Cascina
— an elegantly rustic place of brick walls, rough hewn woods,
and rosy coloring — has at its center a rounded stone and
brick oven. Antique brass chandeliers with multicolored baubles
cast a sensual ambiance. A communal table takes prominence in the
bar area accommodating walk-ins and encouraging mingling. Towards
the rear and up a few steps is the main dining area where a wall
of paned windows and an original wood beam ceiling lends signature
country appeal.
Supremely professional without formality, Cascina offers the kind
of earthy experience one might expect in the fold of the Italian
family embrace where every day is a celebration of life. Pera's
versatile menu, based in the simple tradition of country-style Italian
fare (good cheeses, fresh produce and hand-picked meats and fish),
also features signature dishes which incorporate the herbs, spices
and elements form around the world which are so readily available
in New York City. Fresh, healthy, light and flavorful, the menu
will change following the cues of the season and the market. Also
serving as the U.S. outpost for the Cascina
Orsolina vineyard in Moncalvo, Italy, Cascina will
serve an Italian wine list featuring reds, whites, and champagnes
by the glass or by the bottle.
A
basic menu is presented to guests upon being seated, offering choices
from the grill (vegetables, fish with lemon and olive oil, chicken,
veal and steaks), from the oven (sublime hand-crafted pizzas), and
a selection of panini and side dishes. The menu board, displayed
for each table by the waiter, lists the chef's specialties. A portion
of the menu board changes daily, with approximately half changing
seasonally. It features "salad and appetizers" like shrimp, cannelini
bean and water cress and striped bass carpaccio with black olive
and lime; "soup, pasta and risotto" like a thick minestrone with
pesto, a delectable risotto with porcini and parmesan and a rich
green fettuccine with duck ragu; and "fish and meat" main dishes
like a traditional veal milanese with roasted potatoes, an exotic
grouper with vegetables and shellfish in ginger broth, and a hearty
rack of lamb in herb crust. The occasional item (assorted fried
fish or a spaghetti with lobster sauce), if ordered for more than
two, will be served in large, colorful dishes for sharing.
"We want Cascina to feel like a typical and familial country farm
kitchen," says DeNegri, whose family owns the Cascina
Orsolina vineyard, restaurant and suites in a region
nestled between Turin and Milan. "We want to generate magic and
make Cascina a transporting escape from the hectic world outside
our doors."
Please click here to view a 360-degree virtual
tour of Cascina Ristorante.
Cascina
seats 160. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days per week, from noon to 12AM. Brunch is available on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 PM (in addition to lunch and dinner).
Cascina, 647 Ninth Avenue (between 45th & 46th Streets), New York
City
Telephone: 212.245.4422
