With patios opening across the province and the beautiful weather looking to stay, a tour across Niagara to check out some of the great restaurants the region has to offer was needed. This series will take us to several establishments where we will sit down with local restaurant owners to learn more about their business and enjoy their most-loved meals. From new safety measures to feature menu items, we're shining a light on how restaurants across Niagara are ensuring visitors have a comfortable - and memorable - dining experience.
Casa Hugo, Crystal Beach
Our first stop on our patio tour took us to Casa Hugo – a new Mexican restaurant found on Crystal Beach's main strip. As we walked up to check-in, we were immediately taken aback by the restaurant’s layout; incredibly inviting to new diners.
After opening-up shop in early 2020, the pandemic forced a temporary shutdown; however, owner David Bergeron saw this as an opportunity to make some adjustments. Originally, the patio was limited to seating at a beautiful wood table spanning the entire length of the dining area, but that has now been expanded to include multiple private cabanas along the patio’s perimeter – keeping privacy and safety top-of-mind.
As a family-run business, Casa Hugo has a tight-knit team that includes his daughters and close friends. When creating Casa Hugo, David envisioned a place where everyone would feel welcome to have a good time, from his friends and family to new visitors.
David is not only passionate about his restaurant, but the local community as well. Despite being busy with patio renovations and building Casa Hugo's impressive drink list, he still found time to give back to those in need. At the height of the pandemic, Casa Hugo prepared over 250 meals for local food shelters, helped the many who were experiencing difficult times.
From the menu, we started with a Mexican staple, Mexican Street Corn. The sweetness of the corn, subtle heat from the chili oil and smokiness from the grill were perfectly balanced and made for a great start to our meal. Of course, we couldn’t leave without trying some tacos as well – all of which are made with slow-cooked meat and fresh ingredients.
I gave the Al Pastor Pork a try, which was flavourful and juicy with the pineapple salsa lifting it with brightness and freshness, followed by the Chicken Tinga and Barbacoa Beef. The crunchiness of the onions, freshness of the cilantro and savoury poblano sour cream made for a tremendous taco. The Chicken Tinga was great as well. The pickled red onions were the perfect topping as the added a sweet-flavouring to the sauce-covered chicken.
At Casa Hugo, everything is made in house; from the salsas and sauces to the slow-roasted premium meats. David makes a point to source his ingredients from local suppliers, even catching some of the fish from nearby Lake Erie.
With the beach around the corner, a drink and taco in-hand, it felt like we had been transported to Mexico's coast. Casa Hugo is the perfect spot to visit following a day on the beach.
Casa Hugo is opened 7 days a week, starting at 11 a.m. In addition to their patio, they now offer take-out so you can enjoy them wherever you go. Be sure to check out their Facebook page more for information.
Ontario