La Casa, The Monis Family's Greek-Owned Pizza-Based Restaurant on Duke Street in Landmark

[Pat]

DonRocks said:

Not a culinary destination; just a super-friendly family-run restaurant, open since 1978. Absolutely the biggest surprise of my week.

Interesting find. I believe I know which shopping center that is. What did you get there?

[monavano]

But as I sat and waited for my food, I noticed the "Managers on Duty" sign: and everyone was named Monis. Neurons started firing in the back of my brain, and I vaguely recalled that Johnny's family owns a restaurant in the area. Sure enough, his mom took my order, and his brother Demetri brought out the food (and yes, girls, he looks a lot like Johnny!) - I now remember meeting him at Bistrot du Coin a couple of years ago.

Good recall, Don.

[Tweaked]

So I walked into La Casa, in the same shopping center. I thought it might have been Mexican, but the menu was primarily Italian, with pizza featured prominently. However, what caught my eye were a few Greek dishes. Yep, it looked like a Greek-owned pizza parlor.

I love La Casa, solid inexpensive food from a family run business...I use to be a regular when my now ex-girlfriend was living around the corner. It's defiintely one of those fall back, what shall we get for dinner, I don't know, lets order La Casa, type places. The kind of place where eventually they don't even ask for your name when you call in an order because they already know who you are.

[monavano]

I love La Casa, solid inexpensive food from a family run business...I use to be a regular when my now ex-girlfriend was living around the corner. It's defiintely one of those fall back, what shall we get for dinner, I don't know, lets order La Casa, type places. The kind of place where eventually they don't even ask for your name when you call in an order because they already know who you are.

Are there any particular favorites/comfort foods? How about the pizza?

Thanks.

[Tweaked]

Their pizza is solid...not the high brow, wood fire, pizza that has been the craze as of late, more like good old fashion pizza palor pizza...get it with the sliced meatballs on top. All of their sub sandwiches are good...I don't think anything was bad...again, you need to think this is all deli, pizza palor, take-out style food that's going to cost $5-$7. It is what it is...I think mostly I like the place because it reminds me of the little corner family run places that dot upstate New York (Albany, syracuse etc. where I grew up and went to college).

[monavano]

Their pizza is solid...not the high brow, wood fire, pizza that has been the craze as of late, more like good old fashion pizza palor pizza...get it with the sliced meatballs on top. All of their sub sandwiches are good...I don't think anything was bad...again, you need to think this is all deli, pizza palor, take-out style food that's going to cost $5-$7. It is what it is.

Sounds wonderful. I grew up with these kind of places.

[Sebastian Zutant]

I love la casa.

[Sthitch]

So I walked into La Casa, in the same shopping center. I thought it might have been Mexican, but the menu was primarily Italian, with pizza featured prominently. However, what caught my eye were a few Greek dishes. Yep, it looked like a Greek-owned pizza parlor.

My wife and I popped in before grocery shopping. My chicken breast sandwich was fine and my wife enjoyed her Gyro, but the women sitting next to me ordered what had to be the worst looking crabcakes I have ever seen. Not only did they look like they were mostly filler, but I could actually smell them a table away, and they did not smell like crab more like week old fish.

[DonRocks]

I've now had pizza at La Casa twice, the first time dining in, and the second time carrying it out. When I had it hot out of the oven, the thick, bready outer crust was dry and somewhat ponderous, but with transport, the steam rose up from the toppings, hit the top of the box, distributed out to the sides, and fell back down upon the outer crust, rendering it softer and more manageable by the time I got it open.

A medium Greek ($15.95) is fourteen-inches in size. It comes with mozzarella, little crumbs of feta, black olives, tomatoes, a touch of olive oil, and the two most interesting components: gyro meat and fresh basil.

Ordering a Greek pizza at a Greek-Italian restaurant cuts right to the heart of the matter, and this was a good neighborhood-level pizza that I'd order again.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Robert Rymarz]

On my last visit to Komi I went to La Casa the next day for lunch before heading back to NY. I met Chefs parents who are wonderful people who obviously care about their restaurant and product.

La Casa is nothing fancy but it is a very well run family restaurant that more communities need more of. Upon leaving the thought came to my mind. ' Now I get it! The apple did not fall far from the tree.'

Can't wait to visit again as I imagine I'll start a new tradition on my visits to Komi.

[KMango]

Another quick shout out to echo the sentiments above. Feeling tired, cold, and in need of almost-back-home hospitality with honest food and people who care about what they are serving?

La Casa is your place. Sit at the bar or in a booth. You'll find two beers on tap---usually Stella and either Port City something or Bell's seasonal ale. Your favorite spirit is probably in the building, not a bad selection, and do check out the house cocktail menu for some lively finds in the $8 range.

Sandwiches are simple and filling. The Greek Mezza Platter ($10.99) is a hearty feast for one, or share with some, but heck if I'm sharing my taramasalata with anyone. Other recent enjoyments include anything involving gyro meat (sandwich, pizza, salad) and a fork-fight worthy rendition of galaktoboureko, sturdy/light semolina custard with pillow phyllo graced by puffs of powdered cinnamon and not-too-sweet floral syrup.

(one day)

(shwe ji vs. galaktoboureko contest)

(one day)

[Tweaked]

La Casa originally opened in 1977 (it's amazing how many restaurants I've recently added to the Oldest Restaurants in Washington, DC list), and it moved into newer digs - when, I'm not sure, but this entire shopping center seems relatively new: It must have been demolished and rebuilt (or it had one heck of a facelift).

La Casa was a small pizza joint, counter order with a handful of tables.  Then they opened a larger, sit down style restaurant a couple of doors down.  That would have been around 2002/2003 or so.  I haven't been there in years, so not sure if they consolidated their restaurant into one location or not, and if so into which space.

[DonRocks]

3 minutes ago, Tweaked said:

La Casa was a small pizza joint, counter order with a handful of tables.  Then they opened a larger, sit down style restaurant a couple of doors down.  That would have been around 2002/2003 or so.  I haven't been there in years, so not sure if they consolidated their restaurant into one location or not, and if so into which space.

La Casa definitely meets the definition of the "larger, sit down style restaurant" rather than a "counter order with a handful of tables" - it's not huge, but it's not tiny either.

[EpicuriousGeorge]

The Taramasalata is actually pretty good here.

[DonRocks]

Some things in life continue, and provide comfort just to see.