Caesar's Ristorante Italiano

This week, we discovered that we have visited to a number of restaurants that begin with the letter C. We were almost ready to give up and go to Captain D's when Tracy took out the phone book and flipped the restaurants section of The Yellow Pages. Caesar's Ristorante Italiano was was the first "C" on the list. After settling on that, we received a tweet recommending it as well so we thought it would be a safe bet. We had heard great things about their lunch buffet but hadn't heard anything about dinner so we were excited to explore new territories.

If you didn't know it was there, you would miss it. Caesar's is tucked into the corner of a strip mall on White Bridge Rd. right by Target. It is hardly visible from the road so you pretty much have to know where you're going to get there.

As we walked up to the restaurant, we were greeted with a neon sign and outdoor speakers playing classic Italian music. Then, walking in felt as if we crossed the ocean into Italy. The smells of garlic, basil and tomato sauce led us to think that we were definitely in for an authentic Italian meal.

We were led to our table and started looking over the menu and wine list. We quickly noticed that there were separate bottle and by the glass menus. While the bottle menu listed vineyards, the by the glass menu just listed varietals (type of grape). In addition, each glass was the same price ($5.95). Not feeling up to the task of drinking a whole bottle of wine, we asked the waiter to explain the by the glass menu to us. He explained that each of the by the glass wines come from a Franzia box. Don't get us wrong, we are recent college graduates and are not at all above drinking boxed wine, but paying $6 for a glass that comes from a $10 box is not economical. We opted for water.

As per usual, we decided to go family style and order a few dishes to share. We always find ourselves unable to fight the urge to order calamari whenever we see it on the menu, so ordering that was a given ($6.95). Next, Ben saw the mozzarella alla caprese (8.95), imported buffalo mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil seasoned with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. He chose that as our second dish. Finally, we chose the petto di pollo alla marsala, or chicken marsala ($13.95).

First to arrive was the caprese, which was hands down the best part of the meal. It must be noted that the couple at the table next to us asked the waiter if it was our dessert because the mozzerella halves were so big that they looked like scoops of ice cream. All the elements of a traditional caprese were accounted for: mozzerella, tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. However, this particular salad was laid on top of a bed of salad lettuce giving it a bit of a homemade twist. It reminded us of something you might prepare in your own kitchen. The dressing also had a homemade quality. It was a bit more tangy than your standard vinaigrette and it had an unexpected bite that made our cheeks pucker.... in a good way. We also were served a few rolls, slathered in garlic butter to accompany to meal.

Shortly thereafter, our calamari arrived. It wasn't anything too special. Being the calamari connoisseurs that were are, we're use to having each restaurant deliver their own version of the popular starter. This could have come from any restaurant in town and, quite honestly, could've been store bought.

When our entree arrived, the kitchen was kind enough to split the chicken marsala on to two different plates. The mushrooms were fresh and plentiful, but that's about where the complements end. While Ben thought the marsala sauce was "tasty," it was not nearly thick or creamy enough. Plus, the cut of chicken was thin and overall the dish was disappointing.

For dessert, we ordered spumoni, a classic Italian ice cream with a combination of chocolate, cherry and pistachio flavors. Bits of cherry and pistachio were scattered throughout, which offered some good texture differences.

As a whole, the experience was average. The atmosphere was homey, but the food was less that impressive. Friends have advised us that the pizza here is good, so a trip back to try it out may be in order once we make it through "Z."

Pros:

Caprese salad

Italian theme

Cons:

Wines by the glass

Average cuisine

Price: $$

Location: Tucked away, but easily accessible

Food quality: average, but included definite highs and lows

Drink quality: As mentioned, wine by the glass selection was disappointing, but bottle selections offered enough options

Service: You may notice the absence of a server from our description. That's because he was equally absent from our experience. He was there for the high points, but not much else.

Ambiance: The feel of a classic Italian joint will make you feel at home. The music was an integral part of the evening, with not only Italian selections but also The Beetles, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and, best of all, the chicken dance. Let Tracy demonstrate...

Join us for "D" next time!