Roma Bistro Station Italian Cuisine

Too much amazing food!  Pork Chop with Marsala/porciinii mushroom wine sauce & Risotto - Beef Carpaccio Classocp; Artichoke stuffed Ravioli, Linguini & Clams, Chicken Parmesan... Nothing ordered was not stellar! Marco and Roma Bistro in Northridge Rocked It! : )
Service, Food Quality, and Value are as good as gets for fine Italian in the SFV 818... Why are people staying away from this little gem in the Northwest SFV!

I am so happy I found this restaurant.  Unlike most "American" Italian places, Roma Bistro has fresh, healthy dishes made to order.  Portions are reasonable and prices range from 14 dollars for a pasta dish to the high 20's for a fish or meat meal.  The ambiance is classy/ romantic and the service is great.  Many of the dishes are prepared simply and deliciously.  Chicken with mushroom sauce is wonderful.  SO is the chicken with green peppercorn sauce.  Tonight my husband had the mahi over spinach and it was very tasty.  The soups are always piping hot and you can taste the freshness,

First thing to greet us was music that was way too loud to enjoy your meal let alone talk at a reasonable volume. The Musician was good, but needed to turn the volume down by half.

Focaccia with Checca that was served with the waters was decent.

Fried Calamari was seriously overcooked and tough. Weirdly, it is was cooked with small battered strips of zucchini and onions. Pretty much inedible. By far the worst I have ever had.

Misto salad looked like it came as is from one of those mixed green containers you can purchase at any supermarket with a few oddly warmed half cherry tomatoes. Asked for oil and red wine vinegar on the side but had to settle for balsamic which was all they had. Both dispensers were so sticky I had to wipe my hands with a napkin after using.

The true crime of the night however were the two pasta dishes we were served.

My wives came with a few, and I mean literally a few, overcooked broccoli florets served with broken pasta shells in a watery cream sauce that seemed to lack enough butter, cream or cheese, or possibly all of the above.

I asked for al dente Spaghetti alla Checca and instead was served overcooked pasta with what appeared to be simmered tomatoes and garlic chunks cooked to the point where it was more sauce than Checca. This was strange given that the Checca served earlier was about right. If they had just taken a couple of tablespoons of that and sautéed it for a minute they would have had something infinitely superior to what they served me.

Possibly one of the worst excuses for Italian food I have ever had in the Valley, maybe anywhere.

I say avoid at all costs.

BTW this place was recommended by a neighbor. Apparently he shares the same inexplicable view of the many people who gave this place 4 plus stars.