Something about scalding hot temperatures made this Italian food-lover not so interested in pasta for a while. But my internal clock went off this weekend as autumn officially began, and so off we went to Casa Bianca, which opened in April at 1510 E. Cesar Chavez St.
As Executive Chef/Owner Joseph Zoccoli (former chef de cuisine at Uchi) says, Casa Bianca serves farm-to-table “weirdo Italian,” and it pairs perfectly with their thoughtful bar menu. The space is open and bright, with lots of plants and accents of sage green, and the terrazzo bar is gorgeous and well-stocked.
We caught the tail-end of Negroni week, so I opted for a Sonate Antillaise ($12), with pineapple rum, which was bold and a smidge sweet. We were advised to order a few things from the menu, which features cold bar items, handmade pastas, snacks, plates, and desserts.
How pretty does this Negroni look? (Eva Ruth Moravec/ City Cast Austin)
I cannot recommend enough each and every thing we had: Fried olives stuffed with herbs and served with gorgonzola cream ($11), fluffy sourdough focaccia ($7), flaky yet moist crispy skin branzino with caramelized eggplant puree and pistachio salsa verde ($26), and the cavatelli pasta with lamb ragu and a drizzle of fermented honey ($24).
Once our fall really gets underway, I imagine Casa Bianca’s patio and rooftop bar will be hoppin’. The restaurant has both a traditional happy hour Wednesday through Friday, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and another, daily, from 9-10 p.m. They also serve lunch, which I can’t wait to go back for. Next time, I’ll save room for dessert.
