Despite having extensive experience in the restaurant industry, when Rob DiSilvio moved from New York to Sarasota in 2015, he had no plans to buy a taco spot. But in 2020, that’s exactly what he did, purchasing Island House Taqueria on Bee Ridge Road. The decision sparked a desire to learn as much about Mexican cuisine as he possibly could, and he organized a research and development trip to Mexico to immerse himself in the food of the Oaxaca region, which specializes in moles, tlayudas (a sort of Mexican pizza), mezcal and much more. Reinvigorated and armed with hundreds of new ideas, DiSilvio revamped his restaurant’s menu and rebranded the establishment as Casa Masa. Last winter, he opened a second location in The Landings.

At both locations, the menu is built on the foundation of the “perfect” tortilla. Made from blue corn that is soaked in an alkaline solution—a process called nixtamilization—and turned into a pliable dough, Casa Masa’s tortilla is found in every dish except two side items.

Fans of the O.G. Casa Masa have grown accustomed to grabbing their orders to go. The space is small and not particularly vibey, and the menu there is more pared down than at The Landings, with a focus on tacos ($5-$8), burritos ($13), quesadillas ($14) and tlayudas ($21). At the new spot, you’ll find those same classics at the same price point, plus a bunch of new items that allow DiSilvio to flex his culinary muscles.

A salmon tostada ($16), for example, layers avocado crema, watermelon radish, smoky chili salsa and Ōra King salmon kissed by a blowtorch on top of DiSilvio‘s ubiquitous blue corn tortilla. The tortilla is dense enough to support everything without muddying those clean flavors. Enmoladas de huitlacoche ($27), meanwhile, are made with two tortillas wrapped around sautéed squash blossoms, corn and huitlacoche (commonly referred to as a “Oaxacan truffle” because of its unique flavor). DiSilvio then douses them in mole blanco, a punchier, more acidic version of the famous Oaxacan sauce.

These new items might grab your attention when you sit down, but the carryovers from the first locations are still on point. A birria taco ($7) is made with braised lamb and topped with Oaxacan cheese, red onion and cilantro and comes with a flavorful jus for dipping. Pickled jalapeños cut through fatty braised oxtail in another taco ($8), and the octopus in the pulpo taco ($8) strikes the impossible balance of achieving doneness without becoming rubbery.

The new spot also takes full advantage of its liquor license, which the other location lacks, and offers a hefty tequila and mezcal list, six margaritas and a few out-of-the-box cocktails that are just crazy enough to work. “Tequila & Two Advil” ($14.50) riffs on the classic painkiller cocktail but replaces the rum with tequila. The “Corn Hub” ($14.50), meanwhile, is just plain weird (in the best way possible), thanks to a popcorn-flavored simple syrup mixed with a vodka and lemon base. To finish it off, the bartenders garnish it with a teeny tiny bag of Tajín-coated popcorn. These unusual drinks demonstrate the influence of Brad Coburn, formerly of Pangea Alchemy Lab, who developed the restaurant’s cocktail program.

Casa Masa hasn’t settled on a dessert menu just yet, although a server assures me that one is in the works. Instead, try a savory side of esquites. They’re like elotes (Mexican street corn), but without the corn cob. Instead, corn kernels are folded into mayo, crema, Tajín, lime and queso fresco. It’s all of the joy of an elote with none of the work on the diner’s part.

When Benderson Development bought The Landings in 2017, it was filled with several vacant storefronts that have since been replaced with mostly local businesses and a few national chains, making it one of the city’s best shopping plazas for foodies. With the addition of Casa Masa, it’s only getting better.

CASA MASA | 4862 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 921-0578, casamasa-srq.com