Dinner at Casa L’Acqua begins with cocktail orders, a lovely basket of garlic crostini & bread, chunks of Parmigiana Reggiano and a swirl of honey balsamic on every bread & butter plate. The seafood-&-fish-abundant menu is nothing short of opulent. Just when you think you’ve chosen your order, one of the waitstaff’s polished professionals comes along offering to recite the nightly specials while another staffer displays a platter of temptations — giant scampi, stone crab claws of unfathomable size, and more. Be prepared for a long recitation!
Although we often start with giant grilled Scampi Oreganata, we switch off with menu selections such as Clams Oreganata with fresh lemon and garlic sauce; classic Prosciutto e Melon (cantaloupe); creamy Burrata (thin mozz shell surrounding a soft ricotta center) with arugula, tomato and marinated artichoke; artfully shaved octopus carpaccio with orange dressing; and Beef Carpaccio with lemon dressing, arugula and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
Pasta specials might include luscious Lobster Ravioli, but the menu features personal favorites: Spaghetti Carbonara swathed in egg yolk, onion and guanciale (rich, fatty pork cheek); and Gnocchi Siracusa, combining northern Italy’s pillow-y potato dumplings with the oomph of southern Sicilian garlic, anchovies and tomato sauce. Low- and slow-cooked risotto is offered in several varieties here, and the classic Milanese (shrimp, green peas and saffron) and the Porcini Mushroom versions are wonderful!
