Villa Capri Trattoria & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Poway

Not sure what all the fuss is about? I am extremely surprised by all the praise for this restaurant? Perhaps it is different when you dine in. The website states traditional Italian food, more like traditional 'American Italian' food. Either people are extremely hungry and love anything they swallow or not well traveled.

As far as my experience goes; I called a take out order. The guy answered and said sure what would you like, oh actually can you please hold. Got back on phone and hung up. I called again, asked if I could hold. Another guy picked up and received my order. Fine.

My best friend picked up the meal, said the place was hopping and the atmosphere seemed fun. Nice.

Now most importantly the food;

The Pollo Parmigiana was basic, the side of mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a box, and the best part of the dish were the vegetables.

The meat lasagna definitely had a nice blend of cheese but you would have to search for the meat inside.

Finally the gnocchi was decently cooked but the sauce was common. In fact when it comes to the sauce on all 3 dishes, they all seemed to be watery without any delicious texture whatsoever.

I am quite surprised by all of the reviews claiming how amazing and delicious the food was? I tasted nothing but too much salt in every bite and not enough Italian flare, American or otherwise.

Having family in Long Island NY and familiar with many cities in Italy and Sicily, this is NOT traditional.

My best friend asked the next day if I wanted any of the leftovers. My response; is that some sort of sick joke?!

You want authentic and delicious 'Italian' food in San Diego, go to The Godfather on Clairemont Mesa...

A well earned three stars. The atmosphere is nice, but somewhat ruined by the tables being way too close to each other. Most seating for four is made up of two smaller tables put together with the uneven crack in between. The close seating creates a noisy ambiance. So if you don't really want to converse with your dining partners, this gets you off the hook. Our waiter explained the daily specials and was patient taking our order. Unfortunately, since he didn't write down our order, our entrees arrived, but our pizza never made it to the table. Of course this can happen often because while the waiter took the order, the food was served by three other persons. The bus staff was very prompt, even clearing the table of plates and silverware before everyone had finished eating. We were offered a dessert menu. As for the food, the table received a basket of warm bread with a soft crust, pretty much lacking in flavor, but accompanied by a dish of cold red tomato garlic sauce to enjoy on the bread. The entrees were good, prepared fresh. A bowl containing grated parmesan cheese arrived three minutes after our pasta dishes. The pasta with clams was difficult to enjoy due to a large amount of broken clam shells in small pieces present in the dish. However, no teeth were cracked. We paid our check and left. All during our experience, never once did any of the wait staff or servers ask how we liked our food. They must not be very proud of what they serve. So all these things adds up to three stars. Given that there are a lot of Italian eateries in the area, I would look elsewhere...

I rarely go to Italian restaurants: the marinara sauce is too acidic at most places. So I just avoid them. My family suggested Villa Capri based on a friend's experience, so we tried it. This review is past due since I've now eaten there twice. This review is of our most recent visit.

We started with the mixed seasoned grilled vegetables - a perfectly prepared combination of zucchini, summer squash, red and green peppers, and mushrooms. Sadly, you only get a picture of zucchini, as we devoured the rest before I thought to get a picture.

My daughter had the Penne Elena - grilled salmon with penne pasta, prepared with gluten free noodles. She said her salmon was not overcooked, which can be a problem at some places. As you can see, it looked amazing.

My wife had the Francesca - also penne pasta with salmon, but this salmon was mixed into the dish along with asparagus tips, leeks, and a pink tomato sauce. She enjoyed it immensely.

I had the Ravioli special for the evening - basic cheese ravioli but with spinach added, in a basil marinara sauce. Beautiful, flavorful, thick sauce with no hint of acidity. Topped with fresh grated Parmesan,

Don't be afraid to try the house red wine. It nicely complemented my meal. And good gluten free choices are always a welcome find....