Any mention of “world” cuisine stirs up thoughts of Epcot Center, where visitors can venture through a glamorized food court that represents nearly everywhere on planet Earth.
Strada World Cuisine, at 106 Vine St. in the Arena District, offers a menu with the same general idea as Epcot, but a bit more bourgeois.
The dimly lit restaurant is decorated with dark, almost alarming paintings and artwork, and somber colored carpet and walls. Views into the kitchen are accessible from every table.
Martinis are skillfully crafted. According to the waitress, the Key Lime martini is made with vanilla vodka and a splash of lime juice with an end result that is fresh and smooth. The Buckeye Martini is much sweeter with its fusion of hazelnut, chocolate and vanilla. Weekday happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring Strada’s martinis, wine and beer for $3 each.
The Wood Fired Brie ($7.50) is encased by a thin shell of wax and topped with toasted almonds. The raspberry port sauce adds to the already wonderful warm creamy cheese.
The Pan-fried Calamari ($7) is overly crisp and undersized; however, the tomato concasse and espagnole do accentuate what’s there.
Because it was burnt, any contribution from the rosemary, garlic, red wine or beef demi-glace on the Italian Portabella Mushroom ($6) was lost. All three of these appetizers are available in the Tile Sampler ($19).
The blood-orange poppy seed vinaigrette on the Sonoma Salad ($5.50) is almost non-existent. The high-quality bleu cheese, fresh berries, mandarin oranges and walnuts provide a light, clean taste. The Strada House Salad ($4) is less spectacular- just a basic house with greens, romaine, julienne carrots and cucumbers in balsamic vinaigrette.
Some of the soups offered are the Italian Mushroom Soup and the Salmon Bisque ($3.50 for a cup). The first is a thick mixture of tomatoes, mushrooms, shallots and fresh herbs that tastes like a vegetarian minestrone, while the latter tastes like a mix of lobster bisque and clam chowder.
The selections of entr̩es are usually sided with fresh vegetables Рsuch as asparagus, green beans or zucchini Рor smooth lump-free mashed potatoes and cover a little bit of everything. The Asian Crab Cakes ($18) are a nice size and heavy on crab and touched with a very light wasabi aioli. The fresh red cabbage is a fine complement.
The Greek Pasta ($14, $17 with chicken or shrimp) is served in a large bowl and tossed in a little too much rosemary-oregano infused oil. The ziti becomes greasy, but the pine nuts, artichokes and feta are not infected.
Having been dry when ordered medium, the only thing that gave the Dry-Aged Strip Steak ($24) any flavor was the fruit demi-glace. It is, however, a nice size.
The Filet Mignon Medallions ($22) on the other hand were cooked perfectly at medium. The fatty applewood bacon and the mushrooms each add a deep smoky flavor. The filet is also of good size. The Indonesian Swordfish ($19) was perfectly grilled, moist throughout, and the soy marinade adds an extensive zest. The bland, finely diced, mango-papaya salsa added very little to the fish.
Although The Banana Bread Pudding ($5) has a moist center, it can be dried out along the edges. The walnuts add crunch, but with the lack of sauce, the dryness of the pudding hides their flavor.
Strada World Cuisine is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday, and 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be arranged by calling 228-8244. Patio dining and live music are offered on occasion.
