Press

TheBUZZ!

  
Italian Restaurant Makes Everyone Feel Welcome
~ Daily Camera Friday Magazine

“Many people adore Carelli’s and eat there often. The setting is contemporary, with beautiful tile, a couple of metal fireplaces, one of which can be viewed from inside or outside the restaurant, and lots of light wood. Huge bouquets of flowers adorn the deep booths in back. Tablecloths are white linen, signifying the upscale nature of the restaurant, over checkered red and white, which keeps it firmly in the Italian camp. The food ranges from pizza, pasta and calzones to shrimp, scallops and veal, all prepared in true Italian style with lots of cheese, oregano and olive oil, and a large helping of style. You can eat an enormous but inexpensive calzone or a perfectly prepared piece of steak or fish and still enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. A host or hostess is always at the door to greet customers and make them feel like welcome guests rather than just people who pay to eat here. Carelli’s has been in business for 11 years, and there’s a reason for that longevity. Owner Greg Carelli oversees the day to day operations. Service is excellent, and servers hustle to make sure they meet your every need as quickly as possible. Carelli’s food is predictably good, carefully and sensitively seasoned and arrives on time and hot. Garlic bread arrived just in time. Slathered with a mixture of garlic, herbs and cheese, the toasted bread was heavenly. Tender leaves of lettuce tossed in an oregano-flavored dressing made the house salad special. Thinly-sliced red onion added extra bite and sweetness. Caesar Salad was disappointing, with not enough garlic or anchovy to be worthy of its name. This is the only place I’ve eaten recently where the staff asks if you want your fresh-cracked black pepper coarsely or finely ground. Our favorite of the four entrees we tasted was fettucini carbonara, an enticing blend of prosciutto, mushrooms and garlic in a Parmesan cream sauce, folded into fettucini noodles. Eggplant Parmigiano was baked with four cheeses and covered with Carelli’s distinctive red sauce. Properly prepared eggplant is delicate and delicious, and Carelli’s is fabulous. A side of noodles and more red sauce makes sure vegetarians don’t leave hungry. Tender chicken breast, gently sautéed in lemon sauces and served over noodles with capers, was delightfully fresh and bright-tasting. Salmon Margherita was grilled, with a side of fettucini enlivened by fresh chopped tomatoes, garlic and basil. I found a couple of our desserts a little disappointing. Tiramisu was made with mascarpone cheese, cake, coffee and liqueur, but it¹s not quite as smooth, rich and creamy as I remembered. A trio of sorbets brought blackberry, strawberry and a singularly tasty white peach flavor. The peach was outstanding, but the others not as infused with fresh-fruit flavor. Spumone combined vanilla, chocolate, and mint ice creams and whipped cream to make a rich, delicate frozen concoction. Carelli’s boasts an excellent wine list, with many well-priced bottles and good values by the glass. Cordials and aperitifs, single-malt scotches and single-batch bourbons, cognacs, beers and grappas are also available. Carelli’s bills itself as a family restaurant, but it¹s also a first-class dining establishment. Greg Carelli wants everyone to feel comfortable in his restaurant, and the combination of elegance and relaxed atmosphere makes sure they will.”

~ Susan Permut

“Carelli’s… off the beaten path, elegant in a warm, friendly way, and features a long menu with items such as Veal Scaloppini, Pollo Saltibocca, and Shrimp Ambruzzo. Carelli’s is intimate and polished, worthy of a cozy dinner for two or a boisterous 10-person gathering. Calzoni, seafood dishes, 15 pasta plates, sandwiches and more give you plenty of choices at Carelli’s. There’s a long wine list and dining by firelight can’t be beat. Don’t let the strip-mall environs fool you – Carelli’s is first-class.”

Nations Restaurant News

“Greg Carelli knows that when it comes to restaurant interior design, economy and inspiration can walk hand-in-hand. It’s interior is modeled in a warm, earthy palette that combines blond and dark cherry-stained wood surfaces, stained concrete floors, classic brick textures and wall tiles of elegant Manitou slate. Many elements and fixtures are enhanced with natural-style birch and metal accents and illuminated by a combination of direct and indirect low voltage lighting. The open fireplace is something my father had in his restaurant,” Carelli says. “And that’s something I’ve always enjoyed, fireplaces… If you’re going to have a restaurant, why not have a big open fireplace? Everyone would love that. And they do. Every time it gets cold outside, we pack em in.”

“All That and a Bowl of Linguine” – Alex Fox

“Carelli’s… has steadily developed a reputation as one of the finest restaurants in the region, offering traditional Northern and Southern Italian fare in a comfortably elegant environment. The preparation and presentation of the food is also worthy of recognition… the clarity of individual flavors and textures…was impressive.”