Caffé Italia

My wife and I have gone a few times and have enjoyed it. There rolled eggplant is excellent the rolls are dangerously good. Everything we've had there has been good, we usually get apps but we've had some entrees as well and they were good as well. The bar is the way to go and the young man that seems  always  there when we go is very good friendly but overly so. The prices are about what you would expect from a restaurant in Marblehead. The 1/2 priced apps for Happy Hour is a great deal if they're still doing it. The drinks prices are a little high but too crazy. Everyone working at the place has always been friendly with us.

This place is just okay. It certainly doesn't compare to Italian in Salem or Beverly. I wouldn't come back for several reasons. I ordered the chicken marsala and it wasn't good. The chicken wasn't pounded thin and you receive two large breasts. The entrée doesn't come with pasta or mashed potatoes served with it so be prepared to spend more on additional sides because who really wants just a chicken breast? The marsala sauce was watery, sweet, and lacking flavor. The rolls were good best part of the meal. We had a sourpuss waitress, but loved the nice, cheerful water girl. Overall, I was unimpressed.

I have mixed feelings about our first dinner at Caffe Italia in Marblehead.  I applaud the very extensive menu plus specials.  There are almost too many choices, and most sound great.  The wine by the glass choices are also abundant, and if a bit pricey (I don't believe I saw a glass for less than 8 bucks) my wife and I both enjoyed the Italian reds we ordered.  We both ordered salads and fish entrees.  The rolls were out of sight good, I understand they bake them on the premises using pizza dough.  We were greeted by Donna, an in-charge sort of gal whom other Yelpers have mentioned and the service was friendly and attentive.  So, with all of this positive, what's the mixed feelings and only three stars about?  I have trouble being clear about this....  I guess I found the food overly complicated to the point that it didn't really work for me.  Just a couple of examples,  the salad I ordered had whole hazelnuts, goat cheese, and lemon juice in addition to greens and red onions.  The various parts just didn't come together, that is I could taste a hazelnut, I could taste a big clump of goat cheese, ah there is a big red onion slice.  But I wasn't really eating a salad, just a bunch of separate ingredients.  I felt that way about the special halibut I had too which featured carmelized onions and chick peas.  I got the separate ingredients which were all delicious, but things just didn't combine into a dish.  The wife had salmon encrusted with pistachios.  I had a bite.... nice salmon, nice crust, but nothing that said this combines to something more than just the parts.  Anyway, the meal was good, not cheap, but very good.  We'll go back and see if I can figure out what the chef has in mind.  For now, 3 stars is where I'll leave it.