When Mexican restaurant Salty Iguana closed in Prairie Village a year ago, many longtime customers lost a place that carried a sense of nostalgia for them.
One of those people was Robin Krause, a Prairie Village native and owner of local healthy eatery Billie’s Grocery.
With her new concept, Casa Ama, the hope is that customers can get part of that experience back — both in terms of flavors and atmosphere.
“(Salty Iguana) was a definite gathering place for families who’ve been going there for years,” said Marie Effertz, director of marketing and brand strategy for Billie’s and Casa Ama. “I know (Krause) wanted to kind of give that experience right back to them.”
Pending renovations, the new restaurant will debut at Prairie Village’s Corinth Square shopping center later this spring.
Casa Ama is coming to 8228 Mission Road
- The restaurant is coming to a space on the east side of Corinth Square, just off 83rd Street and Mission Road.
- There, it will operate near Va Bene Italian Eatery and Duck Donuts at the shopping center.
- Regular hours for the restaurant have not yet been finalized.
Casa Ama will serve dishes with multicultural influences
The menu at Casa Ama will center around Mexican flavors, with lots of chilies, beans, charred vegetables and bright citrus.
Though Casa Ama will primarily position itself as a “modern Mexican” eatery, the menu will pull from other cultures, too.
For example, a hummus appetizer topped with birria will blend Mediterranean and Mexican flavors. In place of Spanish rice, some dishes may also use rice cooked with sesame oil, common in Asian cuisine.
The restaurant’s name, Casa Ama, loosely translates to “the house that loves,” which reflects the restaurant’s focus on connection, intention and nourishment.
“It’s a name that kind of reflects the heart of the restaurant,” Effertz said. “It’s rooted in connection and gathering around good food, cooking with intention, welcoming people in, creating a space where they can relax and celebrate.”
The goal for the menu, she added, will be to blend bold, comforting flavors with a health-forward philosophy — much like Krause tries to do with Billie’s Grocery.
Krause opened Billie’s Grocery in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2020. Its Johnson County debut came three years later, at the Ranch Mart North shopping center in Leawood.
The idea to branch out with a Mexican concept came from Krause’s love of how Mexican cuisine mixes bold flavors and healthy ingredients — something she values as a nutritional therapist herself.
“She’s drawn to Mexican cuisine being bold, using comforting ingredients like beans and chilies and savory meats,” Effertz said. “And she really values the inherent balance of proteins, healthy fats and essential nutrients. She just felt like a Mexican restaurant will bring all these passions together.”
Salty Iguana closed all locations
The local Mexican eatery closed both its Olathe and Prairie Village locations within months of each other, the Olathe location shuttering first in September 2024 and the Prairie Village location following in February 2025.
In 2025, the restaurant’s assets were seized by the state following more than $100,000 in unpaid taxes.
Salty Iguana closed its locations in Lawrence and in Independence, Missouri, as well.
Further south in Olathe, the space Salty Iguana used to occupy will also soon be home to another Mexican eatery, Agaves Mexican Grill.
That restaurant is working toward an opening this month and will focus primarily on seafood dishes.
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