A few steps from Washington Street is a no-frills, family-owned café serving up home-style Italian comfort food. Having passed Café Michelina on the corner of 5th and Bloomfield Street on multiple occasions, I finally decided the time had come to step through the beaded curtain into the dimly lit restaurant. Our seemingly disinterested waiter sat my friend and me and brought over a single piece of bruschetta for each of us, and a room temperature loaf of bread and butter to share. Neither was bad, but not particularly notable either.
Given that the prices are less “casual meal” and more “decent date,” or “going out with the parents,” in order to stay within a student-friendly budget of $35, we decided to get an appetizer and split an entrée. The last time I had the delicious combination of prosciutto with melon was before I came to college at home with my parents, so when I saw it on the list of appetizer specials I had to order the dish. The quizzical look of my dinner buddy as to the combination merely elicited an “if it’s done right, you’ll understand.”
It was certainly done right. The pale green crescents of honeydew tasted juicy and fresh, and together with the smooth saltiness of the prosciutto, the dish transported me to heaven. For the main dish I personally wanted to try one of the specials, but at $20 or so, that, in addition to the $12 appetizer, would not have fit the budget. (For those of you who think that I can’t add, don’t forget about the tip.) Instead, our waiter suggested the chicken with broccoli and cavatelli in a white wine sauce, so we figured “why not?”
When initially told that splitting a dish would cost $4, I was not pleased but understood why when the dishes were brought out. For an extra $4, we basically received two entrées. If you’re on a budget or just like the idea of getting more than what you paid, I definitely recommend splitting a meal.
All of the ingredients were cooked perfectly, but had little flavor. As I took a bite of the pasta which had a homemade texture (a later inquiry to our waiter informed me it was not), my taste buds were disappointed. I could hear my mother reminding me as a child to never forget to properly salt your pasta water—a simple addition that elevates any dish—and my taste buds felt as though the chef had forgotten. Our waiter brought out cheese and red pepper which did help to bring out the flavor of the ingredients. All in all, the dish was satisfying, but not amazing.
Our waiter was attentive, though either tired or disinterested, and would throw in Italian phrases for authenticity’s sake. Located off Washington St. but not too far from campus, Café Michelina provides a great atmosphere for a low key date with no dress code and better quality food than your average Italian place. The restaurant is comparable to Margheritas but with a quieter, more spacious, and out-of-the-way sort of feel.
Though the food won’t inspire you to get up and dance the tarantella, it is still worth trying, and though I won’t necessarily frequent Café Michelina, I will definitely go back.
