Cascina Ristorante Heats Up Hell's Kitchen

Cascina Ristorante Heats Up Hell's Kitchen

A New Chef, Food and Wine Pairing Events and Live Music Add to the Allure of This Neighborhood Favorite

NEW YORK, March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Cascina Ristorante, a Hell's Kitchen favorite for its authentic Italian food, friendly service and welcoming atmosphere, has recently made changes that have the neighborhood buzzing with delight.

Chef Gaetano "Nino" Di Fabrizio, formerly of the four-star Piermont on the Hudson restaurant and New York's Il Palazzo (rated 24 by Zagat's), brings his 25 years of culinary expertise to Cascina, creating dishes that appeal to the neighborhood faithful.

"I'm not happy unless the people eating my food are happy," says Chef Nino, whose famous fish, wild game and homemade past creations have found a home among Cascina's well-known menu offerings. "Cooking in New York is no different than cooking in Italy. You find out what people like and you create dishes to fit their needs and satisfy their palates."

It didn't take Chef Nino long to make Cascina's customers happy. Among his creations for Cascina, customers will find melt-in-your-mouth roast veal stuffed with spinach, zucchini and tomatoes in a savory brown sauce and accompanied with cloud-like mashed potatoes seasoned to perfection; tender chicken Milanese lightly breaded and topped with a slight layer of prosciutto and melted parmesan, and served with broccoli and tangy artichoke hearts; and veal scaloppini that sits in a shallow pool of white wine and lemon sauce, with a side of spinach sauteed with garlic. For pasta fans, it's hard to choose between Chef Nino's homemade gnocchi with green peas and chunks of sausage and the deliciously flavorful baked crepes filled with fontina and mascarpone cheeses and roasted vegetables. Cascina's varied selection of appetizers has something for everyone and includes fried calamari with sage, parsley and a spicy arrabbiata sauce; baked eggplant oozing with mozzarella, prosciutto and tomato sauce; and crisp asparagus wrapped with fontina cheese and prosciutto and served on a bed of arugula. While guests are mulling over their dining choices, they can enjoy a hearty basket of piadini, a thin bread seasoned with salt and oregano and baked in Cascina's authentic wood-burning stone oven to crispy perfection. Desserts are homemade and include Cascina Tiramisu, Torta della Nonna, and traditional Italian ricotta cheesecake along with fresh fruit tarts, gelatos, sorbets and daily specials.

Cascina continues to serve its $24.50 pre-theater menu nightly, and brunch on Saturday from noon until 3 p.m.

New Wine and Food Pairings

The staff at Cascina will happily suggest the perfect wine for any dish. The restaurant houses a selection of more than 75 wines mainly supplied by the owner of Cascina's vineyard, Cascina Orsolina, in the Moncalvo Piemonte region of Italy. To showcase these wines, Cascina is now offering special tasting menus for groups, private parties and corporate events. Held in the upstairs private banquet rooms, these specially created menus feature Chef Nino's favorites paired exclusively with Cascina Orsolina wines. Prices start at $120 per person, and parties must have a minimum of 15 guests.

Renowned Guitarist Bill Wurtzel Adds Ambiance to Thursday Nights

Adding the perfect complement to a delicious dinner is the smooth sound of jazz/classical guitarist Bill Wurtzel. Bill, who currently plays with the Harlem and Blues All Stars, has performed at many famed New York clubs including Birdland, The Blue Note, and The Rainbow Room. He has also played with jazz legends such as the Count Basie alumnae group "The Countsmen," organist Bill Doggett and singers Ruth Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Bill can be heard at Cascina every Thursday night, 8-11 p.m. To learn more about Bill, visit http://www.billwurtzel.com/ .

Prior to joining Cascina in December 2005, Chef Nino Di Fabrizio was a guest chef at many functions including an event for The President of Canada, Queen Elizabeth's Secretary and the Mayors of Calgary and Edmonton in Edmonton Canada, the Chef of the four-star rated Piermont on the Hudson, and the chef at Il Palazzo in addition to several other well-known restaurants in New York City and Italy.

Cascina Ristorante has been a favorite Italian restaurant in its Hell's Kitchen neighborhood since opening in 2001. Cascina serves traditional, country-style Italian food that's simple yet abundant in flavor. The warm, inviting atmosphere features lush, red-colored walls, antique iron chandeliers, heavy wooden tables and an authentic stone oven used to bake Cascina's pizzas, homemade breads and signature fish and meat dishes.

For more information about Cascina Ristorante and to make a reservation, visit http://www.cascina.com/ or call 212-245-4422. Cascina's hours are Monday - Saturday Noon until Midnight; Sunday 3 p.m. - Midnight.

Press Contact:
Karen Carzo, Carzo Communications, Inc.
Tel: 212-721-1171
E-mail: karen@carzocom.com

Source: Cascina Ristorante

CONTACT: Karen Carzo, Carzo Communications, Inc., +1-212-721-1171,
karen@carzocom.com, for Cascina Ristorante

Web site: http://www.cascina.com/
http://www.billwurtzel.com/

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