Casserole's Plat du Jour

A few months ago, Casserole Caterers advertised a deal with GoSawa, featuring their plat du jour with a salad and dessert at half off (that's $6 rather than $12). Casserole is located in Jal el Dib, and they promised delivery to Jdeideh, where I work, so I happily nabbed the offer.

I ordered the steak with mushroom sauce, which, along with ten or so other dishes, is featured daily at Casserole in addition to the main plats du jour. I knew my meal was going to be good from the delivery box: it resembled a sturdy Fedex shipping package, and inside there were four compartments where each meal item--main dish, salad, dressing, and dessert--was nestled safely. It didn't even seem as if this meal had made a journey across town to reach me.



As I flipped open the box, I was immediately impressed with the portion sizes of the platter and dessert. I absolutely hate being surprised with smaller-than-life servings--an inevitable risk you stomach when you're trying a new venue--but Casserole doled out very generous portions. The green side salad, composed of Persian cucumber slices, tomato wedges, sweet corn, and shredded carrots all resting atop a bed of lettuce, was fresh and bursting with natural flavor. The steak was a tender filet enrobed in mushroom sauce and topped with sauteed carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms. It was thick and succulent, trimmed from any fat, and easy to cut. There were four croquillants as accompaniment; these are lightly breaded, battered, and spiced potato balls that melt as soon as you pop them into your mouth. I was so stuffed after this main course that I saved dessert--Aish el Saraya--for dinner. And happily so, because you need a clean palate to appreciate the richness of each ingredient. The bread base evokes the taste of slightly sweetned kaak, and it is weighed down by ashta and sprinkled with pistachio bits. Wow! Nothing had been overlooked!

It looks like Casserole also caters private functions. Check out their website here. And be sure and give them a try if you live or work in the area.

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