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Marmalade Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Cafes Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes [Edit]
140 Promenade WaySte I
Westlake Village, CA 91362
(805) 370-1331
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
78 reviews for Marmalade Cafe
Review Highlights
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"The food is consistently good." In 3 reviews -
"I love sweet potato fries and these were good." In 2 reviews -
"outdoor seating: that patio area is truly lovely." In 3 reviews
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78 reviews in English
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Review from Roy C.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Great decor. Service was quick and attentive. Prices were on par.
My wife and I are on a low carb diet so I ordered my scramble without the toast and potatoes. Did they give me a little break on the price because I just had the eggs? Nope. Next time we go in we'll have to work something out. ; ) -
Review from Amy H.
It's too "chainy" and the food was just ok. I was hoping for a fantastic brunch spot and just got "ok" after they served my benedict with all three eggs cooked all of the way through and room temp fries. Hot chocolate is made with water (ew).
Not worth the price. Should have checked Yelp, darn. -
Review from Shannon V.
Los Angeles, CA
Six of us met up at Marmalade yesterday for Girls' Day Out; lunch followed by wine and cupcake tasting! Oh yea! I drove from Downtown and them from Ventura to beautiful Westlake Village. I right off got the impression that this was a neighborhood family friendly restaurant. The service at Marmalade is really good, the servers observe and are attentive. Our server was super and accommodated us with separate checks.
My sissy got the half Grilled Curry Chicken salad which she really enjoyed. I tried the subtle sweet gingery dressing and I loved the little flakes of coconut. The fruit was fabulous, she loved the grilled pineapple! I had the Poached Salmon Nicoise Salad, half order. I was happy with my decision. Except for the menu read "tossed with a lemon champagne vinaigrette" and instead it had a buttery sauce on top which I pretty much moved aside. (I asked for a box for the last 1/3rd and found a hair on the bottom of my bowl. I didn't say anything but it was pretty gross, I'm sure it was a onetime thing.) I didn't take pictures of them, but the other ladies enjoyed the French toast, egg white frittata and omelets.
Noisy is an understatement! No way that you could carry on a conversation across the table! It was packed, every table was full but they are way too close together. The patio may be the best bet here! This was my first time at Marmalade. The curtains bugged me big time! Way too much, they are big dust magnets and seem outdated to me and my interior designer sister. It was nice though to see so many people enjoying a meal out with their families. The menu is HUGE! I mean the 3 menus! This also bugs, too much clutter on the table, too hard to digest it all. There was a regular menu, seasonal menu and brunch (the website indicated that brunch was only served on Sun?!?). The prices are ok, they are a little high, but they have so many choices, there is something for everyone and every budget. Our bill for 2 came to $36 (2 half salads and 2 Amstel Lights!), which is pretty average for a nice lunch out. -
Review from Kelly L.
Newbury Park, CA
Hubby and I had a wonderful dinner and Joe you "Rock" with your wonderful service. Thanks for taking care of us .
Kelly & John -
Review from Brett S.
Westlake Village, CA
Ahi tuna burger and sweet potatoe fries. De. Lish. I agree with the noise being a problem though.
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Review from John L.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Lobster Fest is a lobster feast!!! Great Service from Joe and great food!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/17/2012
Tuesday nights (Lobster Fest) are fantastic. Great food, great atmosphere and great service....you… Read more »
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4/17/2012
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Review from Webster C.
Malibu, CA
Marmalade has been an "after church" breakfast venue for us for years. (We alternate with Coogies across the street.) The food is good and the service is generally friendly if a bit slow and unattentive once the meal is served. I really only have one beef with Marms-Malibu. There seems to be a policy to seat the elderly, and also folks with children, out of sight, all the way to the rear of this long, narrow space. This has happened to me so many times I feel qualified to guess why. It is because kids and geezers take away from the management's image of a hip, in-place that attracts tourists and young, Malibu wantabees. But I'll keep going anyway because of the great French toast.
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Review from K O.
Valencia, CA
I'm surprised a place that's this busy serves such mediocre breakfasts.
