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Chicken All’ Arrabiata

Chicken All' Arrabiata

Chicken All' ArrabiataTucked into the backside of a strip mall on Chandler St, Caffe Espresso Trattoria is very easy to miss. To find it, you’ll need to pull into the plaza with the Rite Aid pull around the side. The place is actually decent sized, seating a decent amount of people for being in a strip mall. The atmosphere is minimal, not too bright, and not too dark, and the place is very simply decorated, though it did seem a tad noisy.

We started with the Italian staple, bread, and oil. The bread was very good, light and fluffy with a nice crust and very fresh. The oil was plain and unflavored, but once I added some red pepper flakes and grated cheese (both right on the table) it was quite nice.

For an appetizer, I had Bruschetta Mushroom, a special and not normally on the menu, though I think it should be. It was nicely sized, plenty for one and just enough for two to share. The mushrooms were cooked nicely, they were tender but still had some texture to them, and they held up to the oil, tomato, and cheese perfectly. Overall, it was nice and light, not too filling, and very enjoyable. My meal also came with soup and I chose the minestrone. I found the soup to be a little different than I’m used to, a little less tomato based, more carrots and chickpeas, but it was very good. The vegetables were cooked great, tender but again with enough texture and just the right amount of seasoning. Again, this was quite light and not too filling, overall an excellent soup.

For my main course I had the Chicken All’ Arrabiata (Sauteed chicken breast with peperoncini peppers, onions and mushrooms in a spicy white wine garlic sauce), served over the house made cavetelli pasta. The pasta is homemade on the premises and was very fresh. It was cooked perfectly, just a little al dente and it held the sauce of the dish very well. The chicken was pounded thin and lightly breaded and tender enough to cut with a fork. The sauce was similar to a Marsala, light and had a great kick to it from the peperoncini peppers, without being too hot. Overall, an excellent dish if you like just a little heat and a lighter sauce.

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Salmone alla Griglia

Salmone alla Griglia

Salmone alla GrigliaCaffe Espresso Trattoria has long been a favorite in Worcester for outstanding Italian cuisine made from traditional recipes, the highest quality ingredients and prepared with a homemade touch.

Since the restaurant is BYOB, my dining partner and I stopped at the liquor store (strategically located directly across the street) and grabbed a special bottle of wine to enjoy with our meal. Once we were seated, the aroma of homemade Italian cooking soon engulfed our table and I knew we were going to enjoy a wonderful dining experience. Deciding on an appetizer proved to be difficult as many of our favorites were on the menu. Finally we agreed to order the Pepata di Cozze, a dish of steamed mussels prepared in a spicy garlic wine sauce. Choosing a main course was also very difficult as the extensive menu presented many choices that sounded very appealing. I chose the Salmone alla Griglia described on the menu as a grilled salmon fillet topped with with fresh Italian herbs and spices.

The steamed mussel appetizer was a great choice. The shellfish were served steaming hot, fresh and spicy. The garlic wine sauce had plenty of flavor while not overpowering the tender mussels and when the mussels were gone, I enjoyed dipping a piece of homemade bread into the leftover wine and garlic sauce. 

Each meal was accompanied by a side salad or soup. I chose the salad but others at the table enjoyed a minestrone soup that was described as “one of the best minestrone soups ever.”

My dinner, the Salmone alla Griglia was a very healthy portion of grilled salmon served with a medley of mixed vegetables. A very flavorful mixture of Italian herbs and spices topped the salmon which was perfectly prepared, grilled crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside. 

Caffe Espresso Trattoria lived up to every expectation I had and now that the restaurant has moved to a new, more accessible location on Chandler Street, I am sure their success will continue. -JG