El Caserio Awards

El Caserio Restaurant Review:

It’s difficult to resist the basket of two mini loaves of hot, crusty bread presented before the meal at El Caserio. But be careful not to slather on too much aji, a bracingly potent tomato-based chile sauce, or you may leave your taste buds impaired for the rest of the meal. Start with a ceviche of large Ecuadorian shrimp, the dish’s lime juice foundation filled with avocado, tomatoes, red onions and cilantro. Move on to the more than decent selection of pastas: pappardelle in a bolognese sauce topped with daily-made meatballs, and house-made gnocchi in pesto with a peanut garnish. Braised goat is tender and flavorful, in a sauce of beer and tomato, while marinated lamb chops are served in a porcini mushroom sauce. Burrata with figs is a sweet and savory dessert. The wine list is small and weak, but El Caserio has a full bar and specializes in Latin cocktails, including the caipirinha from Brazil.