My girlfriend and I ordered frittatas. Both weren't just overcooked: they were nearly turned into powdered eggs. The bonus was that they were delivered quickly by very friendly wait-staff. It was the staff that earned any favorable scores: if the food was decent, the service alone would have earned them four stars.
It's a cozy place with a nice decor, offers a lot of seating, and great service. The problem is that what they're serving (outside the coffee and rosemary rolls) is not on par with the price they charge for it. It's eggs, people: they're the first thing a student-chef learns to cook... and the last thing someone collecting a paycheck should ever screw up. EVER.
The potatoes were that weird combination of undercooked and well-done. The toast had been sitting around for a while and worked more like obscenely-large unseasoned croutons instead of toasted bread to melt butter on. Overcooked eggs, inconsistent potatoes, and stale bread. That's not a breakfast worthy $15.
All in all: total disappointment. -
Review from Amanda H.
Westlake Village, CA
I recommend bringing your own wine for happy hour. Soups are good, but brunch is disappointing. Crowded for weekend breakfast, which is surprising. Ambiance is good, but menu needs updating.
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Review from Mike F.
Los Angeles, CA
I've dined here at least a dozen times in the past couple years. I really enjoy the outside patio, it's relaxing and quaint. They have a great variety of food, all the meat lovers I come with are always happy. For the veggies, like myself, there are limited items to choose from, but I always manage to be happy. Stick with the grilled portobello and you'll be happy.
The service varies, usually pretty good, can't remember ever having great service, but good enough to return. -
Review from Sunil R.
Don't let name fool you. This is a NICE cafe, more like a restaurant actually.
It has a full bar, decent and fast service. They have outdoor seating as well which is nice since is a good place to people watch. I had the burger which was pretty good actually. Big, juicy burger that made a mess, just the way I like it. -
Review from Jessy J.
Thousand Oaks, CA
The two stars are going to be given on the performance of a so called manager I witnessed while having dinner with my family.
I go to Marmalade once a month and the food and service is wonderful. On more than one occasion I have witness the "manager" Joel yelling at his staff. Maybe he doesn't think his guests can hear him because the kitchen is loud but it's pretty clear.
Very uncomfortable to be around when you are paying for a meal. Also very upsetting for the staff. I am sure it is hard to have to go back and put a smile on for their tables after being yelled at. -
Review from Ryan M.
Simi Valley, CA
Great atmosphere. It felt a little like I was back in Europe. Food was above average.
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Review from Lt L.
Westlake Village, CA
Went for breakfast today... I ordered the chorizo and eggs... And it was very tasty.
Its small and compact inside, I felt like people were sitting right on top of eachother. Thankfully it wasnt too busy.
I would have given this 5 stars, however 3 minutes aftet receiving our breakfast, the waitress dropped the check off in the middle of the table!!! 3 mins into our meal!! I felt that was rude and as if she was trying to push us out as fast as possible, even though it wasnt busy. terrible serving ettiquite by doing that...
As good as breakfast was, I don't think I'll go back if thats how their service is regularly. -
Review from Dan M.
When in the area, I like dining here either for lunch or dinner. They have good quality food and 8 soups total between the regular and seasonal menus. The menu has lots to choose from - the pot roast is outstanding and filling, and they have good quality salads (half size is large enough).
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Review from Vicky W.
Comparative to Mimi's Cafe, Marmalade Cafe is located in a more "uppity" part of town where business people go for lunch to discuss business transactions and to do business-y things. Just as busy as Mimi's, the noise level was extreme. Crowded tables with no walking room in between... We came here for lunch one day because I had a gift card and I heard that this particular Markalade was going out of business soon. Not sure if that's a rumor or not, but I thought, why risk it? My friend had the ravioli and I had the tri tip sandwich. the fries were terrible, skinny, greasy and cold. The tri tip sandwich was really good and could have been even better with more meat. I tried my friend's ravioli and it was pretty tasty too. After dining and trying to talk over everyone else's voices, we left with just an "A-ok" feeling. I'll only go back to use up the rest of my gift card.
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Review from Daoud G.
Chic locale w/ indoor + outdoor place. Great brunch.
