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
now that's italian cooking at its' best! started off with an eggplant and arugula appy, then the prosciutto - provolone veal and hand made pappardelle pasta in a bolognese sauce...a master piece! also, tried the home made bean soup....full blown foodie alert here ! go see Marcelo and Rodi, you will not be disappointed!
Wow! One of the best meals we've had in years & we consider ourselves foodies. You can taste Marcelo's passion for cooking in his food - fresh ingredients, real food everything made in house.
Don't judge a book by it's cover - it's a hidden jem. We kindof like that this restaurant is not on the main strip alongside the Blackshop. It makes it more like our little secret getaway.
The waiter was professional - attentive & knew when we needed him without seeming too bothersome. Atmosphere - cozy - we were seated at a table in the back which made it romantic. Which we love for our "date" night. Not fancy but nicely done.
We started with the fantastic bread - with the dipping oil. Best bread - watch out it's additive but comes in handy for using to clean up your tasty sauce and bits to come.
Best ceasar salad we've ever had. Calamari was cooked to perfection and sauce was great.
Mains my husband had the Rustica - Gnochi & sausage and mushrooms. Other then wanting more sausage it was awesome. I had the veal scaloppine. Which was the most expensive item at $24 but for the price was incredible. Real flavours and sauce.
Dessert we shared choclate canollis with a fresh mixed berry reduction. Perfect way to end a fantastic meal.
Great meal we felt like we were on vacation and actually had a conversation trying to remember the last time we had such a great time and great meal.
Again, never heard of the restaurant, but driven by many times.
Excellent (!) service and red wine (!). Food was homemade, wholesome and satisfying. I would definately go again. Wonderful Italian rustic breads. Atmosphere is a bit sparse (empty). Tables comfortable and I liked the low lighting. It made up for the intimacy that was lost with the tables close together (It's a fairly small place).
After living in Cambridge for a few years, I had never heard of - nor seen - Marcelo's. It was only after an adamant recommendation that I visited it at all. Well worth it, and long overdue. The service is phenomenal with the restaurant small enough to be comfortable but not cramped. Walking in you pass the kitchen and the chef smiles/waves, making you feel instantly comfortable. Of course, all of that doesn't matter if the food isn't up to snuff. From the starters to the mains, all of us were incredibly satisfied - the food is fresh, well-prepared and very tasty. The menu is kept small and authentic and is executed perfectly. This is above-the-bar Italian in the KW-Guelph-Cambridge area. The wine selection was small but offered a wide range of options for geography and price. Overall, with the service, food and atmosphere, it was almost the perfect restaurant. Not that I'm complaining, but the location is a little off-putting (Eagle St beside a muffler shop) - but you can't really hold that against them. A MUST visit if you're a foodie in the area.
I heard great things about this place from many repeat customers, and since my girlfriend's favorite food is pasta, I made the reservation for her 30th there. We started off with a fantastic Ceasar salad & home made gnocchi (I hope I spelt that right) that was to die for... oh so rich & creamy. I'm a steak man that much enjoyed their rib-eye in like a light gravy. The birthday girl ordered some of the best ravioli I've ever tasted , & she agreed it was yummy. The duck she ordered was a little tough, but they approached us about it first. After asking to replace it, which we declined, they insisted they take off of our bill. Desert for the birthday girl was on them as well. They were also very apologetic. Overall great experience & we both WILL go back.
