Calamari puttanesca with olives, capers and Calabrian chilies.

RATING: ***

WHERE: 767 Congress St., Portland. 761-1611, romaportland.com

SERVING: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

PRICE RANGE: Small plates $7 to $15, entrees $19 to $25

NOISE LEVEL: Rural post office

VEGETARIAN: Some dishes

GLUTEN-FREE: Few dishes

RESERVATIONS: Yes

BAR: Beer, wine and cocktails

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: No

BOTTOM LINE: Café Roma is as much legend as it is restaurant. In its first incarnation, opened in 1924 and in business almost continuously until 2008, The Roma offered traditional Italian-American dishes to Portland diners out on the town for special occasions. “We’ve heard people tell us about having their anniversaries here, proms, graduations. This was the place to be for those events,” executive chef Anders Tallberg explained. Once a formal, white-tablecloth destination, today, under Tallberg and his business partner Mike Fraser (the owner of Bramhall), The Roma has become cozy and casual, almost homey. The same can be said of the food, which nonetheless remains true to the historic Italian-American theme. Some items still need tweaking, like bland housemade giardiniera and the chicken liver “Toscana” toasts that are both too creamy and overly acidic. But standout dishes make the experience worthwhile. In particular, quick-sautéed calamari over thick spaghetti, tossed in Tallberg’s phenomenal marinara sauce; and spumoni: a triple-layered indulgence made from toasted pistachio, syrup-soaked Amarena cherry, and dark chocolate ice creams. When the new Roma Café is good, it’s very good – just not yet legendary.

Ratings follow this scale and take into consideration food, atmosphere, service, value and type of restaurant (a casual bistro will be judged as a casual bistro, an expensive upscale restaurant as such): * Poor; ** Fair; *** Good; **** Excellent; ***** Extraordinary

The Maine Sunday Telegram visits each restaurant once; if the first meal was unsatisfactory, the reviewer returns for a second. The reviewer makes every attempt to dine anonymously.

ROMA CAFÉ

Calamari puttanesca with olives, capers and Calabrian chilies.

RATING: ***

WHERE: 767 Congress St., Portland. 761-1611, romaportland.com

SERVING: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

PRICE RANGE: Small plates $7 to $15, entrees $19 to $25

NOISE LEVEL: Rural post office

VEGETARIAN: Some dishes

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GLUTEN-FREE: Few dishes

RESERVATIONS: Yes

BAR: Beer, wine and cocktails

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: No

BOTTOM LINE: Café Roma is as much legend as it is restaurant. In its first incarnation, opened in 1924 and in business almost continuously until 2008, The Roma offered traditional Italian-American dishes to Portland diners out on the town for special occasions. “We’ve heard people tell us about having their anniversaries here, proms, graduations. This was the place to be for those events,” executive chef Anders Tallberg explained. Once a formal, white-tablecloth destination, today, under Tallberg and his business partner Mike Fraser (the owner of Bramhall), The Roma has become cozy and casual, almost homey. The same can be said of the food, which nonetheless remains true to the historic Italian-American theme. Some items still need tweaking, like bland housemade giardiniera and the chicken liver “Toscana” toasts that are both too creamy and overly acidic. But standout dishes make the experience worthwhile. In particular, quick-sautéed calamari over thick spaghetti, tossed in Tallberg’s phenomenal marinara sauce; and spumoni: a triple-layered indulgence made from toasted pistachio, syrup-soaked Amarena cherry, and dark chocolate ice creams. When the new Roma Café is good, it’s very good – just not yet legendary.

Ratings follow this scale and take into consideration food, atmosphere, service, value and type of restaurant (a casual bistro will be judged as a casual bistro, an expensive upscale restaurant as such): * Poor; ** Fair; *** Good; **** Excellent; ***** Extraordinary

The Maine Sunday Telegram visits each restaurant once; if the first meal was unsatisfactory, the reviewer returns for a second. The reviewer makes every attempt to dine anonymously.