FOOD: omelet selection a bit more diverse than traditional breakfast menus. Tea selection was served w/ honey and appropriate milk container was provided. Deserts looked so delicious that they must have not contained any calories.
ATMOSPHERE: Outdoor seating nicely tucked away from the entrance and providing privacy. Interior decor was a bit traditional colored soft colors w/ high ceilings and not noisy, so good for a conversation spot. Superb speedy service, the host was keenly aware of your presence and greeted warmly.
LOGISTICS: inside a strip mall enclave, clustered w/ a bit higher end retailers. Ample location to park, burt a little off the US101, so get your GPS out if you are out of towner.
CREATIVITY: very soothing interior that relaxed you and enticed to devour in your meal. -
Review from David L.
Simi Valley, CA
Last night I decided to take my father out to dinner, so I searched groupon and found a $30 for $40 deal, and figured that this place would work.
We arrived around 6 PM, a solid compromise between 5PM, Old Fogey standard time of eating (which is when my Dad wanted to go) and 7 PM, Normal person time (when I wanted to go).
We were promptly seated by a table near the back entrance. My only complaint is that with the angle of the sun, every time they opened the door to the patio, I was blinded. But in the end, this is my fault and I could have spoken up.
The service was excellent. When my waitress was off helping her other tables, the manager (I am guessing she was a manager, since she had keys dangling from her hip and had an air about her of being in charge) came to service my needs. Beyond her generally pleasent disposition and eager to please attitude, she was actually quite lovely to look at. (Not that that matters, but it sure as hell doesn't hurt).
My father had a fish dish, which he thoroughly enjoyed and I ate a steak sandwich, which was really quite good. It was cooked the way I like it (slightly alive) and served on a fresh baked baguette. I ordered the side salad and a diet coke.
The bill came out to about $36. Not bad for what we ordered, except I had a groupon for $40 and I'll be damned if I don't use it up. I asked for a slice of cheese cake, to go. The bill ended at $42 and change, so I felt better.
I would definitely come back again. The overall experience was really enjoyable. -
Review from Scott D.
Thousand Oaks, CA
I had always appreciated this place for its generally exceptional food, especially the seasonal mac & cheese they have which is probably the best you can find almost anywhere. Unfortunately the service isn't quite as tasty as the food.
The lunch hostess, who normally seems overwhelmed but manages, today had a full lobby and made a mess of it. My friends and I, who came into the restaurant right before it got busy, told the hostess were were a party of three and then waited 15 minutes to be seated even though we could have been seated immediately. The hostess talked to us about 5 times during that period, and in the end when we complained said "Oh I didn't know you wanted a table," which was either an outright lie or she literally didn't recognize us after talking to us five times and walking past and through our group even more often.
Maybe she was on some controlled substance because of the loopy, clumsy and ignorant way she was handling all the customers, but it was so abusively bad we left after finally being seated. Restaurants need to be more conscious of the lunch hour time period in general, but Marmalade needs to prove they can provide a basic minimum level of customer service before I will ever consider returning. -
Review from Justin H.
Encino, CA
I've been here for dinner about 5 times and have had the pleasure of having Sue as my waitress every time I've been. She is super nice, perfectly attentive (not too much or too little), and always seems to know what you need when you need it.
Most of the times I've been the host was a petite blond girl who is also super nice. It sets a good feeling when you first walk in.
Now on to the food: The lake superior white fish is incredible. Chicken pot pie is very good. Burger is great. The lobster was ok and not worth the deal price in my opinion. Also, the spinach dip is very awesome here! Home made potato chips and incredible flavor in the dip. Calamari is good here as well.
The only thing they don't really have are soups. I tried the French onion once and it was mediocre at best.
Chatted with the owner one time and he was very nice and friendly - it reflects in his staff. Will definitely return! -
Review from D M.
Thousand Oaks, CA
I did dinner, it was great. Wish there were more local and organic options but the ones they do have are tasty. I love Rosenthal wines but $10 a glass is a little steep for me.
This is based on a single visit, I will try it again for sure. -
Review from Jack M.
