Casa Bovina — Restaurant in Lincoln

As a first-timer I wasn't sure what to expect but was very impressed and it made our anniversary so special. The ambiance has a exclusive and intimate feel and it was so neat to be able to watch the kitchen prepare the food from afar. The service was phenomenal and our waitress was so helpful from pairing recommendations to helping us pronounce menu items correctly.

The a·muse-bouche was a fun little non-alcoholic gin and tonic served in a shot glass. I highly recommend the other side drink as a cocktail and trying the oysters. The hot sauce served with the oysters is divine and my only complaint is that they don't sell it, because I would've bought a gallon of it. We had the beef tartare and we devoured it before I could take a photo. We also tried the squid ink pasta with lump crab and prawns and it was PHENOMENAL. I'm not exaggerating when I say my husband said it was some of the best pasta he's ever had. We inhaled that before I grabbed a photo too. For our main course we each had a steak, both seasoned and grilled to perfection. Our waitress recommended some fantastic wine to pair them with and her recommendation was spot on. I just wish that there was one or two more asparagus spears served with the steaks. The potatoes were very good and we couldn't get enough. The focaccia and burrata were delicious and since we saved room for dessert, we took half home and it was still super good the following day. For dessert we had the s'mores torte which was divine and just the right amount of richness. Since we were celebrating they gave us two glasses of Prosecco and the anniversary treat which was mint bonbons. They were so light and the perfect way to end the evening.

My only critique is that I wish the entire table didn't have to do the tasting menu in order to have it. :(

Some might balk at the price but you definitely get what you pay for and then some here. I highly recommend Casa Bovina if you are in the market for a high-end, elegant evening...

I’ll be blunt: this was my third visit to Casa Bovina, and after two unimpressive experiences, I only returned because I had a gift card. I can confidently say this will be my last visit.

The atmosphere is lovely and the server was polite and helpful, albeit overly solicitous. (On that note, please stop refilling water glasses every time they’re half-full — it interrupts conversation and feels intrusive rather than attentive.)

As for the food: we started with the salami plate, which was... fine. The salami itself was tasty but meager. The rest of the plate was dominated by piles of mediocre sourdough — lacking in flavor, tang, or proper texture — and various dipping options so unremarkable I’ve already forgotten them. The only standouts were a delicious tomatillo something-or-other and the local honey, which was excellent.

We then shared the bone-in cowboy ribeye, which was utterly forgettable and certainly not worth its $150 price tag. It was plentiful and cooked to order (medium rare), but even for Piedmont beef, it was so lean it might as well have been sirloin. I understand Piedmont prides itself on leanness, but when I order a ribeye, I expect at least some marbling. Here, there was none. Tender? Yes. Flavorful? Absolutely not. The final “smoking” only made things worse, leaving an acrid aftertaste that did the meat no favors.

For our side, we had the asparagus and morels. The white asparagus had good inherent flavor, but the dish overall was bland and overcooked. The morels were tough and seemingly untouched beyond being steamed — they offered absolutely nothing. The whole limp, tasteless mess was served on an unappealing, albeit generous, mound of bland béarnaise. Oddly, the sauce contained tiny diced bits of what appeared to be carrot, which looked more like baby food — or worse.

In total, we paid over $250 (including tip, and without drinks or dessert) for this underwhelming meal....

I am by no means a foodie. In reality I am more of a fast food drive through type fella. I am a highly picky person so I stick with what I know. But last night I had the opportunity to go to casa bovina to celebrate my new engagement with my new fiance. The atmosphere in the place is amazing, calm and warm. It's very neat to watch the hustle of the chefs making sure everything is perfect before it goes out. Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable and overall amazing. Now, the food... Again I'm a highly picky person , but this was the most amazing food I've ever had. I totally understand why food people become food people. My fiance had the filet mignon that you could cut with a fork and it melted in your mouth. It made my eyes roll if you get me. The potato puree with it was silky, smooth and super buttery. The broccolini and brussel sprout opened my eyes to how good veggies actually can be. I personally at the crab rigatoni. It was beyond amazing. It was so delicate and the crab was so delicious. The pasta was cooked to perfection and it had this small salty cruch on top that you got with every bite. It added a texture I didn't know pasta needed. And the sauce it was in was creamy, complex, and tantalizing. I thought about licking my plate. Not to dive into everything we had but I highly recommend the steak tartar as well. My first time having that and will not be my last! Dessert was a perfect way to wrap up a perfect dining experience. The apple eclair was soft, moist but not overly sweet. And the pear sorbetto was unexpected. It was light and crisp. Followed by the crumble at the bottom... I couldn't stop eating. Any ways. It was a night to remember and will recommend to anyone I see...