This Week at Casa Dante

   737 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey 07306 - (201) 795-2750

www.casadante.com       See us on    FACEBOOK  or Casa Dante Facebook Dear Friends: A few weeks of summer remain. Hope you're having a great one this year. Amid all the turmoil in the stock market and such we all really need to relax. If you aren't heading to the shore this weekend, come on by. Entertainment, without cover charge, great food, drink and company. Check our schedule below for entertainment, food, wine, funny quotes and surprises. See you at Casa Dante! Dom & Toni Marino Proprietors Reserve a spot on Open Table or call direct. Casa Dante 3.5/4 stars Star Ledger 2010, Wine Spectator Award 2009, 2010 & 2011, Best Italian in NJ by AOL, Top three Italian Restaurant inNJ, Inside Jersey Magazine Check out the specials and discounts below and join our  FACEBOOK  fan page. www.casadante.com/entertainment or other events at www.casadante.com/events Rooms for small or large parties up to 140. Valet parking. Entertainment this weekend!    The Champain Fulton Jazz Trio ...great music and vocals    Friday August 12, 2011              Saturday August 13, 2011  "Anthony & Taryn"  Great food, fine singers and wonderful songs! Come in for a musical evening!

 See the full entertainment schedule at www.casadante.com/entertainment

Happenings at Casa Dante     Thanks to all who helped us garner another Wine Spectator Award for 2011. As a thank you for your support and for reading this, print this out and show it to Louie this Friday or Saturday night ( August 12 & 13 ) and he'll let you have any bottle of wine at 1/2 price ( aren't you glad you read this far down!). Thanks again for your patronage!     Coming in September "Dance Night". Haven't done one in a long while. Music, Dance instructors to give us some steps and lots of fun!   Believe it or not we are getting ready for the holiday season and taking advance reservations for our annual New Years Eve Bash. Our entertainment bookings are not completed yet, but if you've been here for past celebrations you know its always a blast. Because of limited space I hope you take advantage of this early notice for our regular attendees. Remember Thanksgiving Day celebration, Christmas Eve   Holiday Parties welcomed. Plenty of room for large groups. Valet parking in our lot.    Great & Healthy Recipe Chicken Breast with Artichoke-Olive Sauce We were intrigued by the ingredients and taste and want your input whether we should include this as an "special addition" to our menu here at Casa Dante. Write us! 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chopped oregano One 10-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry 8 pitted kalamata olives, halved 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese Salt and freshly ground pepper Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Preheat the oven to 400�. In a bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic and oregano. Fold in the artichokes, olives and feta; season the sauce with salt and pepper. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken, skinned side down, and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes; turn and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the chicken for 10 minutes, until white throughout. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the sauce on top. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

quote of the week   " My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four; unless there are three other people." Orson Welles -- If you have a quote you think worthy, please email to me at info@casadante.com with your name and I will approve, post it here and give you mention   Did you know?  potato crisps were invented by a North American Indian called George Crum in 1853. orange does not rhyme with any other word. Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots. honey is the only edible food for humans that will never go bad horseradish was the first product sold by Heinz in 1869 Kopi Luwa from Indonesia is the world's costliest coffee, at USD$700 a kilogram, thanks to a unique taste and aroma enhanced by the digestive system of droppings of palm civets, nocturnal tree-climbing creatures about the size of a large house cat, which eats ripe robusta coffee cherries for treats. The coffee beans, which are found inside of the cherries,remain intact after passing through the animal. Plantation workers track them and scoop their precious poop.  ( if you've seen the movie "The Bucket List", you know this one! ketchup was originally a fish sauce originating in the orient. Two words from the Fujian region of China were used to describe a fish brine / sauce and a tomato sauce – ke-tsap and kio-chiap. Wrigley's gum was the first product to have a bar code. Ringo Starr appeared in a Japanese advertisement for apple sauce. Ironically his name means "apple sauce" in Japanese olive oil has lots of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory activity to fight rheumatoid arthritis. and is the only vegetable oil that can be created simply by pressing the raw material lemons contain more sugar than strawberries lettuce is the only vegetable or fruit which is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh Casa Dante  40th Anniversary since 1971.  We would love your participation. If you have a story, photo or just a blurb of a memory involving Casa Dante, please forward it for inclusion in this section. Send it to info@casadante.com   Looking forward to hearing from you!  July 30,1978. New York Times review of Casa Dante. Two stars, not bad! B H Fussell, of the NY Times described the then newly relocated Casa Dante  "....like a boisterous Italian embrace....in a Fellini movie".    I agree with the comparison. I don't want to post the entire review here, but if you're interested in seeing it, just email info@casadante.com and I'll send it to you!

