WICKED LOCAL.com – The expression, “when one door closes, another door opens,” certainly applies to the restaurant business. And in 2025, one new restaurant door that will open is Casa Verde, at a former Dunkin shop on Front Street in Scituate Harbor.
Scituate native Kara Tondorf, a singer and songwriter in addition to being a restaurateur, will open Casa Verde on Jan. 14 as a sister restaurant to nearby Salt Society, which she opened in August 2020.
Casa Verde, Spanish for “green house,” will feature fresh lunch and dinner menus, celebrating the flavors of Latin America, spanning the flavors of Peru, Argentina and Mexico.
From singer and songwriter to restaurateur
Tondorf, 47, said she’s had many different careers, but it’s singing and songwriting that got her into the restaurant business.
“I became very interested in the culture around restaurants — the vibes, design and food and all the sensory things that go along with restaurants,” she said. “It’s not just a place to get a meal. It’s an experience.”
While touring, Tondorf said she always sought out the coolest and best restaurants — not necessarily the most popular ones, but those she found interesting and creative.
This mural is painted on a wall at the soon-to-open Casa Verde in Scituate Harbor. Its owner, Kara Tondorf, said she expects the new restaurant to open in mid-January.
At 35, she got her first opportunity to own a restaurant when she became a business partner and took over Riva, an Italian eatery, in 2012. It closed in September 2020, with COVID-19 being a key factor.
In 2014, Tondorf took over JW’s Burger Bar in Scituate and transformed it into The Rivershed, a venue for singers to perform and inspired by her experiences in Nashville. It was successful enough to lead to additional locations in Braintree and Killington, Vermont. Only the Vermont restaurant remains open.
Transforming Dunkin’ space into Casa Verde
Tondorf enjoys designing restaurant spaces that create experiences for people through lighting, interior color and texture, and of course, music. For Casa Verde, she decided on a Latin-American theme because she has always been drawn to Latin culture.
“I spent the better part of the summer in Venezuela when I was a teenager,” Tondorf said. “I took Spanish for eight years in school and traveled a lot.
“I just love the culture and think people can expect really cool music and really good food.”
She anticipates the new space will be intimate, but vibrant, with warm tones, plants and murals that celebrate Latin American women. Tondorf will also curate playlists at Casa Verde to include fun, upbeat Latin music and hip-hop. She hopes to have live Cuban singers and a Latin jazz trio, as well as salsa dance classes.
About Casa Verde’s menu
Casa Verde will be open daily for lunch and dinner. Tondorf hired chef Antonio Burgo to create the menu, which will focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and innovative dishes, including paella, tapas, tacos and other unique light bites.
Entrees such as bone-in tomahawk steak, ceviche and empanadas will use regional flavors such as fiery spices of Mexico and tropical notes of the Caribbean.
The custom beverage program will feature a lengthy innovative cocktail list using custom-crafted shrubs and gourmet ingredients, an expansive specialty selection of non-alcoholic libations and Spanish wines.
For weekends, a brunch menu will treat guests to indulgent dishes including patatas bravas topped with a fried egg, churros-flavored French toast and Latin-style breakfast tacos. There will also be a mimosa bar, bloody Mary bar and mojito flights, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
The custom beverage program will feature a lengthy innovative cocktail list using custom-crafted shrubs and gourmet ingredients, an expansive specialty selection of non-alcoholic libations and Spanish wines.
For weekends, a brunch menu will treat guests to indulgent dishes including patatas bravas topped with a fried egg, churros-flavored French toast and Latin-style breakfast tacos. There will also be a mimosa bar, bloody Mary bar and mojito flights, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Meanwhile, Tondorf’s singing and songwriting career continues
Tondorf is continuing her music career. She plans a three-day concert series called Wintersong on Jan. 24-26 that will celebrate female performers. She aspires to organize an all-women songwriter music festival in the spring of 2025.
By Joanna K. Tzouvelis, for Wicked Local
