The Cellar Restaurant
| Address: | 220 Magnolia Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA |
| Phone: | +1 386-868-0506 |
| Site: | thecellarrestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | Closed 5–10PM 5–10PM 5–10PM 5–10PM 5–10PM 5–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
AL
Alec Villanew
When the going gets tough… some pray, some play, some stay put and hold their breaths… Me? I wear my highest and most uncomfortable shoes (residue of my catholic school education: self-flagellation as a form of atonement). Suffering can be beautiful somehow. I leave the room feeling as tall as Heidi Klum and I enjoy a great meal at a fancy restaurant. The Hilton Daytona had fried my nerves like freshly caught calamari. The place felt as appealing to me as Amity Ville amidst Jaws frenzy. Have I ever mentioned how much I relish beautiful things? Oh, the good life! So different from that “life is good” one mutters under one’s breath. I am a self-declared hedonist. Searched the internet and found The Cellar. Even the name (I have discussed the importance of names and their meaning in another review) spoke poetry to me. I was picked. Intrigued. Excited. As I brushed the red lipstick against my lips, I imagined the bit of burgundy from the wine already staining them deliciously. The gray wooden historic home stood out in the corner. A stream of white lights outlining the basement windows. The glitter of forgotten Christmases. The little red door coyly opened as we walked inside and were lucky enough to be seated downstairs. A tad unreal. Heels unfelt cushioned by the thickness of the carpeted stairs that smelled of history. Sepia pictures stared at us as we descended. President Warren Harding, a snow bird, flew from Ohio to spend time in this house during the winter. The Cellar is so many things: it is intimate. It is inviting. It is romantic. It is elegant. It is sophisticated, but above it all… the experience is sublime. Even when all of the tables were full of patrons, the whispers joined in the sense of sacredness. Isn’t that one of the aspects of the sublime? That sense of surprise, of fear, of awe when confronted with the power of unexpected beauty… Thomas, our lovely server, patiently explained and described each dish we wanted to taste. The Green-eyed Foodie is always the most confused and overwhelmed. She orders last and under pressure. She covers with her hands the fluster on her cheeks. She asked lots of questions and became entangled in the wed of possibilities. We opened a bottle of Triga from Alicante, Spain. A combination of 85% monastrell and 15% cab. Bold and solid. Dry and spicy in the end. Many flavors unveiled throughout the many glasses. Superb. As appetizers we enjoyed the Carpaccio di Manzo and the Polenta con Salsiccia e Porcini along a bread basket that smelled freshly baked and tasted of a mother’s love. Nourishing and comforting. The polenta was creamy and the flavors of the corn, the sausage and the mushrooms could be found distinctively. After torturing Thomas with more questions and details, we managed to order: Fettuccine con Ragu di Cogniglio (Bolognese made with rabbit and its broth, no tomato sauce)and Perciatelli Carbonara (like a long bucatinni or thick spaghetti with pancetta (italian bacon), onion, parmegiano, prosciutto, salami, cream and one egg. A bit too salty for my taste because Chef was so generous with the amount of the prosciutto and the salami. It came craftily decorated with one delicate rose made out of prosciutto. A tangible proof that food can definitely be fleshy, sexy and romantic. We also ordered the Osso Buco D’Angelo con Risotto alle Verdure. A three-hour braised lamb shank that fell off the bone as easily as clothes peel off with sensual intention or recklessly on that very first time. It was bedded on vegetable risotto. The night’s special was possibly the most enigmatic and sophisticated. Too many glasses of wine later, I can barely recall that it was fish, a lovely potato and cheese small cake, a bed of risotto nero (squid inked), and an incredible saucy compote of fruit with a hint of lemon. I had never seen those green eyes as wide with excitement as she ate and we agreed she had chosen well after all.
A
A Private User
My husband and I visited The Cellar on our 28th anniversary on the recommendation of a friend. We drove over from Orlando for a special evening. We were not disappointed. We were greeted at the door by one of the owners who obviously wanted each of the details of our meal to exceed our expectations. She supplied a silver hook for the table to hold my purse rather than allowing me to hang it on my chair. We learned that her husband was trained at the Culinary Institute and loved specializing in dishes from his native northern Italy. The decor is warm and unpretentious. We even recognized authentic Venetian Masks hanging on the walls upstairs, as we had purchased some on our last visit to Venice. Our meals were excellent, from the the house salad and antipasto, to the sauteed salmon with creamed pea sauce and seafood ravioli. The quality of the ingredients used showed that the owners were more interested in recreating an Italian dining experience than saving money by buying ingredients from the local Publix. We thoroughly enjoyed the home-made breads with high quality olive oil, and the flour-less dark chocolate torta for dessert was delicious! Compliments to the chef, his lovely wife (and delightful hostess), Lina, and our server, Joseph! This is our new favorite restaurant even though it is a drive from Orlando!
WA
Wayne Irving
I got to tell you, this place was okay. But it was obvious that the food is not prepared here. Every single request we made for things was met with friction from the staff. If you are from the west coast, you will know what I mean. The $33 filet was delivers smothered in .69 cents lawrys brown gravy. The $37 Osso Bucco was not Lamb, it was a Turkey Leg with the rounded end cut to a blunt. It was also smothered with the same cheap ole commercial brown gravy. The ambiance is nice, but to be at an italian restaurant and be served by people that are from Central America, destroyed the ambiance. I simply asked for prociutto wrapped prawns, (what italian kitchen doesnt have prociutto? or prawns?) I was not given an aplogy, only the word "No". The dining room was empty and the manager (I think is also a guatemalan, was not very nice when I spent $250 on two adults for dinner). I truly wish I would have mapquested to an Olive Garden. Atleast their corporate version of dishes is not done by a local commercial foods distributor that serves the same meals to schools and prisons. I am sad to say, I would not recommend this place, and I will not be returning.
WA
Wayne Zawila
As a Senior Contributor for Trip Advisor I was appalled by the vile and purposely damaging review of the Cellar by a vitriolic person with his own agenda. The Cellar Restaurant owned by CIA graduate Sam Moggio and his wife, has received accolades from over three hundred reviewers on Trip Advisor...please read them and judge for yourself. This is a world class restaurant located in the cellar of their home which was the summer residence of a former U.S. President . It is a dining experience to be savored as a stellar example of the culinary art....a rare find in Central Florida. Sam has honed his skills in New York and Italy. He frequently returns to the old country to have fresh ideas for a menu which is constantly evolving. To dine in the home of the Moggios is a privilege.... Dont deny yourself this experience because of a single reviewer with dubious credentials!
A
A Private User
My husband and I visited The Cellar as out of town guests. After looking for someplace nice to dine without the touristy appeal, we decided on The Cellar after reading some reviews. The atmosphere is anything but fancy, which is fine by us, but it is boarder line tacky. We didnt quite get the Christmas snowflake lights or the Mardi Gras masks on the wall? But good service and great food could easily make up for that. However, we did not received either. The food was not bad, but not exceptional either. The gnocchi was tough and the sauce was sparse. The seafood ravioli was good but the accompanying sauce was not a good combination. Our waiter was a little over the top with the use of "beautiful" and "fabulous" to describe our selections. Overall, it was fair, but not what I was expecting. We have had much better Italian food elsewhere.
