Overview Italian vinoteca style and cuisine that's a cut above the cliche make this new restaurant stand out from the crowd. You can nibble on cured meats and imported cheeses or tuck into their house-made pastas and wood-fired oven pizzas with your wine. The space is comfortable and attractive, with an inviting marble bar and dark wood appointments. There's also a well-priced wine list, strongest in Italian selections.
Casa Brusco Meat and fish entrées are appealingly straightforward at Casa Brusco, nothing over-elaborate or over-sized: grilled Cornish hens, rack of lamb with Barolo sauce, veal chop and the tasty brodetto my dining companion chose. The chubby bowl was heaped with clams and mussels in a very flavorful tomato, saffron and olive oil-flavored broth, perked up with just enough kick. A wood-fired pizza oven brings forth thin-crusted four-season or four-cheese pies, among others, for lighter dining still.
Desserts are on the heavy side, except perhaps for the berries and gelato. Panna cotta was tempting as was the torta di mele, a Ligurian-style apple cake.
A private room that seats 60 keeps Casa Brusco busy these days; I wouldn't call the cuisine cutting edge, but Ricci does a good job with this credible menu. The whole experience was down-to-earth and tasty... See all reviews
