T-bone steak flanked by grilled veggies at Cardellino (By Frank Sabatini Jr.)
Restaurants, Mission Hills
REVIEW: The ‘Chef’s Chophouse Experience’ at Cardellino in Mission Hills
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
It wasn’t too long ago that Cardellino by the Trust Restaurant Group rebranded itself as an “Italian chophouse.” The shift brought an end to pizzas and other casual Italian fare in lieu of pricier, more meat-heavy dishes. The menu, however, still features reliable pasta dishes such as spicy rigatoni, baked cannelloni, and shrimp tagliatelle.
Thanks to some generous friends, we were recently afforded the latest “Chef’s Chophouse Experience,” which involves a parade of at least eight savory dishes plus a few desserts all chosen by executive chef/owner Brad Wise. Named also on the menu as the “Tuscan Experience,” the family-style meal is priced at $375, not including wine.
If you are a party of three people or less opting for the experience, plan on taking home leftovers. As a foursome, it’s the perfect amount of food that allows for a little bit of gluttony.
Did the price justify the quality?
Yes. In fact we found it to be a steal.
In summary, the meal began with wildly addicting house-made sourdough bread and filet mignon carpaccio, which earned a unanimous “best-carpaccio-ever” rating from the table. Sliced paper-thin, the meat was adorned with Calabrian chili aioli, crispy shallots, arugula and pickled mushrooms—all resulting in an ultimate umami high.
It was served in conjunction with a well-endowed chopped salad featuring salami, Provolone, chickpeas, Pecorino cheese and more. Cloaked in creamy herb dressing, it was the dish that came closest to old-school Italian.
What followed was an array of other courses that also ranked well above mediocre—a rarity in multi-course meals such as this.
Boldly seasoned lamb “lollipops” cooked over flames were super-savory and easy to handle. Pork-beef house sausage served atop polenta was lean and chary, a testament to Wise’s penchant for roasting meats over wood-fueled fires, as seen at his nearby Fort Oak restaurant.
A piling of thin, curly prosciutto di San Daniele also found its way into the early line up as a luxurious prelude to ahi tuna crudo, which was made sensational with fresh herbs, mustard seeds and micro chilies.
Among the meatier courses was a hefty T-bone featuring strip steak on one side of the bone and filet mignon on the other side. Some of it was sliced by our waiter tableside. I think a third cut of steak slipped into the feast, but I couldn’t tell for sure in the midst of all this copious beef flaunting top-notch flavor and texture.
Pasta appeared in two preparations: Spicy rigatoni in creamy vodka sauce (not for sensitive palates) and “radiatori” laden with earthy mushrooms and Grana Padano cheese. The calorie intake was ruthless, especially when factoring in a trio of desserts, including tiramisu cheesecake, and a bottle of limoncello to boot.
In a signed thank-you card from the chef that comes with the bill, Wise writes: “This meal is how I eat when I dine here with friends.” Indeed, we lucked out by following in his footsteps.
