Maureen Wallenfang
Appleton Post-Crescent
Published 7:29 AM EDT May 21, 2019
Mi Casa was a dream-turned-reality for Michael Whiting and Maria Hernandez Rodriguez, husband-and-wife owners.
They opened their small, authentic Mexican restaurant in Menasha and in 2012, after just a few years in business, made the leap to 2190 S. Memorial Drive in Appleton.
Over the years, Mi Casa frequently landed on “best of” lists because of its unique dishes, attentive service and high-quality food. Readers called it a “local treasure” and praised its secret mole recipe and homemade tamarind margaritas.
Everything changed March 9, however, when Whiting died. Rodriguez said he died from an “infection of the stomach.”
The restaurant later reopened, but Rodriguez said in April that she didn’t want to continue without her husband.
“I don’t want to keep the business,” she said. “It’s hard because my husband and me started the business. Now I’m alone. It’s hard for me.”
She is in the process of selling the restaurant to Luis “Alex” Santiago.
Santiago applied for a beer and liquor license for the licensing period starting July 1. His application will be considered at Wednesday’s Safety & Licensing Committee Meeting.
City records show his new place will be called El Sabor Mexican Grill.
Contact Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @wallenfang.
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