The entrance to this Italian restaurant isn’t well advertised and is kind of off a hidden walkway, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled when wandering around the casino floor to find it. You enter through a large staircase lined with elaborate Gothic candles that have been there for over a decade. The melting wax from these creates marvelous artistic structures and really helps to set the mood of a small Italian castle.
After waiting for awhile and admiring the decor, we were finally seated in a corner table with freshly draped white table clothes. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, but if you are looking for a romantic dinner, you’ll probably find the outdoor seating on the balcony to be far too noisy because of the racket from the casino floor. However, the inside is rather upscale, quiet and cozy — the perfect place for a date.
The waiter was quickly brought us out an extensive wine list, full of mostly Italian imported wine instead of the usual South African selections you’ll find on most menus (even other Italian restaurants in Joburg.) We went with a great Italian wine that was recommended by the waiter but that we had never heard of and was surprised at how good it was. The short and sweet menu is full of authentic antipasto, pasta, risotto and choice cuts of meat. We decided to go for some of the more interesting items on the menu instead of dishes you normally see. The first choice was the Orechiette Broccoletti, which came with an olive oil and garlic sauce, crushed anchovies and chili over a bed of linguine. It was super flavorful and unlike any Italian dish we had tasted before. The next item was the Bucantini alla Amatriciano, which came with yummy pancetta, sauteed onions, loads of basil and a spicy tomato sauce over fusili pasta. This dish was packed with flavor and definitely something I’ll try to replicate later in my kitchen.
Having such a good experience with our mains, we knew that we had to get dessert as well. We were thinking of getting an Italian egg and marsala or profiterols for dessert, but the waiter pushed us towards the house specialty, tiramisu. After seeing this delicious concoction, we were glad we took his advice, as it was plated perfectly and one of the best we’ve ever had.
All and all, La Scala would be hard to beat for date night compared to the other places in the casino. The service is fast, lively and impeccable, and the overall vibe will leave you in a good mood no matter what dish you order.
Expert Review
The entrance to this Italian restaurant isn’t well advertised and is kind of off a hidden walkway, so you’ll need...
The entrance to this Italian restaurant isn’t well advertised and is kind of off a hidden walkway, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled when wandering around the casino floor to find it. You enter through a large staircase lined with elaborate Gothic candles that have been there for over a decade. The melting wax from these creates marvelous artistic structures and really helps to set the mood of a small Italian castle.
After waiting for awhile and admiring the decor, we were finally seated in a corner table with freshly draped white table clothes. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, but if you are looking for a romantic dinner, you’ll probably find the outdoor seating on the balcony to be far too noisy because of the racket from the casino floor. However, the inside is rather upscale, quiet and cozy — the perfect place for a date.
The waiter was quickly brought us out an extensive wine list, full of mostly Italian imported wine instead of the usual South African selections you’ll find on most menus (even other Italian restaurants in Joburg.) We went with a great Italian wine that was recommended by the waiter but that we had never heard of and was surprised at how good it was. The short and sweet menu is full of authentic antipasto, pasta, risotto and choice cuts of meat. We decided to go for some of the more interesting items on the menu instead of dishes you normally see. The first choice was the Orechiette Broccoletti, which came with an olive oil and garlic sauce, crushed anchovies and chili over a bed of linguine. It was super flavorful and unlike any Italian dish we had tasted before. The next item was the Bucantini alla Amatriciano, which came with yummy pancetta, sauteed onions, loads of basil and a spicy tomato sauce over fusili pasta. This dish was packed with flavor and definitely something I’ll try to replicate later in my kitchen.
Having such a good experience with our mains, we knew that we had to get dessert as well. We were thinking of getting an Italian egg and marsala or profiterols for dessert, but the waiter pushed us towards the house specialty, tiramisu. After seeing this delicious concoction, we were glad we took his advice, as it was plated perfectly and one of the best we’ve ever had.
All and all, La Scala would be hard to beat for date night compared to the other places in the casino. The service is fast, lively and impeccable, and the overall vibe will leave you in a good mood no matter what dish you order.