Thousand Oaks, CA
I have dined at Marmalade Cafe few times now and it has become one of my favorite places to eat great food and great selection also very friendly staff I give them 5 stars. I love the Rosemarie's hot sauce that they have at the table.
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Review from Alex B.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Came here for late lunch so not very busy. The two stars are purely for the food, which was OK but a bit pricey - bill came to $40 for two of us, with just one soda and two entrees. Pasta was very good as was filet mignon sandwich, however what really let this place down was the service.
I ordered a raspberry spritzer from the menu - I was brought a blackcurrant one, but figured I would try it so didn't send it back. We were offered bread but none had arrived 10 - 15 minutes into our lunch. Our waiter never returned so we had to go ask a manager for our bread. Our bread was then offered to a nearby table instead of us but we got it eventually.
Entrees arrived and were fine. We waited 10 minutes after eating to get our bill but neither he nor any of the other servers were to be seen. Once we got our bill, we had another wait for the server to come back and take our money. Couldn't understand why service was so slow when it was not busy at all. -
Review from Karen F.
Burbank, CA
I've been to Marmalade on many occasions. The service is always good especially in the morning for breakfast. They're extremely attentive with coffee refills.
The best meals I have to say are for breakfast. They have a mean vegie egg white fritata; delicious!
I ordered the apple crumble with ice cream; Sliced fresh apples, plenty of them but no crumble! I was a little disappointed with the dessert but the kind service makes up for it. -
Review from Concerned C.
Los Angeles, CA
It's truly sinful, but the seasonal Mac & Cheese is out of this world. Puts Macaroni Grill to shame. Service is OK if you eat at the bar you will be taken care of, but if you come in between shifts expect light service.
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Review from Shaunie F.
Los Angeles, CA
We usually meet my in-laws here for lunch at least once a month - we make reservations for a table in the back since this Marmalade gets quite noisy. My husband called on Wednesday to make reservations for Sunday afternoon ( he actually spoke to the manager) nut in true Marmalade fashion when we got there the manager St**y had forgot to write the reservation down......... go figure.
Nathan was on - he immediately worked everything out - lunch was delicious and the service was better than usual... I wonder why:)
The salmon scramble with potatoes, toast and an ice tea - delicious.
Thanks again Nathan:) -
Review from Tom O.
Palm Desert, CA
We had high hopes. This restaurant is located in a very nice outside shopping mall. When we walked through the door, we were impressed by the hardwood decor and the general high-end ambiance. The host greeted us immediately and guided us to our table. This is where our initial expectations failed to meet reality.
A server brought water and hot rolls to the table, turned, and walked away without a word. About five minutes later, our server came to ask what we wanted to drink. My wife and I both had coffee that was very strong, the kind of strong that comes from sitting too long in the coffee maker.
Since it was 11 AM, we wanted breakfast. The menu, which was full mainly with salads, martinis, and make your own burger section, had only four choices for breakfast. We each ordered the Gilson's Scramble.
The sausage I substituted for the avocados looked and tasted like the large Italian or Polish sausage you buy in the supermarket. The potatoes were overbooked and the sauteed onions were black and hard.
The bill came to just over $30. The two of us can eat a much better breakfast at Bob Evans or Pete's in Ventura for a lot less money.
I gave this three stars because of the atmosphere. Cost and quality get a two. -
Review from Eric P.
Camarillo, CA
Had a coupon, so decided to go there for breakfast. We arrived and had to look around for someone (who didn't look all that happy to be there) to tell us to "just sit anywhere". Maybe that should have clued us in. We noticed that the food was quite pricey (most items $11-12), so we had high expectations.
The wife's hash was so-so, seemed to be freshly made, but just not a great flavor - obviously everyone has their own taste here (but they ran out of her sourdough toast(!)). I got a kind of Eggs Benedict, but it was served on a potato slice instead of a English muffin. Again, not bad; since it came with a side of potatoes, I was a bit 'spudded-out'. All in all, the food was reasonably good, but certainly not for the price - maybe the Westlake Village neighborhood allows them a 50% price premium.
Coffee got refilled once. I was trying to eye someone with a coffee pot (our waitress didn't visit us very often), but didn't find any. Which was surprising as it seemed there were lots of wait-staff on hand. The waitress did show up, and promised more coffee, which never happened.
