Casa Del Cabo: At Home in Eastham
The crossroads of life always arrive in such unique ways. Some appear on the horizon, and approach slowly, while others lie in wait for you to round a hairpin turn. For Chef Ryan Premdas, the breaking point arrived in between break points while playing tennis with a friend at Willy’s Gym in Eastham. “I came home, and said I don’t want to do this anymore,” he says, remembering that day when he announced to his wife, Anastasia Sotnic, that when it came to his career, things needed to change. This set the couple off on a journey to leave behind their lives – he the Executive Chef, she the General Manager – of both Patio and Pepe’s in Provincetown to open their own restaurant, Casa del Cabo in Eastham.
A native of Gainesville, FL, Premdas knew at an early age where he wanted to be: running his own professional kitchen. He won $70,000 in scholarships to Johnson & Wales University in Miami. “Since high school, I was a culinary student,” he says. “I always liked the adrenaline rush of a kitchen.” Ryan grew up in a college town, and the major sports programs the University of Florida is known for drew Ryan to the team concept. “I always liked working with teams. Kitchens kind of have that in healthy environments,” he adds. Ryan ascended the ranks quickly and earned his first executive chef position at the age of 23. In 2014, he found his way to Cape Cod… and to Anastasia.
Ever notice how some people just seem to be born for the hospitality industry? The radiant smiles, the warmth emanating from within, a seemingly endless wish to enrich others’ experiences? Anastasia Sotnic has those traits in spades. Perhaps she was born for this profession. “I’m from Moldova,” she explains. “It’s a very hospitable country. The people are loud and love to have fun.” Sandwiched between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east, Moldova declared its independence in 1992 after the fall of the Soviet Union. “My dream was always to have a big house to invite everybody over,” she reflects. “Casa” is Romanian for “house” (the Romanian and Moldovan languages are virtually identical). Casa del Cabo translates to “Cape House”, and to watch Anastasia greet guests arriving at the front door of the restaurant is akin to a host welcoming family and friends to their home for dinner.
Anastasia arrived in 2008 through the J-1 visa program, and three years later earned her green card. She traveled to other seasonal destinations during the Cape’s off-season. “Hawaii, Austin, Miami… oh, Miami was a great experience,” she recalls. She and Ryan grew closer as they grew in their roles at Patio and Pepe’s Wharf. Ryan soon began to join Anastasia on the off-season trips, along the way amassing the knowledge of all aspects of the restaurant business.
Then, the day of that fateful tennis match came when the duo, now married with two small children, decided to take the leap. “I went into work that day and told Joachim and Mark (Patio owners Joachim Sandbichler and Mark Ferrari) that I was going to look for my own place,” Ryan remembers. “Originally, I wanted to open a sandwich shop in P-Town.” They had their sights set on two locations in town, but both fell through. It was then they began to widen their search. “Our whole lives were in P-Town. We lived and worked there,” Anastasia says of the insulated community. “We didn’t know anything about Eastham.” Sometimes it’s good to go into a situation unencumbered by history. In this case, Ryan and Anastasia saw with fresh eyes the possibilities of the location along Route 6 that was once The Beach Break, and most recently Karoo, among many others. There were thoughts in town that nothing could succeed there for long. “We were like that little deaf frog from the story,” Anastasia proudly states, referring to the inspirational tale. In it, the little frog wants to climb a tall tree. The other frogs tell him “It’s too tall,” and “you’re too small.” Yet, he climbs anyway and succeeds because he is deaf and can’t hear all the negativity.
Sanette Groenewald, owner of Karoo, had recently listed the property for sale, and had two offers, one from the young aspiring restaurateurs. “There was a bunch of connectivity between us,” Ryan explains. Sanette agreed to terms and Casa del Cabo was on its way, opening its doors in June of 2021. “I wanted to call it Little Dory,” Ryan laughs. “But I had learned to pick my battles.”
