http://www.casawestbrook.com/
Simone and I went to Casa Novello this past Sunday night with our Portland Dine around Club Card ( I should get some kinda discount for plugging this damn thing all the time). At the suggestion of other yelpers we made reservations but didn't really need them as the place had plenty of seats. Its about a 10 minute drive from downtown Portland to get to the Casa and from the outside its nothing special. Inside is also just okay as far as the decor, but what is lacking in decor is made up for with the smell of fresh tomato sauce and garlic coming from the kitchen. A little Italian music in the background and some dimly lit lighting and you almost feel like your in an Italian Cafe in Northern Italy (or so I'm told). The meal starts off with some slices of Italian Bread and a side of Olive Oil and rosemary freshly mixed by the waitress. The bread was okay but not as good as I have had in other places. There were many delicious sounding items on the menu but we decided on two homemade meatballs for an appetizer/side order. Simone also got an appetizer portion ( which could feed two people) of house made Butternut Squash Ravioli and I decided on the monster entree portion of house made Pasta with Bolognese Sauce(that could feed 12 people). The meatballs came out first.
They were about the size of a pool table ball and were topped with a fresh sweet tomato Marinara. These were hearty and tender with a mild hint of garlic and Parmesan. They were very tasty and better then my mothers ( probably because my mother never made me any).
Simones Ravioli came with an interesting Cinnamon and caramelized onion cream sauce. Not a combination that normally goes together but somehow worked . It was the perfect marriage in this sweet dish.
I choose Angel hair pasta for my Bolognese. The pasta was cooked perfect and topped with the rich Bolognese made with shredded and chunks of beef pot roast. My only complaint about this was the sauce to pasta ratio was a bit stingy. To make up for the lesser amount of sauce I used the remaining sauce from the meatballs and it worked just fine.
When in Venice ( or Westbrook) do as the Italians do and order cannoli for dessert! Simone I each ordered a cannoli because I don't like to share. It was good with a nice crispy crust and smooth but not to sweet ricotta filling. The only thing i would have enjoyed with this would have been some kind of chocolate but it was still enjoyable. As a surprise the waitress figured out her tip for us ( 20%- she thought a lot of herself) and also did not punch our card thus allowing us to use our dine around club card a second time at Casa (that's almost unheard of and possibly against the club rules). Overall I really enjoyed this place and would suggest it to anyone looking for good Italian fare. 4 stars
They were about the size of a pool table ball and were topped with a fresh sweet tomato Marinara. These were hearty and tender with a mild hint of garlic and Parmesan. They were very tasty and better then my mothers ( probably because my mother never made me any).
When in Venice ( or Westbrook) do as the Italians do and order cannoli for dessert! Simone I each ordered a cannoli because I don't like to share. It was good with a nice crispy crust and smooth but not to sweet ricotta filling. The only thing i would have enjoyed with this would have been some kind of chocolate but it was still enjoyable. As a surprise the waitress figured out her tip for us ( 20%- she thought a lot of herself) and also did not punch our card thus allowing us to use our dine around club card a second time at Casa (that's almost unheard of and possibly against the club rules). Overall I really enjoyed this place and would suggest it to anyone looking for good Italian fare. 4 stars
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