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For Food's Sake ~ ..one bite at a time!
Casa Ristorante Italiano
29 Thursday MAY 2014
POSTED BY FORFOODSSAKE IN RESTAURANT REVIEWS
≈ 1 COMMENT
Australia, Casa Ristorante Italiano, food, ForFoodssake, italian, italy, King St Wharf, lunch, pizza, Pork,Restaurant Review, sticky date pudding, sydney, tiramisu
Sydney’s popular waterfront dining district, King St Wharf, has welcomed a new kid on the blockwith the opening of the newly launched Casa Ristorante Italiano. Myself and fellow FFS bloggers,Bianca and Alex, were invited* to dine at Casa and sample the new menu which is packed full oftraditional Italian dishes.
This latest venture from The Platinum Restaurant Group, whose list of establishments includeBlackbird Café and Manly’s Whitewater Grill, has recently undergone an impressive modern fit out,creating a sophisticated al fresco dining experience with no amount of detail spared. The centrally
focused bar, where an extensive range of unique cocktails are mixed and served, is an eye-catchingfeature of the restaurant. This, coupled with the fresh grocery display and the pizza making bar withits large wood fired oven, instantly creates an inviting ambience that reflects the culture of thecuisine.
Upon arrival we were presented with a Spicy Lychee Martini, a sweet yet punchy variant on thetraditional, along with an impressive array of cold meats and Italian condiments.
The generous serve of antipasto, known as the Affettati Misti ($23.90) consisted of hand picked andaged cured meats along with pickled vegetables and marinated olives, serve with house madebread.
We also witnessed pizza spinning extraordinaire, Salvatore D’avolo spin, twist and work a pizzadough unlike anything I had ever seen before. Makes for a very entertaining demonstration andproduces a thin, airy base.
Excited for the meal ahead we moved into Casa’s spacious private dining room to sample moredelights off the newly launched menu. It should be noted that the private dining room at Casa canseat up to 60 people with the opportunity to also extend into the outside dining area. It’s one to keepin mind if you are planning a celebratory affair.
Once seated the friendly and attentive wait staff hustled to bring out our shared entrée courses. Anarray of dishes were set down before us and consisted of the Capesante Scottate ($19.90), searedscallops with parsnip purée and garlic finished with caper berries and home-made crumbed potatochips.
Calamari Fritti ($19.90) served with chilli, basil, parsley and aioli.
Fior Di Zucca ($16.90), zucchini flowers stuffed with goat’s milk feta, black olives and semi-driedtomatoes. Each dish was cooked perfectly resulting in strong, idyllic flavours.
My favourite entrée hands down was the Arancini ($16.90), a traditional dish of fried risotto ballsstuffed with pumpkin and smoked mozzarella served with a chilli mayonnaise. Crispy on theoutside and soft on the inside producing a delicious result.
Choosing the main course was rather difficult as we had around 15 different dishes on offer rangingfrom pasta to pizza to meat and fish. We decided the best option was for us each to choose a mainthat we could sample between us (although the fear of food envy lingered when only one of uscould have the very tempting beef tenderloin medallion, slow roasted at a temperature of 65degrees).
Bianca was lucky enough to sample the said Beef Tenderloin Medallion ($39.90), which was cookedmedium rare (as the temp would suggest) and served with truffle mash, caramelized onions andpancetta.
Alex went with the Agnello Pizza ($26.90) comprising of marinated lamb, feta, Spanish onions,pumpkin with Napolitana sauce. Whilst the base was thin and well cooked, it was a unanimoussentiment that the lamb overpowered the taste of the pizza which was unfortunate given that thecombined elements traditionally sit so well together.
In a last minute ditch away from barramundi, I sampled the Pork Belly ($39.90) which was adefinite crowd pleaser, both visually and gastronomically. The skin was thin, crispy and cookedperfectly. The generous serve of belly was thick and to my delight not overly fatty in flavor. Thiswas served on a truffle mash alongside two seared scallops finished with an apple mousse and ciderreduction. A delicious dish, but one for a big appetite and by this stage I was reaching tipping
point!
We then moved on to the final course of dessert ($12 each) and were so pleased that the triple serve
eliminated the need for us to choose. We were presented with three delightful dishes one being alight and classic Tiramisu, sampled by Alex.
Bianca was very content with the Warm Chocolate Tart served with strawberries, pistachios andsalted caramel ice-cream (yum!)
I sampled the Sticky Date Pudding with nougat and vanilla bean ice-cream, which was amazingand just the right amount. All three sweets were beautifully presented, bold in flavour and I wouldrecommend either of those as great choice for dessert.
As if we hadn’t ingested enough, we decided to sample a few more of Casa’s cocktails before callingit a day. We tried the aeperol spritz, Italian fling and my personal favourite the cucumber collins. Ifyou are looking for a refreshing beverage to round of a meal, then do not look past this one. It waslight, fresh and a perfect end to a perfect lunch.
said:
We left Casa Ristorante Italiano feeling overjoyed to have experienced the menu at this beautifulvenue which I believe will reinvigorate this dining district. Definitely give it a try, you won’t bedisappointed!
Vanessa, Bianca & Alex
Photos taken by Alex
*For Food’s Sake were invited to Casa Risorante Italiano by Wasamedia. All opinions, however,are independent.
thought on “Casa Ristorante Italiano”
1. chelsea
May 29, 2014 at 8:17 am
The photography is wonderful! The colors are so warm and rich. The food looks superb! Greatpost makes me want to go there asap!
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