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Cafe La Strada
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
The restaurant features a lively open setting. The authentic brick oven cooks the pizza, baked clams and salmon to perfection. The menu offers your… read more »
5 reviews for Cafe La Strada
5 reviews in English
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Review from Monica B.
Philadelphia, PA
4/3/2010
Never tried a dish I didn't like. Everything is fresh and well made. The artichoke special was amazing. I've been back a couple times and every time I am happy with the meal.
The ambiance isn't great -- I will grant you that. But, the food is too good to get worked up on the decor issues.
The staff was professional, proficient and on point. -
Review from Tiffany F.
Manhattan, NY
10/25/2010
This place definitely isn't five-star worthy. It's also not quite two-star worthy. It's more like a three and a half star type place.
The food is delicious, it really is. The menu is large, but if you're a vegetarian you'll be out of luck. I ordered the mozzarella imperiale as an appetizer -- and it won't do you wrong. The sundried tomatoes are an amazing addition to a classic caprese. For my entree, I ordered the eggplant rolatini, which is listed under the appetizers.
"The-a egg-a-planta rolatini is-a normally one piece. I put-a two pieces for you, if you wanna have it as an entree, okay? Okay."
Trust me, unless you haven't eaten all day, you will NOT be able to finish the entire meal. Two pieces is one too many.
The ambiance is lack luster, less like having dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant, and more like ending up sitting down at the first restaurant your pass by because you're so unbelievably starving. The extensive wine collection is misplaced among the faded and outdated wall-paper and carpeting.
Something curious happened, though. My party ordered two bottles of white wine. We were under the impression that both bottles would be the same...but the first bottle was certainly different from the second. Um?
Our waiters were awkward. This is coming from one of the most socially awkward human beings alive. So...if *I* find someone awkward, they absolutely must be.
I'd definitely eat Cafe La Strada's cuisine again in the future, but next time I'll be sure to place the order to-go. -
Review from Manny T.
Garden City, NY
1/24/2010 3 photos
Capsule review:
Tries very hard to recreate the feel of an upscale Italian Cafe in a strip mall setting. However, the food is merely passable, the room is both too bright and too loud, and the service was mediocre to poor. My recommendation is to not go here. The place is not terrible, but I see no reason to patronize Cafe La Strada when there are innumerable superior Italian options with a 5 mile radius.
In-depth
My wife did not join in on the wine, so once she finished her initial mixed drink, that was it for her. While the staff was omnipresent, after we placed our order they only came by to deliver food or pick up plates. Never did they ask my wife if she would like another drink. Our meal with appetizers and entrees (no dessert/coffee) took over two hours.
The place was too brightly lit, which I think contributed to the din in the room. The waiter apologized that it was loud and then proceeded to recite the specials in a voice so soft that Jamie Sommers* would have had a hard time hearing him.
Appetizers-The baked clams at 7.95 a half dozen were tasty but overpriced. The clams were tiny, each could have fit atop a fifty-cent piece without overhanging the edge. The antipasti plate was good, although it lacked variety. It took a very long time for these to come out, probably about a half hour or so.
Entrees- what we had was typical L.I. italian. The pasta was not al dente, but that is pretty common as most people around here like their pasta soft anyway. The angel hair in my dish was over cooked though and tasted as though it was cooked in unsalted water. My wife's side of pasta was delivered about 3 minutes after the rest of the entrees.
The wine list is very extensive, but the prices that soar to the stratosphere (some over $500) seem out of place in this type of place.
*to all under 35. the Bionic Woman, Jamie Sommers, had a right ear which was bionic. Therefore, maybe she might have been capable of hearing what our mumbling waiter was trying to say. -
Review from Steve M.
Waldwick, NJ
6/27/2011
I've been to Cafe La Strada many times (always for lunch) so I am going to focus on the food. I can say I have NEVER had a bad meal here. The food is outstanding from the fish to the veal and to the chicken dishes. There are always many choices for specials and the food is reasonably priced. The waiters are friendly and attentive and the chef even comes out to see you on occasion. If you like good Italian food look no further than Cafe La Strada!
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Review from richard s.
Kansas City, MO
8/18/2011
oh my little gem in long island.......keep it the best secret cause it;s always amazing and never a wait. i love all the veal and pasta dishes. service is always good not great but food over ranks all else...
