Peachy Picks Casabella Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Owner Bitsie Gallo
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From the moment we walked into Casabella down in Little Italy on Mulberry Street and were warmly greeted by Nino the waiter and Renato the Executive Chef, we knew we were in for a memorable evening from the very first bite of the delicious Focaccia Della Casa: Rustic Italian Toast with flavorful wild mushrooms! Served warm, it got to our table about one minute after we sat down and the thinly cubed mushrooms set the stage for a marathon night at Casabella of decadent delicacies!
Casabella was first featured in Tasty Tidbits:
and we are pleased to announce it has advanced to Peachy's Picks! Owner Bitsie Gallo demonstrates tremendous dedication to her restaurant and has been there since 1975-Casabella is actually pre-Peachy! (just slightly.) Originally Bitsie ran the restaurant for an attorney who owned the restaurant, but in 2001 after his death she took full reins and is the owner as well today. Bitsie is a total peach and we absolutely loved meeting her; note she also shares our love of hats and fashion! Every course we were served was superlative in quality and beautiful in presentation as evidenced by the pictures. Everyone at Casabella is interested in not only doing excellent work but also in exceeded any expectations you had going in. Our next course we were welcomed with was Prosciutto E Gamberetti shown above; it is succulent little shrimps wrapped in prosciutto di parma with sundried tomato puree and a touch of pesto. What a combination! In all of the restaurant reviews we've written we do not believe we've seen this before.
A Mano Primitivo came recommended as the strong Italian red that we love, and it proved to be a solid companion for many of the courses we enjoyed at Casabella. With soft tannins, it had notes of red berries that brought out the best flavors in the menu selections. Of course, it is from Italy.
An absolute must on your visit to Casabella is the Carciofini Alla Romana: Fresh baby artichokes sauteed in garlic, olive oil and white wine, otherwise known as Bitsie's Baby Artichokes. This may sound simplistic but the taste and flavor has depth and intricacies that your tastebuds need to appreciate! You'll be left wondering why every other artichoke in your life was not as good as this one and maybe Renato will even tell you his secret...and if he won't, ask Bitsie! They are not kidding when they say on the menu that they will melt in your mouth. It was so fantastic it silenced Peachy so she could give her full concentration to what was on her plate.
Casabella said we should try the Di Cesare salad, and if you had any inkling that this would be ordinary, you should drop that thought now. Renato is holding an award that Casabella received for their Di Cesare salad and it is every bit deserved. Not only was Renato skillful in the kitchen but also he is one of the most entertaining chefs we have encountered in recent times; he will regale you with colorful stories! We adore being entertained at dinner reviews and it is right up there with the food...
Peachy Deegan has eaten a lot of Caesar Salads in her life, but none can hold a candle to the Di Cesare salad made fresh right in front of you at your table at Casabella. The fresh ingredients in perfect harmony together brings out tastes that prior to eating this winner, you may not have realized that a Caesar salad could possess. Also note that normally we always want the dressing on the side, however you should skip that philosophy here and indulge in the achievement of Casabella's Di Cesare salad for two.
We were absolutely convinced by now that Casabella knew what they were doing, so picking a pasta course was a tough decision as there are well over a dozen tremendous choices. Penne e Broccoli proved to be the best way to have broccoli in town! Sauteed in garlic and oil, you will be left wondering when you try to make this at home even with ingredients as straightforward as this, your version is miles away from the divine creation at Casabella.
With our entree, Renato suggested this Gavi made with Cortese grapes and its smooth finish and crisp taste won us over.
Naturally, it is made in Italy.
Nino provided perfect service all evening and has been at Casabella since 1999 and between the three of them we enjoyed paramount service all night. Difficult decisions again come at the moment when you must narrow down all of the entrees screaming your name and pick one. The twenty year veal sounded quite divine to Peachy Deegan. It is the famous veal chop stuffed with prosciutto fontina cheese in marsala wine and mushrooms and we understand it has been a house special for more than twenty years. From the moment this dish meets your lips it will become immediately evident why this is the dish to beat at Casabella. We have had some nice veal before, but have not had anything this majestic in flavor.
A lovely little potoato croquette joined the veal extravaganza, and the angel named Bloomberg that sits on Peachy's shoulder that whispers in her ear: "Another day, another cocktail dress!" added to that philosophical thought "Order a green vegetable how about the Broccoli Rabe Sautee!" and she did.
America would be thinner if every restaurant and home in the country could make Broccoli Rabe like Bitisie does! As you may or may not know, Peachy's official dessert rule is she will eat dessert if the owner eats it with her, and this is only applicable to owners that do a good job before dessert. Bitsie was so much fun to eat dessert with and we loved hearing the history of Casabella that Peachy forgot to take a picture of dessert! Hats off to Bitsie for being the longest-running female restaurateur in Little Italy-since 1975!!! Her sincere care in getting everything right is clear and her dedicated passion for being responsible for an exemplary restaurant is one of the best we've seen. Renato made the dessert right in front of us-Aged marsala wine, touch of 43 liqueur and moscato formed a warm custard sauce that was poured over blackberries and raspberries. You will have to take our word for it-it was gorgeous and delicious!
Our esteemed panelist adds:
I had the pleasure of accompanying Peachy Deegan to review the restaurant in Little Italy's Casabella. From the minute I arrived at the restaurant everyone was so friendly, warm and inviting.
The first appetizer they wanted us to try was their "Focaccia Della Casa". It was the size of a small pizza that had chopped mushrooms, roasted peppers and mozzarella cheese. Not being a huge fan of mushrooms I was a little hesitant, but wanted to enjoy the whole experience. It was delightful. The mushrooms were chopped very small and the blend of the peppers and cheese went really well together. T
he next appetizer was their "Prosciutto E Gamberetti". It was shrimp wrapped in Prosciutto and came with a sun dried tomato puree. The prosciutto was sliced perfectly and gave the right amount of flavor to the shrimp.
Renato, the executive chef personally made us "Di Cesare" table side. This honestly was the most amazing caesar salad I have ever had. The dressing was so flavorful and not your traditional creamy white dressing you're used to. It was light, flavorful, and truly unbelievable. The croutons were fresh and dissolved in your mouth, literally.
I ordered the 'Bufala In Amore" The name says it all. It was fresh mozzarella wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto and roasted red peppers, The peppers melted in your mouth. It was delicious.
For the next course I ordered "Gnocchi Napoletani' Their homemade Gnocchi was extremely light and flavorful. One of my favorite dishes of the night.
The entree I ordered was the "Pollo Rosso & Bianco" It was grilled chicken with roasted peppers and mozzarella. Again the pairing was great and if you are looking for a lighter dish, I would highly recommend this one.
Last but not least, Renato presented us with a table side presentation of their traditional dessert "Zabaglione" It's an italian custard served over berries. It was warm and left a little buzz on your palette from the many liquors its made from. I have never had anything like it before and it was delicious. One of my favorite parts about dessert was having Bitsie, the owner, sit down and tell us a little about her life and her business. She was warm, down to earth, and truly an inspiration. You can tell that she loves her business as well as her staff.
I would highly recommend this restaurant. The food and service was impeccable.
Peachy Picks Casabella!
Casabella is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
Renato, Bitsie and Nino
