My family loves to dine at Carmine's on special occasions - it's a Bellevue classic for a reason! Tables can be hard to find for large walk-in parties, so we made a reservation well in advance for an 8:15pm Thursday-night dinner. Even late on a weeknight, the restaurant was buzzy (if a bit loud), but the dimly-lit atmosphere and rustic decor lend a chic, romantic feel to the restaurant's ambience.
Service is always stellar at Carmine's - everyone is so kind and welcoming, and there's always a server to come check on your table! Our server got us started with their fantastic bread service (I believe they make their bread in-house), and listed off a long array of specials for the night, including a Lobster Risotto (which sounded divine) and a classic Surf and Turf.
We started off with their Calamari Affogati ($19), which is a squid dish with a garlicky tomato sauce, olives, and capers. The menu describes it to be spicy, but we found it more acidic. It wasn't our favorite dish, but it was solid, and well-seasoned, with a good portion of calamari for the price.
The other appetizer we ordered was their Antipasto Assortito ($20), which came with generous portions of beets, roasted vegetables (carrots, red peppers, etc.), prosciutto, and surprisingly delicious herbed beans. This was a crowd-pleaser, and kept us satiated until our entrees came out!
I ordered the Osso Bucco ($57) - it was a deliciously wine-braised veal shank that was fall-off-the-bone tender, paired with the most perfectly al-dente tagliatelle in a rich, gravy-like sauce, and tender yet firm sauteed broccolini (all meat entrees came with broccolini). The veal wasn't overwhelmingly fatty (as it often is at other restaurants), and the shank is served with marrow inside - perfect for dipping bread in!
My dad ordered the Scaloppine Di Vitello Al Limone e Capperi ($42), which consisted of thinly sliced veal served in a creamy sauce with lemon and capers - the richness of the cream combined with the acidity of the citrus and capers perfectly complemented the veal, which my dad said was cooked nicely. However, the polenta the dish was served with was quite bland, even with the sauce.
My brother ordered the Costolette D'Agnello Provinciale (Market Price - $64 when we went), which is a rack of lamb consisting of four small ribs crusted with a delectable herb-garlic breading. While the meat portion wasn't large enough to satisfy a 15-year-old boy (but honestly, what is?), it was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the risotto on the side was also cooked wonderfully.
Two people in our party ordered the Large Squid Ink Capellini Di Mare ($32), which comes with al dente squid ink angel hair pasta in a tomato-based sauce, with prawns, clams, mussels, and calamari on top. While my grandpa wished for more pasta, the seafood portion is quite generous, and the flavor of the sauce is deep and complex.
Lastly, my grandma ordered the Gamberoni Provinciale ($23) - it comes with a good amount of large prawns tossed in a garlicky tomato-white-wine sauce. It's definitely great as a large app or light entree. For the price, my grandma couldn't finish it, but my brother happily ate the rest with the leftover bread!
We finished the night with one of their dessert specials: a Strawberry Cheesecake ($18). While this may seem expensive for a single dessert, the cheesecake was quite large (big enough for 6 people to share). It was decadent and rich without being overwhelming, and the fresh fruit and fruit coulis on top added a refreshing touch to the rich strawberry cream cheese. And no trip to Carmine's would be complete without a couple boxes of their signature biscotti (comes with one cranberry-orange, and one chocolate)!
All in all, I couldn't be happier with our experience at Carmine's. Yes, it is on the pricier side, but you're not only paying for delicious food, but a wonderful experience, from the ambience to the service. We will continue coming back to Carmine's for many special occasions to come! read more