Mollie's Kitchen — Restaurant in Carpinteria

From the outside and definitely from the inside, Mollie's Deli is a quintessential modest carp casual eatery.

On Casitas Pass there is the MacDonalds. Just past it is an entrance to Shepherds Place Apartments. Turn here and dodge your way into the strip mall where taco bell is. Mollie's double doors should be wide open, welcoming you to wonderful (and famous) "Cucina Italiana!"

First was bread service, on the house, hot freshly made focaccia bread and balsamic vinegar + olive oil from the unique tabletop 2 in 1 creut.

Then came our appetizers. Minestrone Soup and the hot Eggplant Parmigiana. Both are GENEROUS portions. The soup was excellent, full of veggies, with wonderful flavor, and would be a very healthy meal on its own. Likewise, the eggplant dish was enough by itself for a modest meal. The eggplant appetizer is fresh tasting, the tomato sauce not adorned with other ingredients and in my opinion was a bit one dimensional.

We splurged and ordered 2 entrées. First, the Mollie Melt, a sandwich on house-made foccacia bread with lemon caper aioli and the house-made organic turkey smash burger that's nicely seasoned and surprisingly spicy; also, there is melted Parmigiano cheese and a layer of caramelized onions. This sandwich will easily feed two! And at $12 it's a very good value. We also tried the Crespelle Ricotta e Spinace, a crepe with minced spinach & ricotta cheese filling, covered in a delicate tomato based sauce that's full-flavored. Both were extremely well done.

The 2 dishes we tried with tomato sauce were generously garnished with perfect pieces basil leaves, always a real treat that never happens often enough!

Once you get familiar with their menu, and need a fast meal, they provide anything...

The bread that comes with the soup is always raw. I took my child's godfather and his serving of bread was white and gooey. Standing in the line to order is very 3rd world. If the person behind you is buying a lot they will ignore you and go for the money. I wanted this place to be a success, but I will not be ignored and I am not going back. I have seen this line jumping in other countries. This is the U.S.A. not 3rd or old world country. If I am standing handing a $20. bill to the employee and they let some narcissistic rich person go in front of me....... that's it for me. Oh and the soup and bread are never ready when they open. I don't get that? If the food isn't ready are you really open? I wanted a healthy food option here in Carpinteria. I was going daily I wanted healthy food. They soup is generally blended served with raw bread. After that woman pushed in front of me and the employee did nothing even though he saw what was happening I decided that soup to drink with doughy bread is ridiculous and not an option for me. When Mollie was in Montecito it was all about good service and vegetarian food...

I really need to recommend Mollie's cooking. I've known her for over 20 years, and she truly is an exceptional Italian cook, more like a world-class chef. Over the years, I have eaten in a couple of her restaurants. The food was always amazing/exceptional. Her ability to create delicious sauces and elevate simple pasta dishes is wonderful. You should also try her incredible fish soup— not on the menu anymore, but if you happen to have any seafood, you could ask her to prepare it (but you need to call ahead); it's a real treat.

This newer, smaller restaurant has a more personal and unique atmosphere – it truly feels like you're dining right in Mollie's kitchen. but as such contributes to a truly wonderful and memorable dining experience.

While it's true that you need to stand in line to order, and the place is more like a deli than a traditional restaurant, the quality of the food Mollie serves makes it absolutely worthwhile. The menu might be smaller these days, but trust me, it's an experience you don't want to miss. I highly recommend treating yourself to...