Out & About #459 | Part 2: Casalinga Ristorante

​Read Part 1 HERE !

​Dinner reservations had been secured for Casalinga several days in advance. The Italian restaurant was located just off Southdown and Royal Windsor/Lakeshore, a mere minute from Clarkson GO station.

​Seemingly a family-operated establishment, space was scarce and seating was quite meager. Along the perimeter of the restaurant were tables placed within extremely close proximity of one another; the lack of room was further emphasized during peak supper hours, especially when large parties comprising of children were seated nearby.

Our party wasn't particularly large, though the corner spot we were offered was possibly the dimmest and most cramped area to reside for the hour-long celebratory meal.

​The menu was very straightforward - just like Enzo's, it listed offerings in simple black text on an off-white background, devoid of images and special embellishments. A dessert menu in the form of a chalkboard was suspended on one the walls bordering our table.

< Pictured above and below: Linguine di Mare, Penne al Ragu di Coltello, Spaghettini Salsicce, Pollo Piccate, Fettine ai Ferri >

​Once orders were placed, a platter of white bread and heterogeneous solution of olive oil-balsamic vinegar were delivered. The bread slice count totalled the number of patrons at the table. It was observed that while the pairing is highly similar to Lake House's bread roll starters, its presentation varied vastly. The absence of a bread basket and napkin meant staleness was not far away, while the omission of a dressing bottle prevented customers from adjusting the oil-to-vinegar ratio as desired.

​My original intention was to indulge in lengthy noodles in a creamy, cheesy coating, yet many pasta dishes were discovered to employ an oil-based sauce with only bits of cheese as flavour accents.
Amongst the entrées chosen, three were pasta-based, one was protein-heavy, and one a mix of both.

View the full album HERE !

​Linguine di Mare was easily the tastiest dish of the evening. It was cohesive in all aspects, from the flavourful herb tomato sauce to the chewy strands of linguine to the plentiful portion of seafood (especially mussels). The sauce, in particular, was noteworthy for its distinct presence and unmistakable versatility.

​Depicted in such a way to evoke a sense of imagery, Penne al Ragu di Coltello was every bit accurate as its description. Succulent morsels of beef tenderloin, satisfying bites wild mushroom, and sweet caramelized onions appealed to me the most. The brandy demi-glaze sauce in which it bathed was appropriate for its included components, but proved greasier than I would have preferred.
Much to my surprise, the penne was cooked to semi-firmness instead of the Italian standard of al dente. This property was later observed to be present in all pasta dishes, likely due to the aging population of the neighbourhood and the consequential demand for items to be easy on feeble teeth. (Even if this is not the case, I still appreciated the gesture from the kitchen. My digestive system is rather weak after all.)

​Spaghettini Salsicce featured sundried tomato, rapini, and Italian sausage on a bed of spaghettini. I found much enjoyment in the sausage - being a fan of chorizo and all - as well as the refreshing bursts of tomato.

Fettine ai Ferri was the sole dish where I did not attempt in its entirety. The rapini stalks tasted as if they had been submerged in oil for a while, so the resulting profile was more slick than savoury. I cannot comment any further on the dish besides that the arrangement of the veal and spaghettini could have used improvement.

​Served without pasta, or any sort of carbohydrate for that matter, was the Pollo Piccate. The chicken was supple, while the white wine lemon caper sauce was a hidden hero. Only a tiny fraction of the dish contained sauce, but even in small amounts, the clear gravy was a scene-stealer. A decent variety of roasted vegetables assumed the remainder of the main, though fell victim to the same oil-heavy treatment as the rapini.

​Dessert followed suit in the form of Tiramisu and Crème Brûlée. Alongside each was an abstract piece of caramelized sugar and fresh strawberries. A Double Espresso and Cappuccino were also requested as post-feasting beverages.

​It is not uncommon to order Tiramisu, a quintessentially Italian dessert at a self-proclaimed authentic Italian restaurant. Some favour the creaminess of Trattoria Timone, while others prefer unique, spiked spinoffs. Personally, Casalinga's creation was concluded to contain too high of proportion of ladyfingers and insufficient cream cheese. A fellow member of the party pointed out that mascarpone had not been utilized either. In all honesty, I could taste very little of the cream filling to begin with, and therefore cannot profess any claims.

Crème Brûlée is one of my many go-to desserts, so rarely will an establishment succeed in ruining my impressions. Eggy, sweet, and laced with a dose of vanilla, one could conjure not a single complaint. Moreover, the thin yet crunchy layer of caramelized sugar was well received.

​Reviewing the visit objectively, price points were high given the portion of the items as well their respective constituents. The atmosphere was more homely than many of us were accustomed to when dining out for Italian cuisine.
Washrooms, on the other hand, were maintained well. The ratty curtain used to separate the stalls and the dining area, though, was another story.

​Casalinga is located fairly close from home, though I wouldn't mind driving a bit further for greater degrees of satisfaction next time around. 

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