Gilded in black and gold, Casa Luna is a treat for the eyes. The space is accented by a balcony overlooking the dining room and a clock tower above a mirrored bar, transporting diners to a courtyard in Spain.  

“We've always said, ‘Mi casa es su casa,’ right? But we wanted to elevate it a little more. We knew the valley needed more fine dining, something more elevated and upscale,” Ruby Valera said. 

Casa Luna is a new restaurant in Kalispell from the Valera family, who own Casa Mexico in Kalispell and Vaqueros in Columbia Falls. Started by Francisco and Graciela Valera, Casa Mexico has been dedicated to providing friendly hospitality and top-notch Mexican food for over 20 years.  

Their daughter Ruby Valera is at the helm of Casa Luna as the owner and manager. She said they wanted to open a fine dining restaurant that continued the ethos of their other businesses but served up Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine — something hard to find in Northwest Montana.  

“We didn't want to do upscale Mexican, and we didn't want to be just like another typical steak house,” Valera said.  

The restaurant’s secret sauce is Executive Chef Joel Lepe, who moved to the valley after a career cooking in upscale restaurants in Florida. Lepe attended Le Cordon Bleu in France for his training and returned to the states to cook at high-end country clubs, golf courses and other restaurants in the Orlando area. He also cooked at a restaurant in Disney World.  

Valera said it's clear that Lepe has talent, but he also has a lot of experience cooking all different kinds of cuisine: Mexican, Italian and French. Sushi has been one of the specials at Casa Luna. Though the focus is on Spanish- and Mediterranean-inspired food, there is plenty of room for creativity.  

When developing the menu, Lepe said he was interested in showcasing local, fresh ingredients.  

“I made my own searches about the area’s flavors, products, everything about local [cuisine. Ima de a base menu for Casa Luna, but we’re going to continue making new dishes with more creativity. Create something for specials or a tasting menu. We have plenty of ideas, so this is just the beginning,” Lepe said.  

Ahead of opening for the dinner shift, Lepe made the staff the night’s special: fresh halibut with a mango-orange glaze and mango salsa, topped over Moroccan couscous.  

But even though the restaurant aims to make every visit special, it’s not just for special occasions, Valera said.  

“I’ve noticed, people have this misconception that because it's beautiful in here, they think it’s a space just for anniversaries, birthdays — like special occasions. But in reality, if you look at the tapas menu, we're pretty well-priced and well-rounded. If you get two, three tapas with a couple cocktails. That ends up being similar [in price] to anywhere else you'd see in the valley,” Valera said.  

Tapas is equivalent to appetizers, with many of Casa Luna’s drawing from Spanish cuisine: croquetas filled with Chorizo or Spanish ham, empanadas filled with chicken, sofrito and Manchego served with a saffron aioli and mojo verde.  

Valera said Spanish culture is all about sharing and relaxing during a meal.  

“With my experience living in Spain for a couple months, you go out at 6 or 7 p.m. and you sit at a cafe, have a glass of sangria, and you're just munching on items. It's not like you sit down and have a full meal. It’s usually with a couple of friends. It's meant to be enjoyed and a moment to just slow down with delicious food,” Valera said.  

Entrees on the menu include pan-seared market-fresh fish served with sweet corn coulis, poblano pepper salsa, buttered asparagus and creamy polenta. As well as a selection of steaks, salmon, chicken and spaghetti cooked in a white wine saffron fume, with octopus, mussels, shrimp and scallops.  

There is also a carefully curated cocktail menu, with twists on classics like the carajillo and negroni.  

Valera said that longtime residents of the valley may remember the space as Rose’s Fine Dining, which was there in the 80s and 90s. After, the building was Double Jay’s Casino and later used as storage for the nearby Econolodge.  

The Valeras originally thought of transforming it into an event space, with the perk of being able to extend the liquor license to a new business as long as it was under the same roof, Ruby Valera said. But the vision eventually transformed into what Casa Luna is today. They opened in December for dinner service and have been hosting monthly events, as well as the occasional Sunday brunch.  

Valera said after moving away to attend school in San Fransico, then living abroad, she returned home to the Flathead Valley, craving a fine dining experience.  

“I was such a foodie, like, I would always be fine dining and eating out and having all these cool new experiences. So when I came back home after three or four years abroad, I was like, ‘I'm missing something,’” she said. “With Mexican (food), we’ve been doing it for 22 years, my whole family, that's what we've been doing. So just being able to branch out and do something on my kind of my own, it's just nice.”  

Casa Luna is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 5-9 p.m. It is located at 1600 U.S. 93, Kalispell. Those interested in events or brunch can check social media and at casalunamt.com. 

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. 

    The dining area inside Casa Luna in Kalispell on Wednesday, April 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Bartender Hector Ramirez makes a Tangueray Gin No. 10 and tonic at Casa Luna in Kalispell on Wednesday, April 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 

    Halibut with orange mango glaze and fresh mango salsa, on top of Moroccan couscous and mango carrott puree at Casa Luna in Kalispell on Wednesday, April 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

  

    A Spanish Gin and Tonic at Casa Luna in Kalispell on Wednesday, April 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider 

    The dining area inside Casa Luna in Kalispell on Wednesday, April 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    The bar area inside Casa Luna in Kalispell on Wednesday, April 15. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider