Cassarino's Restaurant
Providence, RI 02903-1645
Phone: (401) 751-3333
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!).
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