Cassava North American Grille

Sitting among several other store fronts in a typical NE Philly shopping center is a wonderful place called Cassava North American Grille. At first glance, it almost looks out of place among the rest. A picture of a giant Cassava leaf adorns the front entrance, and flags from the countries represented in their cuisine line the outdoor patio area. It really looks like a trendy restaurant you would see downtown. Don’t let the looks of Cassava fool you though. The prices are much more reasonable than anything you would find down in Center City, yet the atmosphere and food are just as trendy.
Cassava is a unique concept developed by owners John Blanton and Benson Zak. John and Benson together bring over 40 years of experience in the restaurant and bar business. John has spent the last 9 years as head bartender at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia and Benson has worked at The Capital Grille and Union Trust Steakhouse, doing everything from food running to AGM for the last 11 years. They have brought all of their experience and knowledge, combined with their own unique and cutting-edge ideas to Cassava North American Grille.
The menu features the delicious cuisine and flavors of the US, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti, among others. All the food is completely fresh and prepared on-site. You can tell the quality of the food from the very first bite you take. My husband Rick and I decided to have dinner there so that I could do my interview with John. We sampled a few items and to be honest, I wish we could have tried them all. Everything on the menu was so unique. I am not a fan of the chain restaurants. I prefer a place that will take chances and think outside the box when it comes to cuisine and Cassava is definitely place you’ll want to explore again and again. We decided to share the Dipping Duo as our appetizer, which was soft and warm deep fried pretzel nuggets served with Spinach Queso and Buffalo Chicken dipping sauces. The Queso was loaded with flavorful spinach and cheese and the Buffalo sauce was big chunks of fresh, quality chicken in this thick, mouth watering sauce. We finished every bit of it and I even wanted to lick the bowl it was so good! For dinner, I asked John what were some of his recommendations, so we had the Texan Gourmet Burger and the Fajitas Ardiendas. The Texan was a thick, juicy burger, topped with tender pulled pork, fried onions and Cheddar cheese, served on a fresh Cuban roll. It came with the most delicious onion rings I have ever had, as well as their own spicy ketchup. I tried and almost finished the giant burger, but it was a lot to handle. The Fajitas were brought to our table and when they arrived a shot of tequila was poured on top and they were lit on fire for that final glaze of smoky yumminess. The veggies were fresh, the meat was tender & just melted in your mouth, and the plate of sour cream, Pico de Gallo, Arroz Branco and Guacamole was like a rainbow or flavor that just enhanced this dish. Some of the other signature menu items are the Jamaican Pasta and the Croquetas Cubanas, Sirloin Steak and Blackened Salmon for example, served with great sides such as regular or Cheddar mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, grilled pineapple and Yucca fries among many other great items.
The food is not the only highlight on the Cassava menu. John has taken his skills as a Mixologist and came up with new and innovative drink selections that are quite an experience of their own. He wanted me to try one of his signature creations called the Jack Honey Fizz, which was Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey, Triple Sec, Fresh lemon and lime juice and 1 egg white all shaken vigorously and served with a lemon peel. I am not a Whiskey drinker, but this was absolutely refreshing and delicious. I finished every drop of it! One of the house specialties is the Spicy Gimlet – Skyy Vodka, with fresh Ginger, fresh Lime & Jalapeno with a dash of simple syrup. All of the drinks on the menu are served with the best ingredients as well. No sugary syrups are used to flavor these drinks – only fresh fruit and juices will do for their customers. What really surprised me were the prices of these drinks. $6.00 for a drink like that? Heck, you could never get a drink like that period, in most places around here. And if you ordered it, they would look at you like you had a third eye! At $6.00 each, you can try a few and get to experience what a mixed drink should really taste like. And get this…if you stop in during their Mid Day hours (2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Monday – Sunday) these awesome drinks are just $4.00! No, that is not a typo!
In addition to food and drink, Cassava has some of the best entertainment, focusing on live Classic Rock, Jazz and Blues bands on Friday nights. For the dancing crowd, DJ Joe Broscoe is there every Tuesday and Saturday night playing the music of the ‘80’s, ‘90’s and today. Sorry kids – no Rap music! There is never a cover at Cassava either, which makes it even easier to enjoy all they have to offer.
There are many things to try at Cassava, such as the Express Lunch: Monday through Saturday, 11:30 am to 2:00 pm, enjoy one of their delicious sandwiches that come with a drink and fries for just $6.00. Their Mid Day Menu which runs Monday through Sunday 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm offers $2.00 Domestic Bottles, $3.00 Select Craft Bottles, $4.00 House Wine and $4.00 Cocktails as mentioned earlier. And for just $5.00 you can enjoy Small Plates of Jerk Rock Shrimp, Cajun Sirloin Sliders or several other wonderful and tasty items. Sunday Brunch is also served at Cassava from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm with an array of delicious selections such as Mudslide Pancakes: Coffee-Caramel pancakes topped with ice-cream; “N’Awlens” Crab Benedict: Crispy crab cakes served with poached eggs, spicy Remoulade and Hash browns; as well as French toast, burritos and burgers (oh my!)

Our experience at Cassava North American Grille was simply an awakening. You don’t need to frequent the chains when there are places like Cassava. Food with flavors that just explode, unique cocktails and libations that make you wonder why you were settling for anything less before, a great atmosphere, great service and unheard of prices for such high quality…it’s truly a wonderful experience that everyone should try. If you are going out to dinner tonight, go to Cassava North American Grille. You will be so glad you did! They are located close to everything at 1619 Grant Ave in the Grant Plaza. You can view their menu right now at their website www.cassavagrille.com. Tell them the Out On The Town sent you!