Judging from his food, chef Marcelo Croitoru got tired of making rubber chicken. In 2005, after years running a banquet hall and pimping out meals for the masses, Marcelo and his wife , Rodi,opened Marcelo's Restaurant in Cambridge, hoping to allow the chef to unleash his skills in cooking high end Italian cuisine. Given the chance to cook the food he loves for 40 instead of 200, Croitoru is taking full advantage of the opportunity.more...See more text
4 of us from our office went to Marcello's for lunch recently. Even though the location is very non-pretentious (in a strip mall with auto services!), when we walked in, we knew this was something special.
The kitchen is open and you can see the chef preparing meals as soon as you walk in the restaurant.
We were greeted warmly by the hostess who sat us at our table, then before we even looked at the menus, brought us toasted garlic bread along with olive oil and other dippings. It was absolutely delicious.
I ordered the Veal Parmagiana and the presentation was superb, far beyond what I expected. The pasta was swirled in to a very pleasant arrangement and the meat was perfectly done. I must say this was one of the best and most original interpretations of this classic dish I have had in many years.
We left the restaurant very impressed and definitely plan on returning soon.
The server brought out two baskets of toasted bread with an olive oil and chile mixture to use for dipping. It was very tasty.
There were 5 choices on the lunch menu, plus a daily special. It may not seem like a lot of choice, but every item on the menu and the special sounded great.
Our meals came out quickly and were presented very nicely. Everyone was very happy with their meal. 3 of us had the chicken parmigiana, which was very moist and flavourful and came with linguini as well. It was just the right portion for lunch. A great value at $13 for a meal that is prepared to order.
The server and hostess were both very friendly and provided good service. The chef even thanked us for coming on the way out.
Everyone in our group expressed interest in returning very soon.
We went to Marcelo's because of reviews on Restaurantica. The food was good and the waitress was attentive. However, we were a little disappointed a the pricing, which for most items did not include a salad or any side dishes. For a restaurant in its location and with its limited menu, we felt the whole thing was somewhat pretentious. For the money, we would have been happier with a simpler, less elegant decor and more food, at a lower price!
My wife and I tried Marcelo's as a result of its rating on Restaurantica, and we're glad we did.
The service was top notch, and the food was fantastic.
As others have alluded to, the ambience/atmosphere is the best you can make of a restaurant that shares a building with Apple Auto Glass and is nestled amongst car dealerships and automotive repair garages.
Also, the menu is very limited, but I was still able to get something I loved.
I had the seafood fettucine, which was awesome. The noodles were noticeably fresh, and the food was full of flavour.
My wife wasn't as impressed with her lasagna, but still liked it.
The service was especially great. They weren't pushy, but were exceptionally helpful and responsive to our requests. I would recommend Marcelo's to a friend.
Marcelo's is the kind of restaurant that turns a diner evangelical. I made it a mission to make sure that every friend and family member (and not a few strangers) visited the restaurant to enjoy a meal because it's one of the few restaurants that's never disappointed. If you love Italian food, this place will thrill you.
The service alone would bring me back. Every server is so attentive and each person seems to genuinely care about your experience and your enjoyment of the food. The chairs are uncommonly comfortable and the tables are dressed in rich fabric and decorated with bumble bee napkin rings that add a touch of whimsy to the table.
On my first visit, the friend I was with was making such orgasmic noises that I half expected someone to say "I'll have what she's having". Marcelo's is the kind of place where just seeing a dish pass your table makes you wish you'd ordered it, until you see the amazingly presented meal that was made just for you... I've never wished I'd eaten anything else once I've been served.
The Caprese salad is a work of art that's filled with so many complementary flavours. I can't imagine a better way to start a meal. The veal scallopini is tender and served with fresh noodles that are made in the kitchen daily. (be sure to peek into the open kitchen, it's sparkling and orderly and you can tell it's run by a chef who cares about every detail) The bread is sinfully good and far too plentiful for anyone who doesn't want to gain 10lbs. The tiramisu is one of the best I've had.
The only drawback to Marcelo's is the fact that it is housed in a strip mall setting instead of an Italian villa but that's soon forgotten as soon as the food is served.
