I was so honoured to be invited to Casa Italia in Liverpool for the launch of their vegan menu. I have been going to the Casa since I was a little a girl and the moment you walk into the famous Casa doors you instantly smell the rich Italian smells and all the wonderful childhood memories start flooding back.
Now if you’ve never been to the Casa Italia (if not then where have you been?!) on Stanley street it has been around for 3 generations, to which I also had the pleasure of meeting at the launch. It truly is a family affair at the Casa with traditional Italian Dishes from their famous garlic bread with cheese to their Genovese pasta dish. The traditions are still kept alive for the many years and delighting the taste buds of thousands (maybe more i’m sure!) so now they’ve taken the leap of faith to a vegan menu and what better person to do this than Bettina, Bettina is so passionate about food and wellness. Her career has taken her on many unexpected but incredible journeys. She has come into Casa Italia and has introduced the vegan lifestyle to a very traditional Italian that has been part of many families lives for decades.
Now, I am a vegetarian and I fully appreciate a good heart-warming vegan dish also! I was totally flattered to receive this email of the Casa Family inviting me to this event (first event as a blogger- someone pinch me!) as a blogger who can meet fellow bloggers and eat wonderful food.
We where taken upstairs and the table was so wonderfully set out, simple but effective. I soon met all of the Casa Family and it was such a warm welcome, I’ve never felt so comfortable and so at home. I got to know a few of the bloggers while we sat down and embraced this menu.
So for starters (Antipasti for those who like to be slightly posh!) We enjoyed the Crudo and the Funghi All’Aglo… oh my goodness me! I am obsessed with both but I think the winner for me is the Crudo, the base and the pesto it just melts in your mouth! (Currently drooling just remembering what it tastes like!) I just kept going back for more, in the back of my mind I was saying ‘OK stop now..’ The mushrooms also had was drizzled in pesto, so you can imagine how I was just in my own literally Pesto dreamworld for a good while, I am a huge pesto fan and we make our own pesto at home (well mama fazz does!) and I never thought there would be any other way that primarily is healthier for you and that I would enjoy. This blew my socks off!
We had the next course of the Pizza’s and then the Pasta’s! Now in Casa my fave meal is the Genovese and I don’t tend to explore the menu further because when you love something as much as you love the Casa Genovese there’s no need to explore further (trust me!) I didn’t personally think nothing could beat it, especially a vegan version with Oat Cream(I didn’t get a photo because I ate it so quickly!) ! But my goodness Bettina… the master (that’s going to be her new nickname for sure!) of all things vegan has really left me quite speechless with this pasta dish! yes yes, I know its pesto and we all know how much I love it!
Now the Pizza’s we had both the Ortolana and the Piccante, for me the personally as I am not a spice fan (personal preference!) The Ortolana was incredible and something I could eat over and over again. Now the Pizza base itself, wasn’t chewy or hard (which sometimes you can experience in an italian restaurant) this just melted in your mouth, is this even possible?Like the way it crumbled it was just absolutely divine and I had no idea a vegan pizza base could taste like this!
Overall I am completely converted and will be taking full advantage of this vegan menu on my next visit (which is very soon!) and it’s wonderful to see that such a traditional italian is moving with the times, vegan isn’t a fad or a trend it is a lifestyle and the more restaurants appreciate this the better.
We got gifted by Casa and Bettina this wonderful hamper (like the food wasn’t a fantastic gift itself!) and it’s so overwhelming! We received Bettina’s latest book, Vegan Red Wine, Vegan Parmesan (tastes very nutty but totally delish!) , a gift voucher for Casa (HOLEY MOLEY I WAS EXCITED!) and a bottle of juice. I am so grateful to be able to have this opportunity and to meet someone so influential like Bettina and the Casa family also! If you are vegan and miss the italian food and want something that will totally tingle those tastebuds, Casa Italia is definitely the place you should be going too.
Almost Grown Up 