In May, CASA Managing Partner Dan Zink recruited Kris Morningstar (Blue Velvet, Opaline) to become chef-partner in a sleek Mexican restaurant at the south end of downtown’s sunken California Plaza. Now their vision is nearly realized as they hope to debut CASA on December 10.

Ana Henton and Gregory Williams of Mass Architecture & Design (Silverlake Wine, BREADBAR Century City, Locali) transformed the former home of Wall Street Deli into a contemporary brown-and-white space that would fit in Mexico City. Outside, expect to find rounded booths of varying heights, offering increasing degrees of privacy. CASA hosts the only outdoor bar in downtown Los Angeles, along with a plaza fire pit. Inside, seating is primarily banquette and booth, with an exhibition kitchen and traditional Mexican cooking vessels showcased on ledges built into molded slab walls. The vessels include bean pots, water vessels and bowls. Another major design element: brown metal agave paddles.

At lunch, Morningstar will use CASA as a taqueria, specializing in tacos, huaraches and traditional quesadillas molded from masa.

For dinner, expect a more elaborate take on Mexican cuisine. Morningstar is still fine-tuning the menu, which will be seasonal. He expects to make wholesale changes every two to three months. The opening menu will feature dishes like grilled octopus with a citrusy sauce made with fire-charred chilies and herbs. Braised rabbit will come with ancho chile and chestnut sauce, roasted cauliflower, spicy pickled raisins and toasted almonds. From the sea, you’ll find seafood pozole with lobster, mussels, clams, hominy and chayote in a spicy arbol chile broth. There will also be a classic mole Poblano with roasted parsnips and sesame tuille.

For dessert, Morningstar will feature bunuelos stuffed with roasted bananas, drizzled with rum dulce de leche, and a smoked milk flan with hibiscus-smoked prunes and an almond tuille.

To drink, Morningstar plans to offer seasonal aguas frescas at lunch, including limeade with mint, tamarind-pineapple and hibiscus with orange zest and cinnamon simple syrup. At dinner, mixologist Billy Fanning will likely incorporate the aguas frescas in to cocktails. CASA will also make and sparkling wine.