As promised, here is the Main Course, Le plat principal, of La Casina. (Doesn’t it drive you nuts when people call the main course in the US the “entrée”..but I digress..).
After a warm welcome, we consulted with the sommelier/manager about their reasonably priced wine list, but DD had chosen a nice Brunello we had had before chez nous, and I think DD said the wine list seemed to be a 2x markup, so no Chez Gus multiplier. ( We drink what we like, so we don’t always play matchy matchy with our wine and food. Don’t judge me; I just drink the stuff
!) We started with sharing an artichoke salad type thing, which was very good but we added a little more balsamic to zip it up a little. Then DD had his beloved Carbonara and before I could lookup, the bowl was clean. That is because I was super busy involved with my décor inspired lemon pasta, redolent of the Amalfi coast.
Ok, call me crazy, but as simple a dish as it was, lemon cream on pasta with zest, I was so busy paying attention to my happiness, I could not deal with his! Every bite was perfectly balanced and way too much for me to eat! I would share it with a partner if my partner hadn’t already consumed an entire bowl of Carbonara…no bread was served but that is probably a good thing. The whole menu was exactly what I had hoped it would be. The prices, as you have heard, were totally reasonable and I think our starter was about €24 (shared it) and my pasta was about €21 and I think the wine was about €115. There are pizzas for about €14 and great substantial dishes like Veal Milanese and Chicken Piccata, which I make at home, for about €30 plus something and la pièce de résistance was some pasta cooked in a giant wheel of parmesano cheese 41€, where they bring it to the table on a cart and everybody sings an Italian song I didn’t know and everybody clapped, kind of their version of “Sweet Caroline”, from what I can tell. So I looked up the words to the song, since I pretty much understand Italian, and then I sang along, because it happened a number of times, so you catch on, at least to the chorus! SO MUCH FUN!
They had great music to give a party (not sleazy for those who care) atmosphere, and everyone had a good time, and they surprised us with a Happy Anniversary bowl of ice cream, which was so thoughtful! (DD was happy to eat my part as I am technically allergic and I had overkilled on the pasta cream).
So after all the people rushing around, we start talking to the owner, Mimi, who apparently owns Le Piment, (seriously, those people have to quit the smoking over there), and if you ever wanted a new best friend, Mimi is IT! Could not be more adorable and she told us how this restaurant got started and she has been on the island for 45 years! Bravo, Mimi! Can’t wait to see them all on Sunday night, our last. Not sure if the pizza is good but they got this gigantesque pizza oven, which is BIG thing in San Diego, too (and lots of people have them built in the backyard but now would not be the time to light them..). So we will let you know. I will probably make DD have pizza to try it ( I am already calling “First Night” at La Casina, like the good old days of Andy, if we ever get back to SBH), but I may not be able to resist the lemon pasta…guess we will see! Buon Appetito!
A review for La Casina will also be appreciated 
). It was so much fun, we may do it again tomorrow but at Saline!
.
