Fast, fresh, and tasty, naturally!

When Chuck Losoya, the owner of Casablanca Restaurant and Grill asked Andy Baida was asked to oversee and operate a new coffee shop, Andy took it one step further. Why not also serve healthy food like he eats at home?

It couldn’t have come at a better time. In an area like Grants Pass, Oregon - which seems to be a step ahead of the rest of the country in reverting back to wholesome foods and converting to environmentally friendly products, consumers are ready for a healthy alternative such as Casablanca. Rather than loading up on hydrogenated oils and processed foods loaded with trans fats, this restaurant stocks soybean and corn oil. Their produce is locally produced. Their cheese is freshly grated, which means it hasn’t been stored in plastic bags and hasn’t been treated with anti-caking agents. Would you like chlorine washed lettuce that’s been stored in plastic? Hopefully the answer is no, and that’s why Casablanca doesn’t purchase processed foods and uses local, organic ingredients as much as possible.

However, it is a drive-through, and it is fast food. That brings up the issue of packaging. Is it really logical to offer healthy choices if they’re going to be served in oil based plastic containers or Styrofoam? Probably not, which is why you won’t find them used at Casablanca. The box your food comes in is created from sugar cane. The utensils are made of cornstarch. The coffee cups are compostable. Andy goes through the ingredients of every item before ordering to ensure that only the best quality, earth friendly, and healthy products are handed over to you.

Keeping with the theme of healthy and fresh, Casablanca Coffee & Grill also offers 100% fruit smoothies in a variety of flavors. Boosted smoothies include extras, which are different with each drink. For example, “The Healer” is a peach, pear, apricot and strawberry blend with antioxidants, wheat grass, and ginko biloba. “Detox is a mixture of acai berry, mango, pineapple, blueberry, and pomegranite with Dr’s Garden phyto-nutrients. These drinks make a great accompaniment to lunch dishes such as Teriyaki Bento over organic rice or a sweet chile wrap. A vegan choice includes black or pinto beans combined with a lettuce bland, fresh salsita, sprouts, and vegan dressing. It contains no dairy or animal products.

If it’s coffee you’re after, you’ll have a number of choices to make from freshly brewed organic coffee to a honey drizzled latte. Extra flavors include goodies such as tiramisu, banana, amaretto, raspberry, cinnamon, and much, much more. A variety of teas and cold drinks are also available. Pair one of these drinks with a wrap made from scrambled eggs and homemade sausage or the Don Carlos Bento and you’ll have a breakfast that will start your day off with a bang. As always, the eggs are from cage free vegetarian fed hens, antibiotic and steroid free, with no hormones or stimulants. Soups, appetizers, snacks, and an assortment of teas are also on the menu.

This remarkable attention to detail and concern for the well being of others isn’t limited to customers. Andy is a firm believer in providing for the needy and has a special interest in helping out children who have been places in foster care. His compassion for these children spills over into his business, and employees of Casablanca recently dug into their own pockets in order to donate to the Easter Basket Project. At the end of last year, their money went to buy Christmas toys for over twenty children. They’re also involved in Relay for Life, Although the business is new and still trying to establish itself here in Grants Pass, Casablanca takes great effort to donate to foster care causes whenever possible. When asked why he becomes so involved with foster kids, Andy replied with this comment: “Kids don’t have a choice to live in poverty. The saints, the ones you hear about who used to help so many people throughout the world, they aren’t here anymore. These kids, they need to be taken care of.”

Casablanca’s provision of wise choices for the community, eco-friendly products for the earth, and love for local children leads to the belief that Andy and his crew has unwittingly heeded the words of one particularly well known saint who said “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” - Mother Theresa

Please be sure to stop by and give Casablanca Coffee & Grill a chance to make your day a little brighter. They are located at 686 Union Avenue on the corner of Union and Fairgrounds Drive. (Across from the Three Rivers Hospital and the Shell Gas Station)
For special orders or if you’re in a hurry, call your order in ahead of time at (541) 479-2831 -Gina Locke