| Restaurant
Guide
Casalingo: The real
thing
Angelo and his family make it all themselves, discovers
Jo Chipchase
Casalingo, on Preston
Street, is one of those increasingly rare finds: a traditional,
family-run Italian restaurant with an authentic menu that
will appeal to most palates. Occupying a long arch with
a Mediterranean feel, the restaurant is run by the affable
Angelo Martinoli and his family, who took it over in 1988.
Angelo was born near Lake Como, Italy, where he grew up
in a household of cooks.
'Casalingo' means 'home-made' and, true to its name, the
restaurant offers hearty, home-cooked fare which is made
to order, rather than being pre-prepared and reheated. According
to Angelo, specials are introduced weekly and all ingredients
are procured from local suppliers. The chefs have worked
at the restaurant for nine years, giving a consistent approach
to cooking methods.
After deliberating over the comprehensive menu for some
time, I ordered Zucchine e Melanzane (£5.50), a flavoursome
medley of deep fried courgettes and aubergine that has a
slight crunch. My companion had a starter portion of Spaghetti
Carbonara (£5.50), a staple dish that, in its Casalingo
incarnation, features al dente pasta and a fresh-tasting
sauce. The starter was accompanied by cocktails, our favourite
being the champagne-based Casalingo Dream (£4.95).
For the main course, we turned to the specials menu. I opted
for Rombo (£14.95), a seared Halibut steak served
on mayonnaise-tossed potatoes, with cherry tomato salad,
fine beans and a tasty olive tapenade. My companion chose
Saltinbocca (£12.95), slightly salted medallions of
veal topped with Parma ham and fried in Frascati wine with
fresh sage. We were impressed by the accompanying vegetables,
especially the delicious carrot and swede puree. From the
wine list, we remained in Italy and selected the Gavi di
Gavi Villadoria (£18.95), which pleased us with its
light and refreshing, yet subtle flavour.
By the time we reached the dessert, our appetites were rather
sated! However, I managed a light Tiramasu (£3.50),
while my companion has a Delizia di Frutta (£3.50),
home-made fresh fruit pie, accompanied by Cointreau (£2.50/glass).
Our verdict: Honest Italian food attractively presented
and at a reasonable price. The perfect antidote to chain
pain!
Essential info
Drinks: A comprehensive selection of cocktails,
aperitifs, wine, and liqueurs. Prices start at £10.50
for a bottle of house wine (£2.75/glass) up to £49.95
for champagne
Food: Strong on fresh meat and fish, plus
half-price pasta between 5-7pm
Service: Angelo and his staff have an infectious
enthusiasm for Italian cuisine
Atmosphere: Laid back, with a non-intrusive background
hubbub of conversation
Opening hours: 5-11pm, 7 days a week
CASALINGO
29 Preston Street
Brighton
Tel: 01273 328775
copyright The Insight 2004
|
