive center bar, private dining rooms, and a bar within the restaurant called Camelia, which will serve bar drinks, light bites, and will stay open until 2 a.m on weekends. I can’t recall another venue in the Park Cities that offers as much menu variety, luxury, and entertainment value as Casa Brasa does. I predict it’s going to be white hot.

Casa Brasa is located at 8111 Preston Road. For reservations go to www.resy.com. For more information and menus and hours of operation, go to www.thecasabrasa.com.