(Gerry Furth-Sides) Like its name, inspired by the famous bread of Sardinia, “staff of life” also aptly describes Carasau Restaurant. A menu of their most famous dishes will be served on a special menu through October 28. Be sure it is on your list. The owner alone, Vincenzo Porcu, is worth the price of admission and the drive.
Traditional and found in every part of the country, Carasau bread is one of the ingredients in the Fritto Misto, which includes fried shrimp, calamari, smelt and zucchini. it is shown below.
“The Staff of Life” because of owner, Vincenzo Porcu. He created a special corner of the world, right in the middle of a sweet cup de sac in Culver City. He a “one-man” show that starts at dawn in its morning cafe mode and ends when the moon is up.
Pane carasau, which means “toasted bread” in the Sardinian language, and an unavoidable part of your appetite when on the island. It has been made for thousands of years, originally by shepherds living for long periods of time away from their homes. When kept dry, it can last for many months, which makes it much more practical than “regular” bread. Pane carasau weaves it way in and out of the menu, sometimes in whimsical ways.
The very unusual Fregula is one of Sardinia’s most famous dishes. This pasta, similar to couscous, is traditionally made by hand with a tool called scivedda. This variation of a sieve divides the dough into small pellets. The process is similar to risotto. Its is made and also looks more similar to risotto. Instead of the usual pairing of small, rich, Sardinian clams, here the chef has woven clams, mussels scallops and shrimp into it, along with a touch of tomato sauce.
Culurgiones or pasta stuffed with potato is another famous Sardinian dih. The look may be similar to ravioli, but the pasta is much thinner and delicate. A taste of mint comes with each bite, contrasting in such a satisfying way the pecorino cheese grated on top to it.
Malloreddus (seen below) is Sardina’s famous pasta shape. Made from semolina and saffron, it is shaped in order to catch sauce and grated cheese in its ridges and inside its shell.
At Carasau the generously portioned Mallorteddus alla Campidanese features the classic flavors of pork sausage, nestled in a refined tomato sauce, rich with the flavors of saffron and fennel, and topped off with pecorino cheese.
The non-stop Porcu also opens his doors in the morning for espresso and pastries. The area is so bright and sunny it rivals his personality.
Pink flamingos have been such a gorgeous and colorful part of Sardinia for generations, to the point that Sardinians calls them “Sa Genti Arrubia” which means “red people”. Flamingos have lived in Sardinia since Pliny (23-79 AD). In fact, he mentions the birds in his Naturalis Historia and that Lagoons, lakes and shellfish make Sardinia the perfect habitat. It is another exotic characteristic of what is considered an exotic island.
For more details and to order directly, please see the Carasau ristorante website: //carasauristorante.com 3912/3918 Van Buren Pl , Culver City, CA, United States, California, (310) 876-0058
Gerry Furth-Sides 
Barbara Hansen 
Chef-owner Alain Cohen 
Roberta Deen 
Jose Martinez 
Nivedita Basu 