Continental cuisine increasingly popular

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 15, 3 September 1985, Page 17

Continental cuisine increasingly popular

When the Bulletin visited Aldo's Restaurant in Waiouru last week as part of our round-up and report on local dining establishments we decided to select dishes from the continental section of the very comprehensive menu. The reason for this was that we knew our hosts, Aldo and Christine Cesca, were from Europe and they of all people at present catering to the Waimarino community would have firsthand knowledge on the preparation of genuine continental dishes. . .Aldo is from Italy and 'Christine from France. We were not disappointed. Christine Cesca (pronounced Seska in French) is from Metz an industrial town in France, just south of Luxembourg and near the German border. Aldo Cesca (pronounced Cheska in Italy) is from T reviso in Italy about 30km north of Venice. They met and married in France and then lived in Italy for 10 years before coming to New Zealand in 1975. They have three children. Their daughter Alexandra was born in France and their second daughter Rafaella in Italy as was their son Luca. The children attended Tongariro College in Turangi where the Cescas lived before coming to Waiouru 1 8 months ago. The two girls now help out in the restaurant while Luca attends

Ruapehu College in Ohakune. The whole family are multi-lingual . . . they all speak French, Italian and English. They came Out to New Zealand in 1975 when Aldo was employed to help with the catering at Rangipo camp where several hundred Italian shift-workers were building the tunnels for the Tongariro Power Development scheme. As the scheme wound down and the Italian contractors returned home Aldo and Christine decided they liked New Zealand and wanted to stay . . . a return trip to Europe five years ago had confirmed their preference for an unpolluted and less crowded countryside. The children thought iso too. Eighteen months ago they leased the newly constructed building on SH 1 in Waiouru which from 18 March 1984 came to be known as Aldo's restaurant, coffee lounge and takeaway bar. Last Friday week they acquired the freehold of the property as the estate of the original developer, Sam Dsaveric, was wound up. The BYO restaurant seats 90 and, in addition to casual diners and tour buses, Aldo and his staff — which includes three non-family members — also cater for the northbound NZR Road Services buses at lunchtime on a contract basis. They also cater for special functions at the restaurant — birthdays, weddings, farewells etc — with much of

their business coming from nearby Army T raining Group personnel. With such a wide range of tastes to cater for they have a very wide ranging menu. It includes nine appetisers and entrees among them: calamari (squid) rings, pate maison, crepes and escargots a la Bourguignonne (snails in garlic butter) as well as the usual seafood cocktails. The pasta dishes included lasagne, papardelle, canelloni and spaghetti bolognese.

The main course for the traditional New Zealand palate included all the usual dishes — fish, poultry and meat in various forms from the grill . . . a total of 21 to choose from. A selection of five different omelettes was also available. Continental dishes included: Cherrevil Forestier - venison marinated in red wine and spices, roasted and served with the sauce from the marinade. Pollo Alla Cacciatora —

chicken stuffed with tomatoes and white wine. Scallopine di Vitello A1 Marsala — escallopes of veal lightly sauteed and finished in Marsala, sweet Sicilian wine. • Scallopine di Vitello a la Panna — selected escallopes of veal served with mushroom sauce. Fillet de Porc a la Pizzaiola — served with tomatoes, cheese and onion in pepper sauce. . Cotelettes de Porc. Fillet Mignon — tender-

loin steak wrapped in bacon, served with mushroom sauce. Wiener Schnitzel. The continental dishes we sampled were fresh, flavoursome, tender and delicious. We would have no hesitation in recommending them to the discerning diner who wants to try something different. When we complimented the chef on the meal we learnt that the continental dishes were becoming increasingly popular with their regular patrons.