Enjoy a taste of Italy at Casa Paolo in Cornwall

CORNWALL, Ontario — It had been quite some time since I'd been to a restaurant in Cornwall.

From Massena, it's just a hop, skip and a jump across the international bridge and you're there. But that invisible barrier called the border presents a certain obstacle that even keeps Massena-ites from frequenting Cornwall regularly. Kind of like those invisible dog fences you see popping up in neighborhood backyards this time of year.

So when I asked some Massena friends for a restaurant recommendation, I got, "Well, I heard of this place called blah-blah-blah, and my friend told me about this place called so-and-so, and my husband's golf buddies have been to this Italian place; I think it's called Casa something-or-other."

So we took a chance on the something-or-other, Casa Paolo. It's easy to find, once you get through the international dog fence. As you come off the bridge, continue straight ahead on Brookdale Avenue, take a left onto Vincent Massey Drive and look for the restaurant on the left.

It's an unassuming building from the outside, looking like a house that was built in the '60s. Inside, it takes on a welcoming aura — grapevines hanging from the ceiling throughout the multiroomed restaurant, a well-worn dark wood floor you'd expect to find in an Irish pub, and tall, eye-catching calla lilies on every table.

The menu was huge, with a good number of soups and salads, more than 20 appetizers, two dozen homemade pasta dishes, a dozen chicken choices, a like number of seafood entrées and another dozen-plus steak and veal options.

We enjoyed our appetizer selections. Most outstanding was the escargot bourguignon in mushroom caps ($8.95) doused with a slightly greasy but oh-so-good gravy that cried out for bread yet to be delivered to the table.

Next in order of goodness was the bruschetta di pomodori ($5.95). Perfectly diced tomatoes marinated in quality olive oil, easy on the garlic and onion, and just a pinch of herbs — placed on crisp-toasted garlic bread — made for a simple but effective appetizer that prompted thumbs up around the table.

Artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers ($8.95) was simple and straightforward, nicely complemented with a tasty vinaigrette dressing.

Shrimp Grand Marnier ($8.95) was equally uncomplicated — butterflied shrimp quickly sautéed in a sauce of white wine with just a hint of orangy Grand Marnier liqueur.

Warm rolls arrived, certainly not crusty like you'd expect in an Italian restaurant, but more of a hot dog roll consistency.

All entrées include garden or Caesar salad or soup of the day. We didn't get to try a garden salad, but the Caesars were OK, nice crisp romaine, commercial croutons, grated Parmesan and a dressing that lacked punch. The addition of bacon bits was a distraction for us.

Rather than soup of the day, we tried the stracciatella alla Romana. It's a traditional Italian soup that you don't see very often, hearty chicken broth with spinach, eggs and Parmesan cheese.

We assumed Chicken alla Paolo ($18.95), one of their signature dishes, would be extraordinary — sautéed chicken breast topped with spinach, ham and cheese in a lemon-white wine sauce. The ham was a cross between deli ham and Canadian bacon, the sauce wasn't very lemony and the Alfredo sauce on the accompanying fettuccini was on the bland side.

On the other hand, we were taking a chance ordering the classic French dish coquilles St. Jacques ($19.95) in an Italian restaurant, but that turned out to be a highlight.

Scallops, shrimp and crabmeat were combined in a creamy, cheesy white sauce, served in an oversized ceramic scallop shell. Piped mashed potatoes topped the dish and were finished under the broiler till just slightly browned. Except for the imitation crab, this was a very nice entrée.

Veal scallopini piccata ($17.95) was also enjoyable, utilizing good-quality thinly pounded veal that cut with a fork. The lemon-white wine sauce was identical to the sauce on the chicken Paolo, appearing premade rather than being made "alla panna." It could have used more lemon and had a somewhat orange hue to it. Our request to add capers was happily accommodated.

Our waitress also had no problem asking the kitchen to substitute fettuccini for spaghetti in the spaghetti carbonara pasta dish ($16.95). The carbonara sauce (cream, eggs, Parmesan, bits of bacon) had a grainy appearance. We expected more of a smooth sauce, similar to Alfredo but with the addition of bacon (and sometime peas, which they did not do).

Upon returning home and doing some research, we learned that classic carbonara usually has a slight grainy texture because the cheese is added at the very end along with the egg as a thickener, so the cheese does not completely dissolve.

Sides were good — perfectly cooked carrots, broccoli and pencil-thin asparagus pasta doused with a flavorful homemade tomato sauce, fettuccini with a creamy Alfredo sauce, and rice that was basic but good.

Desserts ($4.95 each) were of the commercial variety, except for one —tiramisu. This was excellent, light and airy with its coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese and powdered cocoa on top.

Bailey's cake (made with Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur) was also light and airy, but you had to really concentrate to taste the Bailey's. The chocolate and caramel syrups "painted" on the plate underneath made for a nice extra boost of flavor with each bite.

Lemon cake was sufficiently lemony, topped with thin shavings of white chocolate. Praline ice cream seemed to have been in the freezer a little too long.

Dinner for four, before tip, cost $209 in Canadian funds. With the conversion to U.S. funds, it became $171, which included two mixed drinks and two glasses of house wine ($32 Canadian, approximately $26 U.S.)

Several birthdays were being celebrated at Casa Paolo the night we were there.

The waitresses emerge from the kitchen with a birthday cake, a blazing sparkler stuck in the middle of it, and then sing a modified version of "Happy Birthday to You" at the table.

Be sure to bring your passport or other acceptable photo identification. We found that was necessary for entering Canada and also for returning home to "the States." Certainly allow some extra time when crossing the border.

You can contact Walter E. Siebel via e-mail: wsiebel@wdt.net.

Casa Paolo

1600 Vincent Massey Drive

Cornwall, Ontario

(613) 938-3706

Classic Italian dining in a comfortable setting.

HOURS: 4 p.m. to closing ("usually 10-ish") Monday through Saturday.

APPETIZER PICKS: Bruschetta di pomodori, escargot bourguignon.

ENTRÉE PICKS: Coquilles St. Jacques, veal scaloppini piccata.

DESSERT PICK: Homemade tiramisu.

RATING: 3 and one-half forks