With the name of the establishment and menu items such as empanadas and tacos, you can be forgiven for thinking Casa del Cabo is a Mexican restaurant. “It’s not Mexican,” both Ryan and Anastasia laugh. The Spanish and Latin influences are simply “food we like to eat,” states Ryan. And oh, what food it is. Fresh and inventive, Chef Ryan and his chef de cuisine Angel Matos have devised a menu that achieves something that most restaurants strive for: uniqueness.
A night starts with cocktails from the bar. The drinks are as beautiful to look at as they are tasty to enjoy, coming from the deft hands of bartender Facundo Vetrano. The Midnight Sidecar’s butterfly pea flower-infused gin, when combined with Cointreau and lemon juice, give the libation a warm pink – or cerise red – appearance, and the simple syrup balances the zesty citrus flavors splendidly. The Gin Gimlet features a house-infused cucumber gin which is utterly perfect for these warm summer evenings. Delicate drops of basil oil float languidly atop, stirred anew with each sip from the coupe glass. Each time a drop hits the taste buds, it gives the flavor a whole new dimension. For those looking for more of a punch, the Skinny Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita answers the call. Fresh lime and pineapple juices add to the pinapple jalapeño tequila without being as sugary as some sour mixes can be.
When it comes to tequila, the listing is far from the ordinary. True aficionados can appreciate the more than thirty offerings. “We offer spirits that are clean, and not often seen here,” Anastasia says. “We went looking for a long time for tequilas and mezcals that are additive free.” Casa del Cabo is the place to go to expand your beverage horizons. “If you’re up for an adventure to try something new? We love it.” She adds.
When the pangs of hunger hit, the menu has something for everyone. “We’ve made changes based on people’s feedback,” Ryan claims. “It’s much better than digging our feet in the ground and saying, ‘This is the way we do this.’” The results may have a familiar ring to them, but upon closer examination (eating), they’re wholly unique. Spinach, artichokes, and cream cheese go so well together on any occasion, and on this night, the trio mingle inside the crispy shell of an empanada. A great sharable to begin the evening (or at any point along the way), each crunchy yet smooth bite will have you going back for another.
The grilled octopus appetizer is charred to perfection without any of the chewiness that can sometimes occur if left on the grill a bit too long. The sweet little Peruvian pearl peppers, nestled in dollops of garlic aioli, accent both the octopus and roasted Yukon Gold potatoes.
Perhaps traditional Cape Cod fare is desired by some. The Eastham oysters are not to be missed. They may be overshadowed by their more famous relative bivalves up the road in Wellfleet, but one slurp of these bayside beauties and you taste the sweetness which should take a back seat to no other. They’re a revelation that’ll have you looking for them on menus wherever you dine.
Every off-season, Ryan seems to dive into a new interest. “One year it was knives. Another was camera equipment,” he laughs. A few years ago, it was smoking meats, and we are all better for it today. The house smoked brisket is in the rotation of daily specials several days of the week. This particular evening it took the form of an appetizer of brisket tacos. Placed on a double layer of soft corn tortillas, the thick slice of brisket is simply topped with a spoonful of guacamole, diced red onion and fresh cilantro sprigs. Ryan uses a “hot and fast” technique to smoke his briskets, but the secret is in the patience. “Whether smoking them hot and fast, or low and slow. The key is to let them rest at least twelve hours,” he explains. “Twenty-four hours is better. You’ve got to let the meat relax.” The muscle fibers just melt away, leaving absolutely no resistance to the bite, but all the smoky greatness of the brisket still shines through.
Turning to the sea, the cioppino features a fresh-from-the-docks catch from Cape Tip Seafood in Provincetown of mussels, cod, calamari, and shrimp, all bathed in spicy tomato sauce to add a nice nip. A bed of polenta fortifies the dish, made even heartier with the additional house made chorizo mixed in, if you choose.
