WFXIII | Mass Food & Wine

Caffe Espresso Trattoria is truly a hidden gem. From the restaurant’s name I was honestly expecting a coffee shop, not the full service fine dining experience that we received. The restaurant was extremely busy for a Tuesday night – full of larger sized parties of 4-5 on top of our 20+ Foodies group. This being said, service was slow but warranted. My ‘Salmone alla Grillia’ entree was described on the menu as ‘grilled salmon fillet with fresh Italian herbs’ and was served with salad, mixed vegetables, and gorgonzola mashed potatoes. The plate was artfully displayed and colorfully accented with sprinkled parsley garnish. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the mixed vegetables an unexpected pleasure. I usually steer clear of the ambiguous ‘mixed vegetable’ on any menu since I’m usually guaranteed to be disappointed, however this was not the case. The green beans and thin diagonal cut carrots and summer squash were fresh and tastefully seasoned in a very light butter sauce. I had high hopes for the gorgonzola mashed potatoes but was left confused by the undecipherable texture and mild flavor. All in all, I was impressed and would recommend Caffe Espresso Trattoria – next time maybe I’ll actually order the espresso! -MO

It had been awhile since I had been to Caffe Espresso Trattoria and the first time at their new location on Chandler Street. What I remember from when it was on Wall St was that it was a small family owned italian eatery that was BYOB (bring your own beverage aka wine) with traditional Italian food. Even with the change in location and to larger space the food remains the same – great traditional italian food and it remains BYOB.

After seeing the large amount of choices on the menu, I still was not sure what I wanted as there were too many for my eyes to focus on just one. That is until I saw the posting “If you don’t see what you want, please ask”. So I did just that and ordered one of my favorite dishes – chicken piccata. It’s a simple dish but oh so good if made right. I just loved that I could get what I wanted even though it was not on the menu. Made my day 🙂

Chicken piccata is usually very thinly cooked chicken that is sauteed with a sauce made of white wine, lemons and capers. (and a little butter) My dish at Caffe Espresso Trattoria had those same flavors – simple light lemony flavor with a slight taste of salt from the capers. For my side I had my choice of pasta, mashed potatoes or vegetables. They gave us choices of pasta including their homemade cavatelli pasta. Normally I would get spaghetti or linguine with piccata but I knew I had to try the homemade pasta along with their marinara sauce. While I loved the piccata as the chicken just melted in my mouth, the pasta was not for me. It was very fresh, soft and flavorable but too much pasta for me.

Overall, the food hit the spot and service was prompt and friendly. Be sure to check it out but don’t be surprised to see a line out the door! Don’t forget BYOB! -MM