Lots of fancy New York restaurants have opened outposts in Miami. But what happens when enjoying a fancy South Beach location in Manhattan?
Miami Italian-ish joint Casa Tua, which has been a magnet for boldfacers in the Sunshine State, has made the leap to the Upper East Side this month.
While the original has a snobby reputation, the New York outpost is mostly welcoming, but it’s definitely more about the views than the food. I can’t say I’m surprised
After lengthy construction delays, it’s great to see life again at the relaunched Surrey Hotel on East 76th Street, the former site of Café Boulud, which was dark for four, pandemic-shadowed years.
Casa Tua founder Mickey Grandin told WWD that he chose Surrey because, “I think the U.S. needs new blood, new things, new energy, more than just a city.”
The floor crew – mostly men wearing suits and ties – moves efficiently like Josh Allen’s Bills in the fourth quarter. There were so many people who said they were Casa Tua veterans that I wondered who was operating the store in Miami. I heard “Tutto Bane?” Can stand meals more than two hours apart.
Casa Tua offers two vastly different experiences: the buzzing main dining room and a sexy lounge on the opposite side of the hotel lobby.
There’s energy and star power to spare in both, but especially in the main room. I saw Channel 5 star Rosanna Scotto, marketing powerhouse Alison Broad and author and former “Real Housewife” Ramona Singer that same night.
,[This] This is a place to see and be seen for the 50-plus crowd,” my wide-eyed friend said as she watched women in miniskirts wander around the art-adorned, Cipriani-like setting.
The lounge’s warm lighting, dark wood, gleaming mirrors, comfortable banquettes and sweet Italian-Spanish soundtrack are made for romance. Only the vigorous antics of a man dining nearby with a waitress spoiled the mood.
Wherever you sit, there may be a lack of energy on the plate. The mid-priced (by today’s standards) menu boasts quality ingredients, but it’s not in the stronger league of nearby St. Ambroise.
Casa Tua’s cuisine is extremely typical due to its extraordinary social aspirations. They go from unexpectedly first rate to completely useless.
Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese with nicely spiced bresaola ($36), in a large portion, had more flavor than the oddly bland, 36-month-old Prosciutto di Parma ($42), which was thickly sliced.
Lobster Spaghetti a la Chittara ($42) arrived al dente with a pleasing chili-sparked tomato sauce.
But on two occasions, the sneaky Cacio e Pepe ($32) made us wonder twice, “Where’s Pepe?”
Chicken alla Diavola ($44) lived up to its name, being as juicy as it was pepper-sparked. But the Veal Milanese ($72 and enough for two) lacked character beneath the crunchy batter.
In a lifetime of minestrone-slurping, I’ve never found one as decadent as Casa Tua’s attempt at a classic soup ($22). Either name it “hot water with carrots and potato wedges” or put it on the first plane back to Miami.
Traditional desserts like tiramisu are good, but go with “Mickey’s Pistachio Gelato,” a $30 creamy, multi-layered treat topped with crackling Rice Krispies.
It’s big enough for at least three people, and delicious enough to keep even the oldest kids at bay.
Casa Tua is remarkably public-friendly, despite the fact that it is attached to a private club of the same name. Warmth was absent only in a smiling hostess who claimed that the lounge, where I had asked to sit, was “fully committed” at 7pm; It remained less than half full the whole night.
I’ll be back to the lounge for a new, lighter menu they plan to launch this week — and hope for a crowd worthy of the setting.
