Café Maddalena — Restaurant in Dunsmuir

I really pains me to leave this review, but I'm hopeful that some constructive criticism will keep Cafe Maddalena alive this time around.

After months of anticipation and excitement, my family and I were eager to revisit Cafe Maddalena, once a benchmark for fine dining in the area. While the cozy atmosphere and familiar warmth of the space remain, the dining experience under new ownership sadly misses the mark on several fronts.

The restaurant still exudes a certain charm with soft lighting, intimate tables, and a sense of nostalgia that instantly welcomes you back. Yet the effect is undermined by new decorative choices that feel out of place: quotes printed on mirrored panels that look more at home in a retail décor shop than in a refined dining room. These touches distract from the understated elegance the restaurant once embodied. I can't help but long for the days when the chalkboard specials (complete with prices) stood proudly above the wine bar and gorgeous plates lined the walls.

We started with the escargot, which was the first disappointment of the evening. The crostini accompanying it was burnt black on one side and underdone on the other, while the escargot itself lacked the depth, salt, and garlic that should define the dish. It felt as if the kitchen was aiming for sophistication but overshooting the essence of good, flavorful cooking. The gougeres, on the other hand, were executed much better.

The structure of the menu also seems at odds with its fine-dining aspirations. Offering a soup or salad alongside an entrée feels incongruous in a restaurant positioning itself at this level, and the portion sizes were unexpectedly large. Quality should matter more than quantity at this level and price point. The wine list, too, was underwhelming: limited in variety, overly marked-up, and offering few selections that truly complement the cuisine. For a restaurant aspiring to fine-dining standards, the selection felt disappointingly uninspired.

To top it off, they quietly added gratuity into the bill but didn’t note it anywhere on the receipt (see photo). We were a party of 6 and an added gratuity is totally understandable, but it should definitely be noted on the receipt somewhere. This felt misleading, deceiving, and unprofessional. I question if this is even legal?

What was once the crown jewel of the local dining scene has, regrettably, lost its luster. The intention to elevate the experience is evident, but the refinement, balance, and technical precision that once defined this restaurant are nowhere to be found. One can only hope that, in time, the new owners will honor the legacy they’ve inherited and restore Cafe Maddalena to its former excellence. I do plan to return in a few months, hopeful that the team will have worked through these early missteps and rediscovered the sense of care and balance that once made this...

We have been dining at Cafe Maddalena regularly for over 5 years. We estimate about 100 times over those years and with an average ticket price of 100.00 (and that is probably low) that equates 2 approximately $10,000 we have spent there . We own vacation rentals in the area and always recommend our guests visit the restaurant, it was our very top choice. Recently, after the long-term owner sold, there were two other ownership changes. We were always very understanding and had no issues with those changes. Having owned businesses we understand it takes a little bit to get back on track. The last three times we visited, and spent quite a bit of money ( it's not cheap there) we noticed the continued lack of quality service which we had become a very accustomed to, and the food quality was very different. The amount of food had also diminished. We finally decided it was time to discuss this issue and complained to our waitress and then to management. We were treated with such disdain and rudeness that we have decided to eliminate Cafe Maddalena from our dining repertoire and not recommended to anyone else. It is very overpriced for the amount and the quality of food you receive, and the service is sorely lacking. They are way too impressed with themselves and they have lost their humility and perspective and the reason good people go into the restaurant business, in my opinion. Save your money, go have a good meal at the Railroad Park or head up to Mount Shasta. There are several options there that are much better. There's no such thing as hospitality at Cafe...

Dinner at Cafe Maddalena last Saturday night was absolutely incredible. We began our dining experience with a wonderful dinner salad. The ladies enjoyed a very well rounded sauvignon blanc. At dinner the ladies enjoyed halibut, with creamer potato's, fresh peas and asparagus, in a beurre blanc sauce. Absolute Heaven! Our son Brian an I ordered the seafood Bisque, which was served in a bowl filled with shrimp, scallops and assorted mussels.in a shallow pool of the most delectable bisque. Every variety of seafood was prepared to perfection. Although sliced a little thinner then expected, these little gems were so tender that you could cut them with your tongue. A truly unforgetable dining experience. Dessert was more of a question than a suggestion. Everyone of us felt just right, no one had over eaten, but the idea of a food coma was passed around the table a few times. We all shared the most delectable pastry dessert with an almond cream. Pure perfection! Our server was wonderful and although I didn't mention it earlier, the focaccia reminded me of the "Ligeria Bakery" in San Francisco. Yes, it was that perfect. I must say that the entire evening was perfect. The drive isn't straight, but the average speed was a comfotable 70 M.P.H. and it is an easy beautiful, short 45 minute one. If you have not been to this amazing epicurean delight in the heart of Dunnigan, you really need to treat yourself to a...