This Week at Casa Dante

www.casadante.com       See us on    FACEBOOK  or Casa Dante Facebook Dear Friends: We've had a very successful Hudson Restaurant Week at Casa Dante. Thanks to all who attended and tried some new dishes we introduced during this great event. Although we do "classic" Italian items "like no one else" please look at our daily additions menu where we let Chef Gregg's creative side shine. Those of you who generally order from the additions menu already know this and he thanks you for your appreciation of his offerings. These last few weeks of summer is our time to get ready for what we foresee as a busy Holiday season. Sounds early? It's not for us! We've already booked our New Years Eve entertainment and are producing all the holiday menus.  Read these pages or our site for upcoming details. Please keep in mind all the healthy alternatives on our menu. Whole wheat pasta and breads, roasted and lightly prepared fish, free-range chicken, vegetarian soups, salads & entrees. If you have any special requirements (gluten free, low sugar etc) ask your server. Check out our entertainmnet options for this weekend as well as other features and articles below and thanks for reading. Dom & Toni Marino Proprietors Reserve a spot on Open Table or call direct. Casa Dante 3.5/4 stars Star Ledger 2010, Wine Spectator Award 2009, 2010 & 2011, Best Italian in NJ by AOL, Top three Italian Restaurant inNJ, Inside Jersey Magazine Check out the specials and discounts below and join our  FACEBOOK  fan page. www.casadante.com/entertainment or other events at www.casadante.com/events Rooms for small or large parties up to 140. Valet parking. Entertainment this weekend!    The Don Carter Jazz Trio ...great music and vocals    Friday August 5, 2011              Saturday August 6, 2011  "Danny Heise"  Pop standards, vocals and more

 See the full entertainment schedule at www.casadante.com/entertainment

Happenings at Casa Dante     Our wine list earned another Wine Spectator Award for 2011. Although we've had to grapple with a severe recession, Casa Dante has still been able to offer great & diverse wines at modest pricing! As a thank you for your support and for reading this, print this out and show it to Louie this Friday or Saturday night ( August 5 & 6 ) and he'll let you have any bottle of wine at 1/2 price ( aren't you glad you read this far down!). Thanks again for your patronage!   Summer Prix Fixe menu now available in addition to our regular menus. Fresh Grilled or Roasted Fish, Grilled Vegetables, Whole Wheat Pastas with Vegetable toppings and Dessert Fruits. Provided at a set price for individuals or large parties. .   Coming in September "Dance Night". Haven't done one in a long while. Music, Dance instructors to give us some steps and lots of fun!   Believe it or not we are getting ready for the holiday season and taking advance reservations for our annual New Years Eve Bash. Our entertainment bookings are not completed yet, but if you've been here for past celebrations you know its always a blast. Because of limited space I hope you take advantage of this early notice for our regular attendees.   Great Italian Recipe Fettuccini Alfredo ( low-cal ) I love Fettucini Alfredo but, like most people, I shouldn't be eating such rich foods. This recipe is a bit healthier alternative to an Italian classic. Enjoy! Ingredients 1 tablespoon unsaled butter 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest  2 teaspoons all purpose flour 1 cup low-fat (2%) milk Kosher salt 2 tablespoons Neufchtel or low-fat  cream cheese  3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 12 ounces fresh fettuccine Freshly ground pepper Directions Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and parmigian cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettucini and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper. Per serving: Calories 490; Fat 15 g (Saturated 8 g); Cholesterol 48 mg; Sodium 734 mg; Carbohydrate 66 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 20 g

quote of the week   "When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut into four or eight slices, I said, Four. I don't think I can eat eight.'" -- Yogi Berra If you have a quote you think worthy, please email to me at info@casadante.com with your name and I will approve, post it here and give you mention   Did you know?  ...green peppers are actually unripened red or yellow peppers?  They should mainly be used for cooking.  Red and yellow peppers are sweeter and taste better in salads.  If you are picking green peppers, pick the ones with red streaks as they will be sweeter. ...when celery is too green, it tends to be bitter; but if it's too white, the nutrient value is low.  Try to pick stalks that are in between. ...asparagus becomes tougher the longer it sits.  For the best flavor consume within a few hours of picking.  ...cucumbers are technically a fruit, as are avocados and tomatoes. ...summer squash - including yellow crookneck and zucchini - are interchangeable in recipes. ...avocados should yield slightly to gentle pressure when ripe.  Store unripe avocados in a closed paper bag on the counter.  When ripened, remove from bag and refrigerate immediately. ...the sweeter the carrot, the higher its nutritional content. ...cauliflower is known for its cancer-fighting properties. ...bananas are not ripe until all the green has disappeared and speckles begin to appear on the skin. ...green grape stems indicate fresh grapes, while those that are old will be dark. ...a well-ripened mango will be multi-colored and aromatic, and will yield to pressure, but not be mushy. ...the best way to choose a cantaloupe is by smell.   Also when ripe, the end of the cantaloupe opposite the stem should be soft and yield to gentle pressure. ...pineapples do not ripen after they have been picked - they only rot.