Calamari puttanesca with olives, capers and Calabrian chilies.

RATING: ***

WHERE: 767 Congress St., Portland. 761-1611, romaportland.com

SERVING: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

PRICE RANGE: Small plates $7 to $15, entrees $19 to $25

NOISE LEVEL: Rural post office

VEGETARIAN: Some dishes

GLUTEN-FREE: Few dishes

RESERVATIONS: Yes

BAR: Beer, wine and cocktails

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: No

BOTTOM LINE: Café Roma is as much legend as it is restaurant. In its first incarnation, opened in 1924 and in business almost continuously until 2008, The Roma offered traditional Italian-American dishes to Portland diners out on the town for special occasions. “We’ve heard people tell us about having their anniversaries here, proms, graduations. This was the place to be for those events,” executive chef Anders Tallberg explained. Once a formal, white-tablecloth destination, today, under Tallberg and his business partner Mike Fraser (the owner of Bramhall), The Roma has become cozy and casual, almost homey. The same can be said of the food, which nonetheless remains true to the historic Italian-American theme. Some items still need tweaking, like bland housemade giardiniera and the chicken liver “Toscana” toasts that are both too creamy and overly acidic. But standout dishes make the experience worthwhile. In particular, quick-sautéed calamari over thick spaghetti, tossed in Tallberg’s phenomenal marinara sauce; and spumoni: a triple-layered indulgence made from toasted pistachio, syrup-soaked Amarena cherry, and dark chocolate ice creams. When the new Roma Café is good, it’s very good – just not yet legendary.

Ratings follow this scale and take into consideration food, atmosphere, service, value and type of restaurant (a casual bistro will be judged as a casual bistro, an expensive upscale restaurant as such): * Poor; ** Fair; *** Good; **** Excellent; ***** Extraordinary

The Maine Sunday Telegram visits each restaurant once; if the first meal was unsatisfactory, the reviewer returns for a second. The reviewer makes every attempt to dine anonymously.

ROMA CAFÉ

Calamari puttanesca with olives, capers and Calabrian chilies.

RATING: ***

WHERE: 767 Congress St., Portland. 761-1611, romaportland.com

SERVING: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

PRICE RANGE: Small plates $7 to $15, entrees $19 to $25

NOISE LEVEL: Rural post office

VEGETARIAN: Some dishes

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GLUTEN-FREE: Few dishes

RESERVATIONS: Yes

BAR: Beer, wine and cocktails

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: No

BOTTOM LINE: Café Roma is as much legend as it is restaurant. In its first incarnation, opened in 1924 and in business almost continuously until 2008, The Roma offered traditional Italian-American dishes to Portland diners out on the town for special occasions. “We’ve heard people tell us about having their anniversaries here, proms, graduations. This was the place to be for those events,” executive chef Anders Tallberg explained. Once a formal, white-tablecloth destination, today, under Tallberg and his business partner Mike Fraser (the owner of Bramhall), The Roma has become cozy and casual, almost homey. The same can be said of the food, which nonetheless remains true to the historic Italian-American theme. Some items still need tweaking, like bland housemade giardiniera and the chicken liver “Toscana” toasts that are both too creamy and overly acidic. But standout dishes make the experience worthwhile. In particular, quick-sautéed calamari over thick spaghetti, tossed in Tallberg’s phenomenal marinara sauce; and spumoni: a triple-layered indulgence made from toasted pistachio, syrup-soaked Amarena cherry, and dark chocolate ice creams. When the new Roma Café is good, it’s very good – just not yet legendary.

Ratings follow this scale and take into consideration food, atmosphere, service, value and type of restaurant (a casual bistro will be judged as a casual bistro, an expensive upscale restaurant as such): * Poor; ** Fair; *** Good; **** Excellent; ***** Extraordinary

The Maine Sunday Telegram visits each restaurant once; if the first meal was unsatisfactory, the reviewer returns for a second. The reviewer makes every attempt to dine anonymously.