Cuisine:

• Italian
• Banquet

Cassarino's Description:
Cassarino's has a split personality. Renovations transformed the staid, ground-floor dining room into a hip bistro with a huge bar illuminated by overhead blown-glass lamps. The two upstairs rooms retain the saloon-like flavor of the restaurant's past incarnation, with wood-topped tables and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Atwells Avenue. The menu diverges along similar lines: classics such as veal Parmigiana and steak à la mama---huge portions, all---remain popular, but owners Tyler Barron and Steven Renzi (who's also the executive chef) aren't afraid to mix things up a bit, even as they maintain their devotion to simple preparations. Pollo con broccoli rabe places thin grilled chicken cutlets topped with fresh roasted peppers and portobellos on a bed of rabe sautéed in olive oil and garlic and tossed with prosciutto. It's a skillful blend that leaves the sometimes persnickety rabe silky smooth, not bitter. When it's available as a special, Cajun salmon comes nicely cooked to a just-soft pink center and topped with fresh mango salsa. Service is informal and friendly, providing a welcoming atmosphere both to old-school diners downing pasta and gravy (in Rhode Island, that means tomato sauce) with Chianti and the young sophisticates sipping Bellinis at the bar.


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