Recommends

JustinCanCook

Joined 3 years ago

Forget the North End. If you're willing to make the drive to Belmont (there's ample parking around), you will be rewarded by a meal that will make you wonder why you fight the north end crowds.

Il Casale is the second restaurant by the chef/owner of Dante in Cambridge. This reconditioned firehouse pumps out simple italian classics, done perfectly.

I swear we tried almost everything on the menu last night. highlights were the chicken liver bruschetta, the arancini (really crispy, with a little mozzarella inside), and the SO SIMPLE but SO DELICIOUS pasta with a basic tomato sauce.

The pastas are about $10 for a 1/2 portion and $18 for a full, main courses are in the $20 range. Well worth it.

Doesn't Recommend

Septemberin Brockton

Joined 4 years ago

Neighborhood Italian, Upscale. We've been to Il Casale four times. Twice we (2) sat at the bar for dinner and twice we brought friends and ate at the tables. The atmosphere is lively neighborhood and upscale. The food is creative & well prepared. The staff is calm and friendly. Recently we have chosen on five occassions to dine with freinds elsewhere because of the inordinately long wait from the time you order until the time you receive the food. Each time we waited a minimum of 45 minutes, one time it was 75 minutes. Even at the bar, which is usually a bit quicker, I waited 45 min just for a bowl of tagliatelle with sauce. (None of the other entrees were complicated nor did anyone ask for special considerations.) The kitchen is just plain slow, and by the time the meal comes, people are on edge and very hungry despite the apps. I wanted this place to be my new favorite, and as evidenced by my several return visits, I gave it a good try, but the wait has turned me off. Other people have had the same experience and it is a shame; after all, eating a meal is what you're there for, and a too-long wait is just not worth it. My regrets.

Doesn't Recommend

kaddawg

Joined 4 years ago

worst meal i have EVER had in my life!. The food was too too salty and the meat was like a leather shoe. I used their get one free coupon so maybe that is why???

What a waste of time..never go to this restaurant!!!!

Stay away!!!!

Recommends

hsmom21

Joined 4 years ago

Great food! Great staff. The food was delightful. My daughter's ravioli was well seasoned as was the sauce. My husband's fish was fresh and tender with a subtly flavored sauce that enhanced the flavor of the meat without hiding it. The desserts were all wonderful, but especially good were the fried dough with chocolate sauce - like donuts only much better! The staff was helpful and prompt, at several points going out of their way to make sure our dining experience was a good one. The food is not Michelin star quality - but it was still delicious and it ranks among the best Italian restaurants I've been to in Boston.

Recommends

foody1234567

Joined 5 years ago

Great Flavor, small portions. Il Casale is a great addition to Belmont Center. It is in a converted fire station. The decor is nice.And the food is extremely tasty but for the price the main courses are extremely small. I had the sea bass which was extremely tasty but not more than half a Starbuck's Biscotti. My husband and father had the veal saltimboco and the three veal loins were each the size of a silver dollar. We went hungry left barely satisfied. Was busy but the noise did not bother us. Do not think would go back. For a true Italian Gem with good portions and reasonable prices, Tremonte in Woburn has one over on Il Casale.

Recommends

Linda Clark

Joined 4 years ago

de Magistris siblings impart Belmont with spot-on Italian. Brothers Damian, Dante and Filippo de Magistris have turned Belmont’s old firehouse into a chic, but comfy, neighborhood haunt with a street-side bricked patio and an eye-catching white marble bar top. Floor-to-ceiling olive-colored drapes divide the bar from the restaurant and, along with reclaimed barn wood tables, add warmth to the cavernous interior. Eclectic pastas and traditional meat and seafood dishes are accessorized by appetizers--like crisped arancini with a rich porcini risotto or ruchetta salad with arugula, buttery Apulian mozzarella and piquant wine-soaked bread. Await the knockout desserts, especially the fritelli, a fluffy ricotta doughnut with a bitter chocolate fonduta.

Recommends

goldeneyed

Joined 4 years ago

casual and elegant place for a bite and a sip. Beautiful room in an old firehouse, delectable food, charming bartender. Dare I say? Very New York!

Recommends

BostonDiner

Joined 4 years ago

Great Decor and Atmosphere!. There is something about an open kitchen that i just love in a restaurant. Il Casale did such a great job renovating the old firehouse to convert it into an Italian restaurant. This is certainly a welcome addition to Leonard Street. The bar is roomy and comfortable. We enjoyed a cocktail before being seated. The waitress seemed very knowledgeable about the menu and the food was terrific!