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I have heard about Caffe Espresso Trattoria for years but haven’t made it there to check it out in person, so I was very excited for this Foodies event. I sat down with the group and was poured a glass of the wine that my friends had brought with them—yay for BYOB! I checked out the menu online several times in anticipation of this dinner so I had a few options for what I wanted to eat. While waiting, I enjoyed some of the fresh Italian bread that was delivered to our table. I like that they brought butter and olive oil, providing diners with the choice. I think the bread could have been improved by warming, but that’s personal preference. It was very fresh – as I would expect from any quality restaurant. Next came the salads, which were included with most of the pasta dinners. I chose the house vinaigrette dressing that I think had some sun dried tomato flavor in it. I liked it but felt it could have been improved with a boost in flavor; more vinegar, maybe? Finally…time for the pasta! I eat only whole-wheat pasta at home so the thought of a house made cavatelli was exciting! I ordered the Cavatelli Portobello, which included the homemade pasta with Portobello mushrooms, wine, garlic, and parmigian cheese (sic). I also added grilled chicken to add some protein to my dinner. The large plate of pasta arrived at the table and it smelled fantastic! I could definitely smell the garlic and I knew it was a good choice even before my first bite. The pasta had a rich mushroom taste that was balanced out by the garlic. The homemade pasta was definitely softer than al dente, but I think that’s to be expected with fresh pasta. I don’t have much to compare it to, but I did enjoy it and didn’t think it was too soft. I had to stop myself from eating this whole dish and I found myself looking forward to the leftovers until lunchtime the next day. The only improvement I would have made is adding more chicken for the $3.50 upcharge and maybe offering some freshly ground parmesan to diners once the meals were delivered as the pre-grated stuff on the table just doesn’t make the grade. Overall, I really enjoyed this meal at Caffe Espresso Trattoria. Personally, I think the price point was a bit high for it to be a casual weeknight go-to spot, but as a BYOB, home made Italian option, it will definitely go on the list for a night out. -JM

For the past year I have heard many people raving about Caffe Espresso Trattoria on Chandler Street so I was very much looking forward to my first visit there. The Italian dishes are hearty, the portions large and the atmosphere was casual. It was s great first time visit for me. The bread was the way bread should be – soft inside and crusty on the outside. The salad that came with our dinners was nothing special, but I found it to be a fresh and crispy palate starter. I ordered one of the specials of the day – Spaghetti Carbonara. What sold me was our waitresses’ blunt description of the ingredients – spaghetti, pancetta, onions, cracked pepper and egg – it sounded simple, classic, and delicious. I was mesmerized by the amount of pancetta on my plate when it first arrived. My first bite however told a different story when I was hit with a palate-humbling torrent of coarsely ground black pepper. It was bold and I loved it! The spice was mellowed a bit by the finely diced onions (obviously cooked in the pancetta!) which were both sweet and savory. I would have liked more egg added only to make it a bit more creamier, but with the strong flavors from the other players in the dish, I was not disappointed.

Overall, this is definitely a place I would go again to try out other menu items. The staff was friendly and I loved that it was BYOB with no uncorking fee. With such hearty portions, coupled with gourmet-quality taste of simple Italian dishes – Caffe Espresso Trattoria is worth a look. -SB