Iccara Italian Bistro

My husband and I go to Cape May every year but this was our first time eating at Iccara. One of the reasons we chose it is because despite the challenges and restrictions of the pandemic they did not seem to increase their prices like other restaurants we frequent did. They have a broad selection of pasta and seafood dishes on their menu for very reasonable prices! They also had the early bird menu which had a lot of options!nnThey had a very large, lovely tent with cafe lights strung throughout and white table cloths set up outside in their parking lot. It was a very romantic atmosphere and you could tell they strive to create an intimate fine dining experience. They also followed social distancing and sanitary precautions and took your temperature before guests were seated.nnI chose the crab cakes and risotto and my husband got the branzino and risotto which was the special of the night. My husband does not eat very much seafood or fish but he wanted to try something different and said the flavors of his meal were fantastic! I loved my lemon risotto which paired perfectly with 2 delicious crab cakes loaded with fresh crab and barely any filler!nnUnfortunately, a very bad rain storm came during our meal but we were lucky enough to stay sheltered under the tent. Our waitress, Crystal, was the true rockstar of the evening! She never stopped making sure all of the guests had everything they needed including holding up umbrellas to shield them from the rain! The whole time she had a smile on her face even though she was drenched from the rain! We were so impressed with how attentive she was from the start of our meal helping us choose our entrees and making recommendations all the way to the very end making sure we were dry and sheltered from the rain! Overall, we had an amazing experience at this restaurant and can't wait to come back again and try more food!

I was disappointed that I was not sitting on the porch of this lovely restaurant. Things are confusing during the covid days. So I am under a tent in their parking lot, which meant having to find and pay for parking. I have mobility issues and I was not counting on this problem. I went for the early bird special, the restaurant is BYOB. I started with the house salad, very nice mix and house bread and veggie spread excellent. There are about 10 choices for the entree, I had chicken marsala, it was tasty, but lacking in texture, the outside white, showing no signs of saute. Veggies and garlic mash were good. I chose chocolate mousse for dessert, wish I went with cannolli. For atmosphere they were playing Frank Sinatra in the background. I was dining alone and felt a bit rushed. Good deal for the price, just wish I was in the porch!

The food was excellent, quick hot and well done, but perhaps the best part of the experience was Shawn our waiter. He’s attentive, entertaining and communicative. Would highly recommend!

Wow!!

Dinner was delicious! Grilled octopus salad...fantastic! Loved the outdoor dining. I just can't pass up fresh seafood and pasta!