So the food was not bad, service below par, and the prices too high. We probably won't be going back. -
Review from Tracie F.
I loved this place! The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because it was so crowded and the tables were so close together that my dining partners had to stand up twice to let fellow patrons get by. Not too cool.
The food is awesome!!! Chorizo scramble is out of this world. I am not a huge Chorizo fan however I am considering changing my thoughts on it after trying this breakfast. There was absolutely nothing I didn't like about it.
I had the crosscreek breakfast with french toast and it was quite good with generous portions of all items. The bacon was really smokey and the french toast cooked just the way I like it...not runny.
Service speed was pretty quick and our waitress was pleasant and attentive. We were seated right away however it was packed. I would definitely swing by this place next time I am in town! -
Review from Steve R.
What happened. Granted, my last visit here about 9 months ago would have a 4 star review, this visit was 2 stars at best. Food was cold, poorly prepared, and sloppily presented. Very disappointing brunch. Service was OK, but didn't make up for real bad food. I may or may not come back for dinner or lunch sometime.
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Review from Shawn Z.
Los Angeles, CA
Marmalade Cafe....The waiter was useless. Seems he was on something... Had to wait for my "Ahi Tuna tartar" for a long time. I guess they forgot to make it... But when I got it, it was so good and the manager actually came over and apologized but hoped the waiter was more useful instead of spending his time talking to other local customers... Poached salmon salad was just okay .... nothing special... Sweet Potato Fries was also good.
Usually I don't avoid this Marmalade Cafe, so I would be back and hopefully I would get a different waiter. -
Review from Michelle O.
Los Angeles, CA
Cute decor, good service, though it can get a bit noisy. This place also gets pretty busy, especially for breakfast which is very good. They have the usually types of breakfast food, so you can't really go wrong. If you go for dinner they have really good shrimp egg rolls w/ yummy dipping sauce. Also it's nice to go during the evening b/c at night they have lights on and can look really pretty to be seated outside.
One time I went for breakfast and if anyone who has ever watched the show "iron chef america," and you know the man who introduces the secret ingredient (asian guy) yeah he was there w/ his family, wife and son. I thought it was pretty kewl.... LOL just b/c i watch that show, and his son was super adorable.
Okay back to the food, def. try it, the price isn't too bad, some items are a lil pricey just b/c it is in westlake, but again reasonable. The place also has a bar for people to sit at. As I mentioned it can get pretty busy for breakfast, so you might have to wait a lil bit. -
Review from Carrie R.
Los Angeles, CA
I tend to think this is one of the lesser locations of the Marmalade Cafe...by that I mean...it can be a pain in the ass to park anywhere close by (which can be HUGE if you are having brunch with elderly people who don't want to do the walking!) and there's usually a wait. Not that THAT is any different from the other Marmalades....
ALL the restaurant is just so-so. The food however is always good and never fails me. The bread rocks and they have a GARGANTUAN selection of goodies on their menu...everything from pasta to salad to steak,etc. Which in my estimation is wonderful considering there's something to satiate every palate in your party!! -
Review from VenturaRossMan K.
Ventura, CA
What a disappointing brunch serving. At a table of eight I heard only a few "it's ok," maybe a "it's good." Nobody was "yum, coming back." I couldn't eat my cornbeef hash (more like cornbeef soup) and my brother didn't eat his. I sent mine back and got something else. Cornbeef was watery, something was wrong, definitely not fried well. Was not impressed by the serving sizes, presentation, and look of food in general. Me think not of returning. My corn rye toast was good, butter was frozen so I was unable to spread it.
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Review from Ric P.
Agoura Hills, CA
Seems this location has had it's hey day, as it's still hanging on. Place needs to have a re-haul, with the dirty windows, very dusty walls & cobwebbed filled curtains.
The food was so-so.
Our waiter was very attentive.
Prices are a bit high for the lack of quality. -
Review from Kati G.
CA
Never had a good experience here...the food is not impressive AT ALL...however...the Calabasas location is excellent...
The food is FAR superior at Calabasas....
