by Mystery MouthTwo words I can use to describe my first impression of Café Toscana: vibrant elegance. From the large, well-stocked bar to the white tablecloths that played off the rich blue paint under crown molding and a soothing buttery color to the crisp blue button-down shirts the servers wear, this Wilkes-Barre establishment offered classic sophistication right out of the gate.
Led past two columns standing between the bar area and dining room (which is bigger than my guest Victor and I expected), we were seated at a table near the back, under a gorgeous tapestry depicting an Italian street. A glance around found several other tapestries as well as pretty paintings in dark frames that nicely contrasted with the light paint. To say Café Toscana was bustling is an understatement — there were few tables empty.
We ordered a round of drinks and turned our attention to the leather-bound menus. Judging from the list of specials that immediately caught our eye, we could tell that we were going to like Toscana’s fare. Appetizer specials were tuna carpaccio and zuppa di vongole (New Zealand clams poached in spicy light marinara sauce), both $9.95. Entrée specials included capelli con granchio (angel hair in light marinara with fresh crab meat, $16.95), mahi mahi with fresh clams and mussels ($21.95) and veal chop valdostana (stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella in marsala wine sauce with shallots and mushrooms, $25.95).
Despite the tempting tuna carpaccio, Victor and I stuck to the regular menu for our starter, choosing mozzarella caprese ($8.95) over calamari, little neck clams or mussels (all $8.95) and pepperoni e alici, roasted red peppers with anchovy and capers ($7.95).
Café Toscana presents plenty of pasta, veal (vitello), chicken (pollo) and seafood choices. Some highlights include homemade four-cheese and spinach ravioli in cream sauce with a touch of tomato sauce ($14.95), the lemon/butter sauce-based veal piccata ($16.95), the Italian chicken staples of scampi and francese (both $14.95) and a traditional Tuscany seafood stew, zuppa di pesce ($19.95). If steak is your preference, Toscana has a grilled ribeye with brandy sauce and peppercorn ($19.95).
Seeing the array of veal dishes — at such good prices no less — made my dinner choice easy: I instantaneously decided on vitello saltimbocca ($17.95). Victor wanted to try the calamari fra’diavolo ($16.95), a spicy dish he can never pass up, and the pollo fiorentina ($14.95), a spinach and fontina cheese-topped chicken in white wine sauce. The latter won, and we dug into huge slices of complimentary bread with olive oil (deliciously laced with garlic and spice) and two pieces of basil-flecked tomato and onion bruschetta. Our mozzarella caprese featured two stacks of fresh mozzarella and tomato drizzled with an exquisite pesto-like sauce, and each stack was topped with a sun-dried tomato. The texture of the moist cheese melded nicely with the flavors. A luscious roasted red pepper rounded out the dish. Squisito!
We opted to have salads — I the mista verde and Victor a Cesare (both $5.95) — and they arrived while we were still enjoying our appetizer, prompting us to request that our dinners be put on hold to give us ample time to enjoy the wonderful salads in front of us.
The mista verde had roasted walnuts, thinly sliced red delicious apples and blue cheese atop mixed greens drizzled with Toscana’s vinaigrette. The flavors, especially the ample crumbles of pungent cheese, complemented each other beautifully. Victor opined his Cesare was ideal and the dressing “excellent.” We agreed, though, that freshly ground pepper would have been a wonderful accent.
Victor’s chicken Fiorentina was in a creamy white sauce and featured tender chicken smothered in fontina cheese and fresh spinach. “This is fantastic,” he said.
My entrée boasted three sautéed pieces of thinly pounded veal cutlets topped with an almost sinful amount of prosciutto and submerged in a robust brown sauce. The veal rested on a healthy mound of fresh spinach and a delicate hint of sage completed the dish. This was, by far, one of the best veal saltimbocca I’ve had.
Both were gorgeously plated and accompanied by julienned carrots, broccoli and two peeled potatoes which tasted like they had been boiled and then flash fried. Incredible!
Despite awesome desserts — like hard-to-pass-up tiramisu for $6 — Victor and I passed. Nor did we take advantage of the impressive martini menu for an after-dinner drink. Our meals had just been too good to top.
The service, on the other hand, we found to be somewhat lacking. During the course of our meal, we were not asked if we’d like another round of drinks. Once our dinners arrived, we were not checked on until a server came to see if we’d like dessert. After we declined, it was a good 15 minutes before our check was finally brought — after making “pleading eyes” with several of the blue-clad servers.
Had Mystery Mouth dined soon after the restaurant opened, kinks like this could be expected. However, Café Toscana has been open long enough that the service should be parallel with its food: superb.
