Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
When it comes to locally owned restaurants, one of the frustrating things about Bossier City is the lack of what I call “In between” restaurants. For the most part, there’s either fine dining (one choice), or fast food. Chains are fine, but it’s always good to support local.
One of Bossier’s few in-between, locally owned restaurants is Cascio’s Market Bistro (2750 Shed Road, Suite G). But to be honest, it’s a place I never think about. I don’t see Cascio’s name many places, so the eatery is out of sight, out of mind. I had been there twice, each time at someone else’s request. But on a recent Friday, I decided to do the inviting, asking a friend to join me for lunch.
Despite our relatively late arrival (1:20pm), several people were still eating their meal. Or perhaps they had already finished and were visiting. Until I saw the sign on the front door, I didn’t know Cascio’s closed at 2pm. So, I was hopeful our server would not make us feel rushed to eat and leave (she did not).
Cascio’s menu is usually shown on two monitors behind the counter. But on this day, the monitors weren’t working. Thankfully, there were several hand-held menus of which my friend and I could browse. Cascio’s likes to brag that it has “Something for everyone.” I would say that’s pretty much true. There were several salads from which to choose, as well as burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and pasta.
For years, I had heard about Rocky Cascio’s Pizzaletta. Back in the day, my Journal colleague, John James Marshall, used to rave about it on his radio show. Rocky no longer owns the restaurant, but his creation is still available. I had never had a pizzaletta and was tempted to try it. But there were other things on the menu which caught my eye.
I was torn between a muffaletta, and an Italian Sausage sandwich. So, I asked one of the gentlemen behind the counter for his suggestion. Somewhat to my surprise, he urged me to order the sandwich. Another of the things which Rocky is known for is his Italian sausage, so I didn’t think I would be disappointed. My sandwich came with a side, and I chose fruit.
My friend had eaten at Cascio’s several times, and each time, she ordered the same thing – a Turkey Melt sandwich. She told me over and over how good it was. So, I was not surprised when that’s what she ordered. For her side, my friend went with a salad.
Cascio’s has a nice-sized dining room, and I liked the fact that the tables weren’t so close together. At some places, you have to squeeze in to sit down, and you feel like you can’t talk with your voice’s regular volume without your conversation being overheard. That wasn’t the case. Cascio’s also had a relaxed atmosphere with a neighborly feeling. I got the idea other diners were either family members, or close friends with everyone at their table.
There was one thing in the dining room which bothered me. You know those carts where the server puts the dirty dishes in a tray, and pushes leftover food into a trash can? Well, one of those carts was in full view. I saw it when I walked in – dirty dishes and all – and I saw it when I sat down. In fact, I purposely chose a chair which kept the cart at my back. The last thing I wanted to see while eating were dirty dishes, or a server clearing food off those dishes. The cart needs to stay behind closed doors, where the server can do what she/he needs to do without customers being able to watch.
The wait wasn’t long before my friend and I were served. While the size of my sandwich looked pleasing, it was the fruit which first grabbed my attention. There was a nice–sized bowl filled with sliced strawberries, pineapple chunks, and red grapes – all favorites of mine. The fruit looked very fresh. Heck, I could have eaten a couple of bowls and been happy.
But the headliner was the Italian Sausage sandwich. Right off the bat, I knew it would be good because my first bite was met with rising smoke. When you order something that is supposed to be hot, you want it hot. And my sandwich was hot. Confirmation of the sandwich being good came when the sausage touched my taste buds. It had that Italian sausage taste, something I can’t describe, but know it when I taste it. The sausage oozed authenticity, unlike something processed at a factory up north.
As promised, the sandwich came with sauteed onions and bell peppers, which were topped with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. However, while I was pleased with the amount of sausage, Cascio’s was a little stingy with the other items. I would have liked a little more of everything, especially the sauce. It was spread so thin, the sandwich flirted with tasting dry. What was between the bread was good, there just needed to be more of it.
My friend’s Turkey Melt was just the way she likes it – good. There was maple honey turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and avocado, all between a jalapeno bun. “It’s the best,” she said. “One thing that makes it so good is that it’s served warm. It’s not dry. It’s really moist. It really kind of melts in your mouth. It’s the best of all blends. It’s delicious.”
I was able to coax my friend into letting me have a small bite. I agree, the sandwich was good. That jalapeno bun was some of the best-tasting bread I’ve had in a while.
As for her salad, my friend said it was “good and fresh.” The homemade ranch dressing made it even better. It was very creamy, and just the right amount.”
The cost of our meal before tax and tip was $25.50. I thought that was a fair price for the food we ate. One thing which was a bit of an inconvenience was that when paying after ordering, the checkout screen only showed the total cost of our meal– not the subtotal. So, I had to guess as to what my tip should be, since you should always tip a percentage based on the subtotal. If I short-changed our server, my apologies.
I give Cascio’s Market Bistro Three Forks. I didn’t have an out-of-this-world experience, so I wouldn’t go out of my way to return. But I will be a repeat customer if I’m in Bossier at lunchtime, and if I think about the restaurant. I would suggest the owner do a little more to promote top of mind awareness. And while at it, please put that cart away. It’s unbecoming of a place with good food and a good atmosphere.
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?
Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.
