Dolce de Leche at Casella's...
Casella’s Wine-Tapas-Grill
1 Bonnefoi Blvd, Bunbury 6230
Telephone (08) 9721 6075
Seldom do you find a restaurant that is consistent in its approach to providing an ultimate dining experience from the beginning of the meal to that final bitter sweet ending. An avid restaurant patron usually knows what they like and look for, and when they want to be more than just fed.
With its sleek and modern interior, crystal pendant lighting and a suave red lacquered grand piano, Casella’s certainly sets the mood for an ultimate dining experience.
Red Grand Piano Sets the Tone...
The gift on top of all this ambience, is that it sits on the cusp of the water’s edge, right on the Bunbury foreshore with unyielding views of Koombana Bay from the full height glass windows.
With seating perfectly placed for both privacy and comfort, service was prompt, efficient and refreshingly consistent well into the dessert phase and beyond. Dining without interrupted conversation with service as fine tuned as a romantic tango is a pleasure I would welcome time and time again.
Restaurateur Jason Casella certainly as his finger on the pulse, offering the South West the cream of eloquent dining. Joe believes that in order to create the finest dishes the best produce available at any given time of the year needs to be sourced which is why they offer seasonal menu’s. In fact, a new menu will be released on the 19th June.
I have included them
To flick through the wine list is a joy. Whites, Pinks, Reds, Champagne/Sparkling and Dessert Wines ($9-12.50 by the glass); the list is certainly extensive. By the bottle, the list is refined and international and is designed to impress. The ‘Against all Odds’ relabelled house wine ($9) was fruity, light and not too sweet but if you’re after a sweeterwine, try the De Bortoli ‘Windy Peak’ Pinot Grigo ($9)…with a crisp inviting nose of ripe fruit and lemony citrus, it was a marriage with the pineapple-soy braised pork hock.
Complimentary Mushroom and Chili Dust...
A pleasant surprise was the complimentary tender soft Adobado dinner rolls brought to our table with a trip of rosemary infused olive oil, mushroom dust and chili dust. The dusts were steeped in a rich flavour of the dried former selves which when used to slide the sweet paprika bread into the infused oil, made a wonderful sweet, sticky and earthy surprise on the palate. An entertaining way to peruse through the menu.
Adobado Dinner Roll with Mushroom Dust...
A Welcoming Sign...
Fish of the Day; Rankin Cod, Ginger and Miso Broth ($37.50)
Fish of the Day brought in Rankin Cod in a Ginger Miso Broth ($37.50) straight from the waters of the North West of Western Australia. Its freshness was evident in the way it gently pulled away from itself, robust flake by flake. The Rankin Cod is quite like that…a delicately light flavoured fish, yet with a large statement flake to it that is superbly mirrored in the leading statement flavours of the ginger and miso accompanying it, yet presented in a delicate oriental broth.
If you like unctuous, tender meat that has been braised down to its rich beginnings, then you must try the Pork Hock; Glazed and deboned pork with stir fired noodles, oriental vegtables and sesame egg crepe ($38.50). Gloriously rendered down deboned pork hock, braised in sweet Asian flavours of soy, pineapple and star anise make pulling the globules of richness away with your fork an absolute pleasure to watch. This is what I call ‘sexy food’.
Deboned Pork Hock ($37.50)
The glimmering slick presence of the gelatinous moist pork, the swirling of perfectly prepared noodles, the mimicking shredded egg crepe crown the base syrupy asian flavours magically. If you love the richer cuts of rendered pork this is a rendition you cannot forgo.
With more flow than a Zen moment, the tantalising textural sensations of the Crispy-Fried Szechuan Duck Breast in Orange-Plum Spiced Caramel Glaze ($41) was awarded the 3rd winning dish of the evening.Royally prepared with a sharp, crackling skin and lean but forgivingly rich duck meat, the favours of star anise and orange spices complimented the dark peppery duck breast. Served with Asian wilted greens, this dish has all the offerings of the true spirit of Asia.
Duck ($41)
…But if Asian inspired dishes aren’t what you have in mind at your next visit to Casella’s, and instead you find yourself in a more New York state of mind…then add this burger to your ‘Bucket List’.
Truffled Wagyu Beef Burger ($35)
Designed like a couture Calvin Klein suit, this burger has more flavour melded into its powerful structure than the Empire State Building. The irony is that whilst this burger is fit for Wall Street U.S.A, it has a rather inter-continental air about it…with Wagyu originating in Japan, Swiss cheese trimmings originating from the Alps, the Turkish bun coming from the Middle East, truffle oil foraged from a north Italian forest, and with a side of apple-curry mayonnaise, you even get a touch of Bollywood. All this contained in essentially, a burger made right here in Australia’s South West.
I mean reeeeally. Taste these flavours….Wagyu beef. Swiss cheese. Truffle. Wagyu beef. Swiss cheese. Truffle. Add a slick kick of seared bacon and you’re taste buds will go to Rio.
Look at these delectable layers...including saute`ed onion and grilled zucchini...
On the menu was also offerings of entrees ($19.50-$25) from Duck roll and foie gras flan ($24.50) Caramelised lemon and lime infused Western Australian king prawns, served with crab risotto, sunflower seeds, peas, capsicums, spinach, tomatoes ($24) and Beef and mushroom dumplings in a sour-spicy soy and ginger dressing ($23).
Main courses included Meditteranean rubbed grilled lamb racks with a minted yogurt and onion relish served with sauteed pearl cous cous salad, brocolini, celery, rocket capsicum ($43.50), Crispy fried whole spatchcock in apple cider barbeque sauce and a tomato-corn salsa ($44.50) and Chicken Adobado; pan fried chicken supreme in creamed adobado sauce, grilled vegetables, herb roasted potato slices, apple-fennel compote, rose glaze and pancetta wrap ($39.50).
Onto dessert the menu offers 9 choices ranging from $13.50-$19. French aaple pie ($16), Italian style fruit cheesecake with a walnut crust ($16.50), a french rum-chocolate layered cake called a ‘Marjolaine’ served with almond meringue, run-praline custard and dark chocolate ganache covered in caramelised cashews for $19.50. How can you choose? But wait- there’s more. I have to at least mention the ‘Dolce de Leche’…layers of caramel soft fudge, orange custard, meringue and vanilla sponge with saffron buttercream frosting and orange preserve.
Layers of creamy decadence fit for a Spanish Queen...($19)
Churros, a classic Spanish doughnut served with chocolate whisky ganache and strawberry ($13.50)
And the Churros. An unexpected tapas style dessert on a rather euro-asian fusion menu. The churros here was better than any I tried in my years spent living in the United States and Australia. If you can dust off some of that glorious cinnamon sugar, what reveals is the lightest of billowing doughnut, crispy outer edge and a dunking ground with the smoothest and richest chocolate sauce. What a perfect way to close the dining experience.
A magnificent ending...
