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Lobster Flambé That Will Blow You Away
Casa
Rustica is a family owned and operated restaurant located in Smithtown on the
ever-busy Main Street. Highly rated for their delicious food and impeccable service, We began our dining experience with some Classic Bruschetta and Baguette pieces topped with an olive tapenade (below left). The baguettes were fresh and lightly toasted offering a nice crunch to our intrigued taste buds. This delight serves as a nice beginning to any meal.
Our
first appetizer was the Grilled Octopus Salad and it appeared just as good as it
tasted (above right). Filled with tender and flavorful octopus, cherry tomatoes, red
onions and dill tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, this extremely fresh appetizer
contained a variety of different flavors that all complimented each other perfectly. The uniquely presented Seafood Crostini was the next appetizer to arrive at our table (below left). This exciting treat featured sautéed shrimp, scallops and mushrooms in a fresh lobster sauce with breadcrumbs. Again, the seafood was extremely fresh and tender and the lobster sauce was the ideal additive to the dish, offering some added seafood flavor to this already flawless appetizer.
The
unanimous favorite appetizer had to be the Fried Zucchini Sticks (above right).
Drizzled in a light Balsamic dressing, the fried zucchini were extremely crunchy,
perfectly seasoned and we could not bare to leave one little bite uneaten! Next we were offered a nice, light Insalata di Arugula composed of toasted almonds, pears and pecorino cheese (below left). This fresh salad was a delightful treat to sample as our entrees were being prepared and the sherry vinaigrette really dressed the salad with flavor.
The
first entree to reach our table were the Agnolotti alla Piemontese (above right).
The agnolotti were stuffed with a veal and chicken filling and bathed in a cream
sauce laced with nutmeg and parmesan. This entree was simply heavenly and the soft,
tender agnolotti were generously submersed in the savory cream sauce. The dish was
simple, yet filled with an abundance of rich, intricate flavors. When you order the Lobster Flambé, prepare to be blown away (below)! We watched in amazement as Benny prepared the lobster on a mobile cooking station adjacent to our table. He removed all the meat from the lobster and flambéed it in butter for some added flavor. He then intricately placed all the meat back into the lobster shell offering an extremely eye appealing presentation to diners. The meat was fresh, tender, juicy and served alongside two tasty accompaniments, fresh broccoli and roasted potatoes.
The juicy and flavorful Veal Chop is served on the bone and topped with chestnuts, Barolo wine sauce, onions and mushrooms (below left). The chop is served on a bed of fresh, julienne vegetables that were flavor enhanced from the veal. This outstanding entree offers a great deal of taste to your palates and the kitchen again outdid themselves as the presentation was another appealing one.
Our
final entree was the Pork Chop (above right). Like the veal, the pork chop is also
presented on the bone, was cleverly tender and offered an abundance of flavor. Not
only was the pork chop an impressive cut, but the side dish shined as well. The
cheese and breadcrumb encrusted asparagus were soft and fresh and the breadcrumb
additive was just superb. Before ending our dining experience at Casa Rustica we were treated to two fresh, homemade desserts. The fresh Cannoli surely did not disappoint (below left). From the crunchy outer shell to the fresh and creamy filling, they were surely a sweet treat.
The
Tiramisu was another homerun (above right). Nicely topped with cinnamon and full of
fresh, coffee flavor, the portrayal of Tiramisu here at Casa Rustica is truly authentic
and admirable. It isn't hard to see why Casa Rustica has been a respected restaurant in the business for over 21 years now. The food and service are equally fantastic and that alone is reason enough to return again and again!
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