Cassarino's Restaurant
Providence, RI 02903-1645
Phone: (401) 751-3333
- Price:
- $
- Best of Citysearch:
- Italian Food 2004, Romantic Dining 2004
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm, Fri 11:30am-11pm, Sat 12pm-11pm
Editorial Review for Cassarino's Restaurant – by Dawn Keable
The Scene
Planning a blind date, business meeting or multigenerational birthday celebration? Somehow, the informal elegance of Cassarino's dimly lit dining room appeals to all. Maybe it is the timeless, dark-green and cream interior with brass accents, but more likely, it's the fact that the casually dressed crowd enjoys the food. Fortunately for patrons, Cassarino's menu of Italian favorites does not require a translator.
The Food
Whatever you choose, from pasta to the wine-based pollo Marsala, you can feel confident that everything will be dependably delicious. Not to say there isn't any creativity in these traditional offerings: The scallops alla aurore are tossed with penne in a pink vodka sauce and the ravioli pesto arrives fanned out on the plate like a pinwheel, with sun-dried tomatoes and black olives at the center.
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Insider Tips
ParkingTreat yourself to valet service on Friday or Saturday night. Getting through customs is less frustrating than finding a spot on the narrow one-way streets of this neighborhood on weekends.
The ExtrasHead to the second floor for a window view or to escape the chilly drafts from the main entrance.
User Reviews for Cassarino's Restaurant
02/22/2008 Posted by etudenc
Our concierge recommended Cassarino's, and after looking it up and reading some pretty positive reviews, we had to give it a try. On the plus side, the atmosphere and service were fine. They seated us promptly (had a reservation), and the waitstaff was fairly attentive and courteous. Didn't see our waiter quite as often as I might have liked but there were enough servers running around that it didn't really matter. Now the food... we had the Calamari Cassarino, Apple Salad, Frutti di Mare and that evening's special (name escapes me, but it was chicken and vegetables over what I'll assume was tagliarelli in white sauce). The Calamari was quite good with the peppers, olives and capers. I thought well enough of the salad, too... a little on the sweet side with the citrus dressing and candied walnuts (I know... what did I expect?!) but not bad. When the entrees finally arrived, however, all I can say is they failed to impress. My pasta was a bit overdone, and the white sauce was oily-er than I've encountered elsewhere. My girlfriend's Frutti di Mare was... well... just a bit on the bland side. The shrimp and scallops were great by themselves, but the sauce didn't offer anything special or compliment the seafood in any way. For my part, I don't wish to leave such a well-revered restaurant thinking I could have had as good at home. In conclusion, I'd say go for the atmosphere and friendly service, but keep your expectations in check with regards to the food (or at least the dishes I mentioned!).
10/07/2007 Posted by phlordsfo
I came to Cassarino's with some colleagues of mine recently, and I was very very pleased with our dinner. We were seated at a nice table on the 2nd floor and had friendly, efficient service from a great waitress. Everything came with perfect timing. The menu had all the basics for a solid Italian restaurant, and the portions were huge. Everybody loved their entrees. I found the chicken & escarole soup to be extra fresh and flavorful. I loved the clear broth and torn chicken pieces. The flavors complemented each other perfectly and made for an ideal, uncomplicated soup. I had a special entree with pork tenderloin over pasta in a marsala cream sauce. Prosciutto and tomatoes were mixed in the sauce. The tomatoes tasted great, though the large chunks were a bit confusing, and I wished the pieces of pork were smaller...but I really cannot complain, the taste was out of this world. My colleagues had huge portions of eggplant parm and spaghetti. I'd definitely go back.
Pros: Great, solid Italian dishes. Well-priced. Friendly service
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