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Casa D’Italia brings authentic Italian Food to Clarksville

Casa D’ItaliaClarksville, TN – Casa D’Italia is one of the newest restaurants in Clarksville and one that has gotten a lot of positive buzz since its opening about six months ago.

Buki Murati is the owner of the Italian restaurant that many are saying is the most authentic in town.

“We opened this location about six months ago,” Murati said. “We have another restaurant in Alabama. We were driving through the area. We stopped to put gas in our car, and asked a lady, ‘What’s the best Italian food in Clarksville’, she said, ‘Olive Garden’.”

That’s all it took for Murati and his partner to see Clarksville as an opportunity for expansion.

“I was a fan of Clarksville because of the military base here,” Murati said. “I know that so many of the people in this community have been to Europe, and love to talk about the food they had there, how good it was, and how much they enjoyed it. We thought this was a great idea for Clarksville, and now we’re here.”

Murati started working in the restaurant business when he arrived in New York, from Europe, and settled in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan.

“When I came to the United States as a student about six years ago, I went to school for computer science, but during all that time I was cooking and bartending,” Murati said. “In time, I learned all these amazing dishes, how to prepare them, and how to pair them with wines. I learned a lot during my time in New York.”

Murati says he has felt very welcomed by the people of Clarksville.

Casa D’Italia’s homemade focaccia bread is brought to the table when you’re greeted. (Tony Centonze, Clarksville Online)
Casa D’Italia’s homemade focaccia bread is brought to the table when you’re greeted. (Tony Centonze, Clarksville Online)

“It has been great,” Murati said. “This community is the best. They have been supporting us so much. It’s just amazing. Everything is a 10 out of 10. And people tell me they are in love with the food. I have so many regular customers that come back, over and over. They say they love it, and I’m glad that I am bringing happiness to these people.”

Murati says his personal favorite dish might be the Chicken Piccata, which is lightly breaded, browned, and then served in a sauce that contains lemon, butter, and capers.

“My favorite? That’s like picking a favorite child,” Murati said. “I guess I would have to go with Chicken Piccata, I love that one, the balance of the flavors.”

Casa D’Italia has applied for a wine and beer license. Murati hopes to soon be bringing great Italian wines to pair with his made-from-scratch appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

We tried the meatballs as an appetizer, all-beef, baked with homemade marinara sauce, and covered in melted mozzarella cheese., Entrees we ordered, included the Baked Pasta Trio, which had Lasagna, Manicotti and Cannelloni, the Lobster Ravioli- stuffed with lobster and ricotta cheese, sauteed in a sherry wine and served under a pink sauce. Lastly, we tried the Carbonara with shrimp. For dessert, we shared the Italian Cream Cake and the Tiramisu. Oh, and I can’t forget the bread, a delicious homemade Focaccia-style bread, which is brought to every table when you arrive.

Homemade Lobster Ravioli, one of several made from scratch seafood options. (Tony Centonze, Clarksville Online)
Homemade Lobster Ravioli, one of several made from scratch seafood options. (Tony Centonze, Clarksville Online)

Everything was very well presented. The flavors were great and well-balanced. The food was hot, fresh and arrived quickly.

Bryee Bouchard served us, she has been at Casa D’Italia since it opened.

“We have a lot of regulars,” Bouchard said. “And, so many people are glad that we are on this side of town. There just aren’t that many places to go on this side of town. And, it’s special that it’s Italian food, There is not a lot of Italian in this town.

“People love our bread. I have people who have been to Italy that say this is as good as it gets. It’s as Italian as it gets, and as from scratch and fresh as it can be. I have some folks who come in and get the Cioppino all the time.”

Cioppino is linguine pasta with chopped clams, calamari, shrimp, and mussels. It’s described as a rustic Italian American seafood stew. Casa D’Italia serves theirs with a fra diavolo sauce for a little extra spice.

Tiramisu is one of the most popular desserts at Casa D’Italia. (Tony Centonze, Clarksville Online)
Tiramisu is one of the most popular desserts at Casa D’Italia. (Tony Centonze, Clarksville Online)

“All the portions are huge, which are great for sharing,” Bouchard continued. “Friday and Saturdays get really busy. We do have the lunch menu throughout the week. Today was busy. We sold a ton of our lasagna today. Our food comes out quickly too, because it’s all done from scratch. The kitchen here has it down, they are doing a great job of getting the food out fast, hot and right.”

For information on menus, pricing, business hours, and more, go to the Casa D’Italia facebook page.

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