Cafe Michelina is a cozy restaurant, located just off Washington St, which serves a wonderful Italian menu. It is owned by John De Caesar & Pete Vicari, two brothers-in-law who opened their restaurant in 1994. Their motto is “No party too small”; they definitely go out of their way to make guests to their establishment feel at home.       Our party arrived on a slow Monday night, and getting a table was no problem. I do know, however, that on weekend nights it can be crowded, and there are about 44 seats, so plan accordingly.    Also it is important to note that this restaurant is B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Beer/Wine), and when we arrived we careful to bring a bottle of red and white wine with us. The server is very happy to accommodate and serve the wines or beer that you bring.    The appetizers at the restaurant range from 2.75 to 12.95, and contain the traditional fare that you would find at any Italian restaurant. Our group ordered the Antipasto ($7.95), an order of Bruschetta ($2.75), and a House Salad ($4.50), for the appetizers. For what the appetizers lacked in variety, they made up for in quality.    Our appetizers were served 6 minutes after we ordered (two points to consider: we were on a slow night, with one waiter and one chef in the restaurant), with the following review of our fare. Every table that is seated is given a plate of Bruschetta, which is a slice of fresh italian bread, topped with chopped tomatoes & onions with olive oil. It is very delicious, and so delicious that I ordered a plate for myself as an appetizer. I highly recommend this, and would give it a 9 out of 10. The Antipasto was given a rating of 7 out of 10 by my guest, with significant credit given to not only the tasty salami, but also the generous portions. The Garden Salad was somewhat average, given a 6 out of 10 by my third guest.    The entrees that we ordered were from a much larger selection when compared to the appetizers. There are pasta entrees, chicken entrees, and seafood entrees, along with daily blackboard specials. We ordered the Pollo Alla Franchese ($11.95), which was chicken sautéed in butter and white wine sauce, served with spaghetti with marinara. Also ordered was Tortellini Alla “Michelina’s” ($8.95), which was tortellini tossed in a savory white parmesan cream sauce and minced ham. The third order was Pollo Alla Parmigiana ($9.95), a classic dish, with chicken lightly breaded in a tomato sauce and mozzarella.    We were served our entrees 30 minutes after our appetizers arrived, and to some this might be too long. My guests and myself were too busy enjoying the banter with a few regulars of the cafe, over the future of the New York Knicks, to really notice.    The wait aside, we were presented with three excellent meals. The Pollo Alla Franchese was excellent, and I impressed with the light use of wine, mushrooms and butter to create a succulent entree (I give this a 9 out of 10). The portions were very generous, and I could not finish my meal. My guests, however, were ravenous with delight when finishing their meals. The Tortellini Alla “Michelina” was received well by my guest, who enjoyed the fresh pasta, with airy sauce (given a 7 out of 10 for taste, but my guest gave it a 9 out of 10 for value). My third guest enjoyed the Pollo Alla Parmigiana, and if you can believe it – he never had Chicken Parmigiana before (he is from England, so go figure). The entree was “superb” and “brilliant”, according to my European friend, and he believed it was worth an 8 out of 10 for taste and a 10 out of 10 for value (perhaps England needs more Italian restaurants?). Nevertheless, everyone was extremely satisfied with our meals.     The check was modest enough, a total of $55 for three people ($18.33 per person), not including tip (we, gave a 25% tip, for excellent service). If you are looking to take a date or take some friends, it is definitely recommended that you bring them to Cafe Michelina: you will not be disappointed.Overall rating: 8 out of 10Sean Iaquinto