Casa Don Alfonso

The whole reason I started this blog 12 years ago is because I had an amazing once-in-a-lifetime restaurant experience and I wanted to document it. 

So here I am again, trying to find the right words to describe a late Mother's Day celebration at Casa Don Alfonso, the latest restaurant inside the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Just saying "the Ritz" already sets the bar extremely high and although it was expensive, it was a great opportunity.

Menu

Sure, anyone can make a reservation (they book up quickly), but not everyone can have their experience catered by the STLwinegirl, Angela Ortmann, as she was hired on to work the floor on a temporary basis as their in-house sommelier.

We managed to get a last minute spot at the seats that face the kitchen, which is  acompletely open kitchen behind glass partitions. I cannot imagine people watching ME work, so kudos to those chefs! But it is a beautiful workspace as the copper theme shines throughout the restaurant. (Including the  entire ceiling of the kitchen and all the silverware!)

Full Kitchen

Copper utensils

Also, if you think to look up over the dining room, there are blown glass leaves hanging from the  ceiling there that make it seem "other-worldy".

Dining Room Ceiling with blown glass leaves

And if you can swing it, walk by the giant glassed wine room and check out the cigar room. Both are just as impressive.

I haven't even talked about our meal yet either!

We started out with a glass of palete-cleansing Italian bubbles along with a warm bag of homemade bread that my stepmom just loved. She tried so hard not to fill up on it, but it was hard to resist.

Italian bubbles...

Homemade Italian Bread

We all wanted to taste the appetizers, or antipasta, and any of them could have been a meal. I don't think we were in shape for what was to come! We warmed up with a truffle pizza, which again, is made in house.

Truffle Pizza

Patience and I split the Farmer's Board as well...all Italian cheeses of course.

Farmer's Board

Patience selected the Beef Carpaccio, while Linda tried the Tuna Tartare.

Beef Carpaccio

Tuna Tartare

My Dad got his very own baby pot of Tomato & Basil soup. It's so cute!

Tomato & Basil Soup

Then more wine was had...

Primitivo!

Finally, here are our main courses. I accidently let slip that I really wanted the Baked Tiny Gnocchi (so cute AND delicious), even though I volunteered to help Linda with her choice of the Housemade Fresh Tagliatelle, with shrimp, which was very rich. 

Baked Tiny Gnocchi

Housemade Fresh Tagliatelle

Patience ordered the Lasagna Napoletana, which is a Tomato Beef Ragout, and Green Peas, Eggs, and Ricotta stuffed inside. So decadent!

Lasagna Napoletana

Somehow there was still more wine.

Nero D'Avola

Not that we had any room left, but then dessert happened. I was ready to explode... 

Adorable cannolis...

Cannolis

Three flavors of gelato...

Gelato

Lemon Profiteroles...

Lemon Profiteroles

And to top it off, literally, the special dessert that Casa is known for...your picture on top of tiramisu!

Tiramisu

Even my Dad's coffee got the special picture too!

Coffee

Chef Sergio is the best!

Patience, Sergio, and I

STLwinegirl ain't too shabby herself. I really owe it to her for a fantastic evening.

Angie and Patience

The whole experience may have been a bit TOO fantastic, because now my stepmom wants to go back!

Resources:

Casa Don Alfonso = https://casadonalfonsostlouis.com/

Photos by Patience Scanlon