I've recently watched The Bear on Disney+, possibly one of the most intense, visceral portrayals of a restaurant kitchen. The Golden Globe winning performance from Jeremy Allen White sees him play a world class chef stepping in to run his late brother's sandwich shop, and chaos naturally ensues when he introduces a formal kitchen hierarchy.
At Casa, the chefs calmly danced through their evening service like it has been meticulously choreographed. I had full view of the pass on my evening visit, with an open kitchen meaning diners can watch as they slice salami, pipe ravioli and plate up dessert without breaking a sweat.
Casa is the latest restaurant in Peter Sanchez-Iglesias' portfolio, who has reimagined his family's Michelin-starred Casamia after it closed in the summer last year. It's housed in exactly the same Grade II listed building in The General along the harbour, next to its sister restaurant Paco Tapas, with extensive renovation work to create a more relaxed, accessible setting.
Read more: Team behind Casamia to open new Bristol restaurant at same site
Other changes include a relaxation of the price, with a set menu at Casamia previously setting you back £180 per head. This price point was ruled as "financially unviable" by the restaurant, which had held a Michelin star since it first acquired one in 2009 when it started up in Westbury-On-Trym.
Yet Casa's menu is still a refined take on traditional Italian cooking, created by Sanchez-Iglesias and head chef Joel Breakwell. The antipasti selection is vast and requires a lot of restraint to not over-order with handmade snacks as well as a long list of cured meats and cheese (including a staffed recommended, creamy taleggio for £6.50). There are some familiar dishes such as arancini and olives, a staple in almost every restaurant these days, alongside some delicacies less familiar on UK soil.
You'll find caponata, for example, served in every restaurant in Sicily, a sweet and sour dish made with aubergines and served cold (£6.50), mopped up using some of the best focaccia in Bristol (£5.50). Olive All'ascolana, deep-fried Nocellera olives stuffed with chicken, was like a bar snack on steroids (£6) and the restaurant's speciality of fried semolina and parmesan exploded in your mouth in one bite at £3 per piece (you will regret only ordering one).
Casa has thankfully reprised the family's famous ravioli, stuffed full of smooth potato on a bed of 'Lion's Mane' mushroom ragu, which had an umami, almost meaty flavour for £16. The pasta preparation is uniform but not delicate, possibly from being rolled out too thick. If you can tempt yourself away from the pasta course there are scallops and trout for the fish course followed by a very sophisticated Chicken Milanese (£22), which was moist but presented unnecessarily on an enormous wooden slab.
I left room for dessert as my heart was set on the tiramisu (£8) as soon as I laid eyes on the menu. It was no less than perfect, well balanced with a slight heat from the Masala and not pumped full of sugar. I also implore you to try one of the best cannolis I've ever eaten at £5.50 per portion, with a crispy thin pastry piped full of zesty ricotta.
Similarly, the drinks are of equal importance. You're in good hands at the bar with Davide, the mastermind mixologist behind the cocktail menu (and an enormous wine list that spans from Piedmont to Puglia). He spoke as passionately about his drinks recipes as a chef would about their food. The Amalfita - his own take on a Margarita made with Italian liquor - was a stroke of genius, with that familiar salty-citrus rim (£13).
The bill is by no means small but feels right, working out at around £45 per head for four shared courses, excluding drinks and service. Casa also welcomes people at the bar for lighter bites or a bowl of pasta paired with a glass of wine.
Casa is a masterclass in Italian cooking. Its well-rounded menu is made to be shared like a traditional trattoria, taking you on a journey around different regions of Italy. It has all the flair of its previous Michelin star counterpart without the weighty price tag that typically comes with it. I don't foresee it being too long before the Michelin inspectors come knocking again.
Casa, The General, Lower Guinea Street, Bristol, BS1 6FU. Open for lunch Friday to Saturday (12pm–3pm) and dinner Wednesday to Saturday (5pm–11pm). 0117 959 2884. https://www.casabristol.co.uk/
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