THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505230398
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant review
SOURCE: BY DONNA REISS, RESTAURANT CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
CAFE EUROPA has been bringing Old World charm to Portsmouth's High Street since 1986.
Chef-owner Michael Simko started with an extensive menu of pasta, veal and chicken dishes with classic continental sauces. Almost a decade later he has refined the menu, limiting the selections to a half-dozen pasta dishes, three veals, three chickens, three seafoods and several nightly specials.
Many dishes we first sampled here in 1988 are still available, along with cordial greetings from the hostess, Simko's wife, Veronique.
Much of the appeal of Cafe Europa comes from the atmosphere. Two dining rooms lined with brick and wood are softly lighted and decorated with plants, tapestries, antiquarian prints and burgundy linens.
Carefully trained waitresses in crisp white shirts and muted ties recite the evening's specials with skill and enthusiasm; they return just often enough to check on diners' needs.
On our most recent visit, the lentil soup was its usual high quality. The surprisingly light version does not seem out of place on a warm night.
Even more interesting was the soup du jour, a classic soup that balanced potatoes and leeks.
From the appetizer listings, a cake of polenta was sauteed to a golden crust outside, its cornmeal simplicity brightened by a standard red marinara sauce with crumbled beef.
Other appetizers were Italian sausage, shrimp in pernod cream sauce, carpaccio of beef, clams in white wine, and mozzarella in carozza.
Every dinner came with a salad and vegetables. The iceberg lettuce with bland creamy vinaigrette was the main disappointment of the evening, a version at odds with the European motif of the meals. On the other hand, the vegetables with the entrees were an especially good blend of sauteed carrots, onions and brussels sprouts. Simple white rolls, baked on the premises, came with meals as well.
Dinner choices feature veal, chicken, shellfish and pasta. Vitello malfatto, recommended by our server, was an excellent choice of tender veal: lightly breaded, sauteed, garnished with a touch of melted mozzarella, and topped with a handful of chopped tomatoes with basil and onions. As always, Simko selects excellent meat for this and his other veal preparations. One is sauced with lemon and Parmesan, the other with wine and gorgonzola cream.
Shellfish included scallops in paprika and sour cream, shrimp puttanesca-style with olives and capers, and sapore di mare, a seafood combination of scallops, shrimp, mussels and salmon in a lush but not heavy sauce of brandy and pernod. All the elements of the combination were excellent, but we would have liked a little more shrimp and salmon for the $14.25, and perhaps some pasta to absorb the deliciously licorice-scented sauce.
An off-menu special suggested by our waitress was salmon rolled in a thin sheet of pasta with spinach and feta cheese and lightly napped with a wine and cream sauce - an interesting but not very exciting dish. Somehow the salmon-spinach combination didn't quite harmonize.
Next time we'll sample one of the menu listings, such as homemade ravioli with tomato-meat sauce or tomatoes and garlic or the linguine with scallops, shrimp and clams. Past visits have brought good experiences with these. Three chicken dishes are listed on the menu, including pollo marsala.
Desserts for the evening were cheesecake with a dark-chocolate-mousse layer, our favorite; an unexceptional white-chocolate mousse garnished with raspberries; and a refreshing not-too-sweet homemade vanilla ice cream with sliced pears that didn't taste freshly poached.
Open for lunch and dinner, Cafe Europa provides a welcome combination of good continental dishes, a delightfully cozy setting and conscientious service.
MEMO: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced visit by a party of two or
three, unless otherwise noted. The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star
pay for the reviewer's meal and those of the guests.
ILLUSTRATION: ROY A. BAHLS COLOR PHOTOS
Chef-owner Michael Simko opened Cafe Europa on Portsmouth's High
Street in 1986. Among his offerings: Roast Rack of Lamb With
Shallots Thyme Butter.
Graphic
BILL OF FARE
Cafe Europa, 319 High St., Portsmouth, 399-6652.
Cuisine: continental classics including excellent veal.
Atmosphere: cozy brick and wood with candlelight, plants,
tapestries and antiquarian prints.
Prices: lunches average $6; dinner starters from $3.95 to $8.50;
main courses from $12.50 to $14.25; desserts from $3.95 to $4.50;
children's portions on request.
Hours: lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday,
dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Reservations: recommended weekends.
Smoking: 33 percent.
by CNB