Sometimes, you need to treat yourself to something a little bit special. Carasau Ristorante is an Italian restaurant close to the very hang-able Culver Steps, which specializes in food from the Sardinia region. So for people who have a very fixed idea of what Italian food is, and how pasta should look,there might be a few surprises here. That said, keep an open mind and all of the surprises will be positive.
You’re not on your own; the staff are warm and welcoming and, should you need guidance, will walk you through the menu and offer advice. It’s all made easier by the fact that every single thing on there looks incredible. Seafood lovers rejoice – there are a lot of those items on the menu, with the Fregola Di Mare looking particularly wonderful. That would be fregola (pasta pearl), with clams, mussels, bay scallops, shrimps, lobster broth,and a touch tomato sauce.
We opted for the Cioppino, which is a rich soup brimming with mussels, clams, shrimps, calamari, bay scallops, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, and Carasau bread.
It’s tough to do justice to just how magnificent this dish is. Putting the masses of seafood to one side for a moment, just the broth alone is so full of flavor that it dances on your tongue like a spritely ballerina. It seems to be tomato-based, but there’s so much going on and the fusion is so immaculate that it’s practically impossible to pick the seasoning apart. It simply exists in a world of delicious joy. Does it transport you to Italy on a magic carpet of sensory overload? No, but it makes you long to be there.
We haven’t even mentioned the seafood yet, and all of that is amazing too. The calamari, so often overcooked to the point of toughness, is light and soft here. A flavorful delight rather than a rubber ring. The clams and mussels require a scoop from the shell, but they’re well worth the effort. Cooked to perfection and complemented by the aforementioned broth.
The bay scallops melt in your mouth, while the plump shrimp taste way better than the average shrimp. Even the featured vegetables – the carrots, cherry tomatoes and celery, taste magical. The whole dish is a joy.
Our child had a pasta dish – the Penne Meatballs – which is exactly that. Penne pasta in tomato sauce with pork meatballs and parmigiana cheese. What sounds like a relatively standard kid’s meal is phenomenal here though. The meatballs are seasoned beautifully, the pasta cooked expertly and the sauce ties it all together.
Treat yourself!
Carasau Ristorante is located at 3912/3918 Van Buren Pl., Culver City 90232. Call 310-876-0058 or visit carasauristorante.com.