A few Saturdays ago (yes, I’ve been a bad blogger) I skipped Oakland’s first battle of the taco trucks because, aside from my general aversion to anything screaming Cinco de Mayo cheesiness, I already had the best tacos I could have possibly tried that day, at C CASA.

C CASA is one of about twenty gourmet stalls at the Oxbow market in Napa, where you can start your morning with Ritual Coffee, have an oyster snack at Hog Island, make a top hat with the amount of frosting on Kara’s Cupcakes, and even get your fruits and veggies at the farmers market on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The prices at C CASA are a bit jolting at first. You’ll look at the chalkboard, you’ll grimace softly, and you’ll whisper to the person next to you, “do you think that’s $6 for just one taco?”
But then you’ll look a little closer at the menu and notice that the meat is grass fed or free range, the seafood is sustainable, the produce is local, and ingredients are being combined in unusual ways, in unusually big forms.

Each taco we had came piled with a mountain of some kind of greens. There was a carnitas taco with pineapple, avocado, and coleslaw. A duck taco with goat cheese, tangerines, and baby spinach. Spiced lamb with aioli, mint, and microgreens that tasted like Istanbul and Mexico City had a baby taco. I was completely satisfied with one, although I did think about getting a roasted duck to nibble on during the ride home.

The tortillas were fresh, the mango agua fresca was of not-too-sweet perfection, and the outside seating was adorable. Good Mexican food with a twist of bougie, you know you like it!


Got the travel bug?
C CASA