Cafe La Scala - Burlingame

Cafe La Scala has been our favorite restaurant in Burlingame for several years. Unfortunately it has taken a turn for the worse, apparently under new management. Here is what we see as having slipped, and what remains good about the restaurant: Service – The service is still very good with a friendly maitre’d greeting us as we came in, and we had a friendly and attentive waiter. No problems there. Food – Clearly the same chef is no longer in charge. Our party ordered two fish dishes and a lasagna. One fish entree was okay and the other was pretty disappointing. They were not the super fresh, melt-in-your mouth treats that they used to serve at Cafe La Scala. The sautéed veggies that came with the entrees were still good, but they no longer include a little polenta – the best polenta I ever tasted. The lasagna was simply not good – not even okay. Among other things it had big slabs of cheese inserted between layers, and on top, which were not completely melted. The person who ordered it did not want to take any part of the big portion home – it was that unappealing. Atmosphere – The look of the place is the same and we like that. One member of our party said that when she stepped into this restaurant she felt like she was suddenly back in Europe. However an important part of that authentic atmosphere used to be the music that usually including a lot of Italian opera singing. When we walked in there recently though, we were assaulted by a loud driving rock beat, followed by other contemporary pop music. Yes, the singing that was in the music was in Italian, but in our opinion it didn’t fit the look and feel of the place. The music might have worked at an Italian fashion show or discotheque, but not in this restaurant. They did turn the volume down a bit later, but the music was still a definite minus, not a plus. It would be great to get the operatic music back. If they are trying to appeal to a younger crowd, maybe some Andrea Boccelli? Will we go back there again? Probably one more time, but we’re in no hurry. I hope that they read this review and others like it and make some changes before the next time we give them a try. The don’t really need to change that much to make it a great restaurant again – just change the background music and get a better chef (or persuade the existing chef to do a better job – maybe he/she can look into how his/her predecessor did things).

I've been eating at this local Italian café for many years. It was owned by changes, and it is currently at its top. I've been there several times in the last few months and it's getting better and better. The service is friendly, friendly and welcoming (including children). they are responsive, but never intrusive. The food is of course amazing. I had steak, a few different pastas, salads and desserts. They are never disappointed and are folk eaters for a big family or group. The location is charming and comfortable. Very recommended!