I love Italian food and was pleased to see Carmine's down the hill from my home. My visions of becoming a regular at a local eatery were dashed when I tasted the gnocchi. The little dumplings were chewey instead of light and tender the way good Italian restaurants make it. And the marinara sauce tasted like a high schooler's experiment with garlic. I love garlic and put it in almost everything but this sauce had a bitter garlic bite...almost like the chef wasn't used to using fresh garlic.
The iceburg salad was bland and somewhat wilted and the rolls were almost stale.
I did enjoy the ambiance. Very homey in a country sort of way. Our server was pleasant and helpful although she didn't seem to know the menu and how to make suggestions.
Pros: ambiance, location
Cons: , food, food
more