I first heard of Carosello from an Italian lady who waxed lyrical about it, ranking it as one of her favorite Italian restaurants in Heidelberg. This peaked my curiosity, and I simply had to learn more about it.
Housed on the premises of a former cigar factory in Heidelberg, the venue has been given a stylish new lease of life. Carosello is spacious with high ceilings, yet warm and welcoming. Food counters and niches in walls display various Italian food specialties and wines for sale. The restaurant owners and restaurant team are passionate about their food and products which are sourced directly from various regions in Italy, specifically Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Calabria, Sicilia, Lombardia, Bologna, Liguria, Campania and Piemonte.
Food Explorers got a chance to sample a small range of Carosello’s offerings on our Dinner Expedition “Winter in Friuli”. We were introduced to the food of Friuli Venezia Giulia by way of a 4-course menu inspired by Friulian peasant fare, sophisticated Venetian food and influences from its neighbours Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia.
Our feast started with “Buffet Friulano” – a generous spread of Friulian appetizers such as prosciutto, salami, mortadella, carpaccio, cheeses, vegetable caponata, caprese with buffalo mozzarella, grilled vegetables and more – all carefully chosen to balance flavours and textures, simple with complex, raw with cooked.
For “Primo Piatto”, the chef recommended “Tagliatelle di Polenta con Ragù di Coniglio” (polenta tagliatelle with rabbit ragù).
For our “Secondo” – there was “Filetto di Maiale lardellato al San Daniele con patate al forno” (pork filet larded with San Daniele, served with baked potatoes), and “Seppie in umido con Polenta” (braised squid with polenta) for seafood lovers.
We ended our meal on a sweet note with “Gubana con Slivoviz”, a traditional Friulian cake with a swirl of rich filling of nuts and dried fruits, drizzled with plum brandy. To soothe our close-to-bursting tummies, we received complimentary shots of grappa and limoncello.
Carosello offers a wide selection of Italian wines, including whites and reds from Zorzettig Winery of Friuli.
Grazie mille to Gabriele and his team who took very good care of us, and made sure that we had a steady flow of food and drinks. The food portions are extremely generous! We enjoyed ourselves and will certainly be returning for an Italian-style convivio with more of Carosello’s delicious offerings!
Carosello – Mangio Italiano, Alte Eppelheimer Straße 50, 69115 Heidelberg
As of 20.10.2018, Carosello is closed for renovations – they plan to reopen early December 2018
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