Talk about a window opening: We are so so lucky to have Casa now open on Duane in the former Khe-Yo space — in fact, as sad as it was to lose Khe-Yo, without the end of that chapter we may not have gotten the start of this one.

For longtime Tribecan (since 1998) Jupira Lee, this new restaurant is a sort of homecoming. She had Casa on the tucked-away corner of Bedford and Commerce in the West Village for 24 years. It closed in 2022, and Jupira thought that was it for her and the restaurant business.

“And one Sunday I was walking to Pilates at 9 am and the owner of Khe-Yo and his landlord were outside putting the ‘for rent’ sign up. I wished them luck and left for Mexico City the next morning,” she said. But that was not the end of it. The landlord called her and put it simply: Jupira would be her tenant because she loved her food in the West Village. Her daughters’ godmother is Brazilian. It was destined.

“I called my chef, actually hoping he would say he was happy in his new job of almost two years. But he said YES!

“It was not in my plans to reopen anywhere anytime soon. But divine intervention made it this way. So close to my home! It makes it easier to go to work for sure.

“And I knew Tribeca needed some ethnic food from living here so many years.”

The restaurant came together quickly (despite the dragging of feet for the liquor license from the community board); she brightened the place up by painting white everything that was black. It’s very homey, with embroidered banquettes, warm lighting, plants thriving in the window — she’s even personalized the cones outside the cellar hatch.

We were lucky to go for the first time with our friends who lived in Brazil for several years, so they knew the dishes and could even order in Portuguese — we sat back and enjoyed. I am thinking right now about the bolinhos de bacalhau, little cod fritters that are light and flavorful, and the miraculously gluten free (they are made with cassava flour) pao de queijo — cheesy bread balls. But that’s just for appetizers.

The Stroganoff de Alcatra — strips of beef swimming in cream, mushrooms and tomatoes served with rice and matchstick potatoes — was so hearty and perfect. (We shared everything, and I would recommend that approach. The plates are generous.) I love baked whole garlic cloves, and that’s what the filet comes served with. And to balance that out we added the prato vegetariano — rice, beans, fried banana, collard greens and okra.

Entrees run between $32 and $42, mostly depending on the meat; appetizers are $12 to $20.

Brazil has a specialty cocktail called the caipirinha, and Casa has several versions, all made with a sugar cane liquor known as cachaça. There’s lemon and turmeric and clove; coffee, orange peel and cinnamon; blueberry, raspberry and passion fruit; cashew fruit with lime, just to name a few. And there’s a big list of mocktails and juices — perfect spot for Dry January, if that’s your thing.

A bit of Jupira’s backstory: she was born in São Paulo and moved to the city at age 17 in 1989 to attend Parsons School of Design. “I loved New York City because one could eat the world here! From A to Z! Afghani food to Zambian cuisine!”

But she couldn’t find “real” Brazilian food — home cooking, which, as she says, it what Brazilian food should really taste like. So she opened Casa in 1998, closing it when her lease ended. “I was done with the hospitality business, which I have been in for 40 years,” she said. “Until…”

Like I said, lucky for us.

Oh, and they just started brunch. Going back this weekend.

Casa
157 Duane | Hudson & West Broadway
212-220-5352
nyccasarestaurant@gmail.com
Monday to Wednesday, 4 to 10p
Thursday to Saturday, 4 to 10:30p
Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 10:30a to 4p