Problem
It's hot in London, in July 2018, 24 c / 77 f; it seems almost as hot as Italy, where the temperature is 82 f /28 c. How about a nice Italian restaurant? Casa Mia will do nicely. I was standing outside taking a photo when the manager rushed out to greet me. He reminded me that he knew me from way back when he worked in Fellini Italian restaurant, run by Andrea, when it first opened. Fellini (named after the Italian film director) moved around, across the road, then to the corner, until Andrea retired from running restaurants and Fellini became Porto Grande. Andrea was the Godfather of Hatch End's Italian restaurants, with his younger former staff gradually taking over as he moved on.
The manager of Casa Mia rememberd that I liked kir royale.
For your free glass of house wine at Casa Mia, choose from one of these bottles.
Answers
In Hatch End, London, England, sit by the window and have a glass of tap water and a cold drink.
Yes, in England, you can ask for a glass of water. Casa Mia Restaurant will give you a glass or jug of tap water.
Water - yes!
Recently, in the Pestana Casino Hotel in Madeira, we were not served drinking water. But that's another story, or post.
In the UK, by law, if they serve alcohol they must serve tap water, no charge. (I did read somewhere they can charge for the glass - that's the cover charge you get in some bring your own bottle restaurants. But I have never heard of anybody doing that because the British would be outraged.)
So, Casa Mia offers fresh air and free water. What else?
Italian Food
Starters
Minestrone (vegetable soup - vegetarian, which you might think is obvious, but it means they didn't sneak in a meat stock cube and forget to tell you). Or fine fresh cold melon.
Loads more choices of starters. Traditional prawn cocktail. It's been a British favourite since the nineteen sixties. It still is a favourite.
Sometimes people sneer at prawn cocktail. Don't listen to those people who want to be rude about what you choose to eat. Let them eat what they like and you eat what you like.
If anybody comments while you are eating, tell them not to be rude and spoil your dinner. I tell them, 'If it upsets you, please keep quiet and let me enjoy my dinner. If you want to make rude comments about my choice of food, please move to another table.' Then they apologise.)
Let's look at the menu again. A chance to remind yourself of half-forgotten Italian. The manager gave me the menu to take away. The Italians, especially ours in Hatch End, are so obliging and helpful. The phrase, can't do enough for you, comes to mind.
You would think every restaurant manager could would and should do this. But they don't. So many times, I have been in other restaurants where the staff ignore you, can't find their own business card, are short of business cards and takeaway menus. Here, it's the opposite.
Many dishes are cooked to order. If they are not busy, and you want a different combination, just ask.
Italian - English
alla - at/on the
alla Champagne - with Champagne sauce
alla crema - with cream sauce
alla grilla - grilled
Bistecca - beef steak
Bolognaise - from Bologna, or in the style of food from Bologna in Italy
casa - house
filetti - fillet
Fiorentina - from Florence, or in the style of food from Florence, usually with spinach
grilla - grill
mia - my
Milanese - from Milan
insalata - salad
pollo - chicken
risotto - rice dish
salmone - salmon
spinaci - spinach
English-Italian
beef steak - bistecca
chicken - pollo
cream sauce - alla crema
fillet - filetti
grilled - alla grilla
house - casa
my - mia
rice dish - risotto
salad - insalata
salmon - salmone
spinach - spinaci
Decor
Hatch End restaurants have great decor. Casa Mia is decorated as if you are sitting outside in an Italian village, with tiled rooftops.
Early Bird Offers
The early bird offer is available both lunch time and early evening. It consists of two courses, starter and main course, including a glass of house wine, for £13.95 plus ten percent service. That's £28 minus two pence, plus two pounds eight pence service, which comes to
But your bill will come to more if you add desserts, coffee, more drinks. If you are looking after your diet and your teeth, you might feel it sensible to go without a sugary dessert. But if you want them, they suggest home made tiramisu and other favourites as extras, extra time and extra cost. The menu has added a British favourite, bread and butter pudding.
On Saturdays, the whole weekend, when they are busy with booking for the evening if you have the early bird offer you need to order by 7 pm and you need to leave by 8 pm. Other days, no hurry.
Wines
What are the house wines? Italian red, white or rosé. if you are not into wine, you can have a soft drink instead.
Casa Mia
Tel: 020 8428 0079
455 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End,
Pinner, Middlesex HA5 4JS
visitbritain.org
visitengland.com
visitlondon.com
Angela Lansbury with a model of the queen at Heathrow airport. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
temperature in london
Web: casamiarestaurant.org.uk or
casamia-restaurant.co.uk
Email: casamiahatchend@gmail.com
Afterwards go for a walk along the London loop from Hatch End station.
Hatch End high street was the home of Isabella Beeton, 1856-62.
Mrs Beeton was the renowned cookery writer whose book of household management is still published today. (My family used to grin as they quoted: "First kill your chicken .. take a dozen eggs ...!") No thanks. I think I'll find a restaurant.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. See my other posts on Italian restaurants in London, England; visiting Umbria and Italy, learning the Italian language.
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