Cafe Dodici
| Address: | 122 S Iowa Ave, Washington, IA 52353, USA |
| Phone: | +1 319-653-4012 |
| Site: | cafedodici.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | Closed Closed 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
MA
Matt Uhlman
We finally made it down for a dinner with friends and per usual, we were thoroughly impressed with the ambiance, service and food. We came with a few friends from IC who had been meaning to try the place and they were as excited as we were by the experience. The appetizer we shared was a goat cheese torta. A lovely mix of goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes with Crostini - it was delicous. A bowl of swiss onion ale soup and a bowl of carrot ginger soup were shared amongst the table and both are worth trying. The swiss onion ale soup was effectively french onion, but with a little gusto. The carrot ginger was spectacular and marked the first time I enjoyed such a dish! For dinner we enjoyed the spinach ravioli with Rossini sauce (meated red and white sauce) and the Chicken Roulades. The ravioli was delicious with a good amount of cheese. The Chicken Roulades may have been one of the best things Ive ever tasted. For the lay person (me prior to reading the menu), this is similar to Chicken Courdon Bleu, but multipled by Awesome. If an unpretentious French chicken and an Italian chicken gave birth to a meal, this would be it. Incredibly flavorful and with a very nice gold crust on the outside. Pair all this with a nice bottle of wine served in a super fun decanter and you got yourself an evening! The decor, as previously described, is largely that of Italy, but with a lot of far east flare. The owners dine here often and walk around chatting most weekends. Theyve really put a lot of though into the place, both with decor and food. The atmosphere is a nice mix of classy casual. People in jeans and tee shirts to those in a formal ware dine here and theres no feeling that one is preferred over the other - everyone just feels at home and enjoys the place! Cafe Dodici is one of a few restaurants in the area that, if given the chance, will blow you away. The experience created by the combination of decor, lighting, service and food is rivaled only by a few restaurants in the greater IC area. Dining here provides a memorable experience will make you simultaneously forget and remember that youre in a small town in Iowa. A great place that anyone looking for a memorable night out or Sunday brunch should try.
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A Private User
Since Cafe Dodici recently swept the Iowa Source awards, we decided to pay a visit, and were unimpressed and underwhelmed. Many people seem to love the romantic atmosphere at this small cafe. To us, it felt like someone had purchased many items from an import-export store and scattered them throughout with little cohesion to bind them. Service was wonderful, and the staff was very helpful and attentive. However, the food was below par. The chicken roulades was a tad overcooked, and brought me back exactly to memories of my college cafeteria days of eating almost the exact same dish labeled instead "chicken kiev." The duck was cooked as if it was trying to be chicken, ignoring the wonderful fat inside. It lacked a wonderful crispy skin and had hardly any sauce. If I would describe the food, I would describe it as your Moms home cooking done in a wonderful way, not Italian. This is a great restaurant for its locale, but not the best of Iowa.
MR
Mrs. P
Wonderful food, good atmosphere, decent service for a packed full restaurant. It was very romantic for Valentines day and they were able to fit us in last minute. A candle on every table, and a rose in a vase. Price was moderate as were portions. The only downside is they have a gap where they are closed between lunch and dinner, and they are not open late. We actually tried to visit twice before this but just couldnt catch them open. However their lighting is not extremely bright and they are somehow easy to overlook at night on the town square on the corner. All in all an excellent experience that was well worth the wait.
BR
Brittney Temperle
We were there on the weekend after the 4th of July to celebrate a friends birthday. My 4 month old was getting fussy and I was doing my best to entertain him when the owner came up and said "if you need to breastfeed go right ahead, or if you arent comfortable doing it right here, i can take you back to the banquet room." I sat in the banquet room feeding baby and as soon as i got back to the table she offered to hold baby for a few minutes so i could eat my meal. Absolutely wonderful and genuine hospitality. The food is just as amazing. Thank you for being such kind and sincerely gracious people.
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A Private User
We went more my husbands birthday, and we were talking about coming back for my birthday in a few months. If it were closer, Im sure we would come back sooner. The food was good, and the prices were phenomenal for the quality, especially if you go for "cena presto". Serving sizes were slightly smaller than the enormous portions other places serve, but larger than many "fine dining" establishments. The atmosphere is warm and the place is decorated beautifully. Service was good. Let your server know if you are celebrating a special occasion: there will be a little extra.
J.
J. W. Miller
this is probably our favorite restaurant in SE iowa. especially on the way home south from cedar rapids airport its a great place to have dinner. lunch is simple and very very good. we like to get a large salad w/ a piece of salmon on top. highly recommend the panecotta and chocolate torte desserts. they have good wine. very soothing and interesting ambiance - wide ranging variety of paintings, extremely well trained staff, and the owners (hes italian, shes a local gal) love what they do and love good food.
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A Private User
Being from Fairfield, I would choose Top of the Rock over Dodicis any day. I find Dodicis atmosphere very appealing, but their food is just so-so to me. Ive been to Italy and to be honest, the food here is a fattened up Midwestern-approved version of Italian food. There is usually one vegetarian option available, which is just silly when you are at an "Italian Restaurant." I have more choices at Olive Garden. This place is mediocre at best.
PA
Paul Mayer
Whod believe that an Iowa town of under 8,000 people would have a restaurant like this? The food is excellent; the decor and service are equally excellent. Its a great place for a romantic dinner with that special someone, or a group of good friends. Ive eaten here several times, and have tried different items on the menu. Each time, I am impressed with the quality of the meal, ambiance and the serving staff.
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A Private User
Amazing Atmosphere and lots of delicious food. My favorites are the desserts and the Sunday brunch. I have to admit that Ive had 3 different dishes that I didnt enjoy here otherwise Id give it a 5 star. Its definitely a step up from most restaurants in this part of the country. Great service. Quite expensive and maybe worth the price.
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A Private User
After a long day, it was a pleasure to find a place to have a good meal and glass of wine in a unique setting. Having a restaurant like this in a small town is a wonderful find. We ended up staying the night in the Bed and Breakfast above the restaurant. This apartment rivaled any 4 star hotel or B&B in the country. Brian