Oh also..it's so cramped, they don't allow strollers, so find somewhere else if you have a little one...they aren't too accomodating in that department.
Plus the place is painfully loud. -
Review from Kristina K.
Thousand Oaks, CA
For a Saturday afternoon lunch this place was terrific!
I had the BBQ chicken salad which was delightful (half size) and the seared ahi my boyfriend had was amazing with the miso sauce. The bloody mary's were a little tomatoey and watery, but who are we kidding? alcohol before 5pm any day is fantastic! :)
We will be coming back to try dinner soon.
The wait staff seemed on top of their game, and while the women all seemed pissed off, their job was done well.
The interior was generic italian style and seemed cramped, but the food and portions were HUGE!
Can be a pain to get to though, since it's in the promenade you may have to hike to your car after a large meal! -
Review from Dawn S.
Woodland Hills, CA
I'm starting this review with a shout-out:
Jelp A, I wouldn't say that the food is AMAZING here, but it is consistently good (depending on what you order - I tend to order the same thing here, some dishes are definitely better than others, and breakfast is better than lunch/dinner).
Anyway...The very first time I went to a Marmalade Cafe was when I was moving in to the dorms my freshman year at Pepperdine. Now that I'm no longer in college...I still go here to meet girlfriends for brunch on the weekends...and the food is STILL the same, just as good as my first visit.
My latest visit was to this location with 3 girlfriends for brunch. There were two orders of French Toast on the table, the Bacon/Mushroom/Swiss Cheese frittata and an order of Corned Beef Hash. The waitress was friendly and made her visits to the table with just enough time in between. Actually, the wrong frittata came out (the veggie instead of the bacon/mushroom/swiss one), and the manager was quite apologetic and the correct frittata came out in less than 10 minutes.
Good stuff....4 shakas. :) -
Review from Joshua O.
Just awful. DO NOT eat here if you like food. The quality is just awful. Nothing is homemade or made in house and i even think they get their potatoes from a frozen bag and heat them up. Skip this place and go elsewhere. Unfortunately also the service is awful. There are not many breakfast choices around and I think this must be why this place is even open.
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Review from Mae F.
Sherman Oaks, CA
I shopped in Promenade Way once and noticed this cute little cafe. I made a mental note to come back when I'm in the area and try this place.
Yesterday, I brought three of my close friends there based on the rave reviews it received from my fellow Yelpers, so I felt confident knowing that I was bring them to a very good eating spot.
The energy upon entering was very pleasant and welcoming. The open kitchen could be seen on the left, and the food coming from that direction smelled delicious. I couldn't wait to hold that menu in my hands!
We were seated outside beside the gorgeous man-made river. The area was enclosed and intimate, far from the parking lot and away from the noise and busy parts of the outdoor mini-mall. It was perfect. I was impressed already and so were my friends.
The menu was filled with yummy salad choices with a half and full plate option depending on the intensity of your hunger. I thought that was such a smart idea. There's nothing worse than a too-large salad since you can never take the rest home with you without the lettuce getting soggy from dressing and wilted. Completely unpalatable despite impressive flavors you may have experienced earlier.
We ordered the following:
Grilled Vegetable Salad (sauteed mushrooms, green & red peppers, onions, crushed whole tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant on top of a bed of freshly chopped romaine lettuce and tomatoes / lightly drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette dressing).
Crispy Chicken Salad (thin & lightly-breaded chicken breast horizontally and thinly sliced over a bed of mixed greens / lightly drizzled with a light zesty ranch dressing).
Caprese Plate (slices of fresh Roma tomatoes, basil leaves, and fresh mozzarella slices / drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette).
Salmon Salad (large serving of grilled salmon, topped with crispy Asian cellophane noodles, and served over mixed greens, sliced strawberries and mandarin oranges / drizzled with a light, sweet & sour sauce and sprinkled lightly with sesame seeds)
It was unanimous... we LOVED every bite we took of our meals. The parking was easy, the ambiance calm and inviting, the service friendly and accommodating, and the food superb and well-presented. We are now Marmalade's new and devoted fans. We MUST come back here again!
