Casetta Kitchen and Counter is an Italian-American deli in the Network222 building on West Washington Avenue just off the Square. The word Casetta, according to the restaurant’s website, means “little house” in Italian — and with the grill right behind the counter, you did get the feeling of being in a friend’s kitchen, even with the hip, urban atmosphere. It was bustling during the lunch hour when I stopped to try the Monday meatball sandwich special.

The sandwich came on a toasted hero roll and the crunchiness helped offset the texture of the meatballs and tomato sauce. There was a little sweetness to the bread as well which settled some of the acidity from the tomato sauce. The meatballs were a little bland. They were cooked well and had a good firm consistency, but I just couldn’t detect a whole lot of seasoning in the meatball itself. Luckily, the tomato sauce really made up for it.