Ryan turns things over to Matos when it comes to the porchetta special. “The porchetta is his baby,” Ryan claims. Rolled tight with herbs layered within, the pork belly maintains a succulence as it’s roasted with the skin on to lock in the juices. The crunchiness of the skin is a wonderful contrast to the tender meat that you can cut with a fork.
The intense red color of the optional aji panca rub makes the grilled swordfish a head turner as the plate is carried through the restaurant, sitting atop the Casa salad along with crushed Yukon Gold potatoes. Aji panca is a smoky-flavored chili pepper that provides a hint of heat and is featured widely throughout Peruvian cuisine. Freshly-prepared chimichurri made with greens and herbs sourced from Chatham Bars Inn Farm in Brewster finishes the look and taste of this intriguing dish.
You just might want to make plans to return when the weather turns cooler. A visit to Spain left Ryan wanting to add a paella to the menu, including the most important part of the dish, the socarrat. “That’s what makes paella, paella,” Ryan says. Chunks of white fish, mussels, shrimp, and chorizo are cooked with saffron rice for over twenty minutes. The duration is key as it allows the socarrat to form on the bottom of the pan. From the Spanish term “socarrar” which means “to burn or scorch”, the bottom of rice is carefully charred to form a crispy caramelized layer that adds another level of flavor and texture to the dish.
Early in the evening at Casa del Cabo, the walls are brightly lit with the late day sun streaming through the picture windows. All the better to take in the striking works of art by local artist Michael Marrinan, who uses sheets of copper as his medium. Other works are from local artists such as Stephen Wisbauer, who is Provincetown’s Shellfish Constable by day. Charming and unique accent pieces picked up by Anastasia come from local sources such as Cottage in South Orleans. As the night progresses and the sun sets, the entire restaurant takes on a warm ambiance from mason jar sconces along the walls. With the cozy setting comes time for true decadence in the form of dessert offerings like the cheese flan, which comes from Ryan’s godmother in Puerto Rico. The creamy flan is awash in caramel sauce with a handful of blueberries to complement the dish. The Chocolate Olla de Crema – topped with caramelized almonds – has a consistency closer to pudding, and a rich, dark chocolate sweetness leaving those enjoying it licking their spoons long after the last bite.
With the warmer weather, the outdoor covered deck and patio beyond add to the experience as guests dine in a woodland setting that makes one feel as far away from Route 6 as you could possibly get. Last year, Casa del Cabo added breakfast to their offerings, with the patio being a choice spot to enjoy the first meal of the day. Amongst the trees and flowers, breakfast is something to be savored, and not rushed through as is so often the case in our hectic lives.
Not ones to rest on their laurels, the pair have taken on reopening the location that was once Brine just down the street. The new Bistro 41 launched with a more traditional menu for those looking for Italian dishes. When we met with Ryan and Anastasia, the plan was to move breakfast service to the new location.
The interesting twists and turns Casa del Cabo’s menu takes has created a loyal, local following. “We wanted to create a neighborhood place that the locals will enjoy,” Ryan says. Some “locals” travel from as far away as Truro because they enjoy it so much. Watching Ryan and Anastasia work the room, or “touch tables”, as they check in with their guests shows the deep connection that has formed. The shared smiles and laughter reveal just how embraced Ryan and Anastasia have become in the Eastham community, and the feeling is mutual. Among them, owners of the former businesses that once called this space home, including Sanette Groenewald, have become regulars. It’s always reassuring to see other restaurateurs dining at an establishment. It’s a tacit approval that lets you know you’ve come to the right place. Although if you’re new to Casa del Cabo, you’ll figure that out for yourself very quickly.
Along with being co-publisher of Edible Cape Cod with his wife Cori, Larry Egan is a New England Associated Press award-winning writer and commentator and host of the talk show The Handyman Hotline on Saturdays from 1-3 pm on 95.1 WXTK-FM. He can be found most afternoons on the trails of Cape Cod being worn out by his personal trainer: their Portuguese Water Dog, Archie.
Casa del Cabo
3 Main Street (Route 6), Eastham
