Affordable, Adequate Italian Fare at Sofia’s

Sofia's, the sister establishment of Marra's in Roseland, bills itself as serving fine Italian cuisine in a family-oriented atmosphere. A contradiction of sorts, the BYO restaurant is most successful in the latter.

White tablecloths juxtaposed with prominently displayed flat screen TVs creates a strange ambiance in the large, catering hall-esque dining space, and service begins with an equally odd offering: a small dish of raw carrot coins in Italian dressing. It's hard to know where the meal will go from here.

Starters include many of the usual suspects: fried calamari with sweet or hot sauce ($8.95), mozzarella and roasted peppers ($7.95), baked clams oreganato ($7.50), and pasta e fagioli soup ($6.95), as well as a nondescript Caesar salad ($5.95), which covered the basics—romaine lettuce and a few croutons—but lacked depth, especially its dressing which was thin and devoid of even a hint of anchovy.

An equally average performer was the angel hair pasta with shrimp & broccoli rabe ($15.95), which featured sun-dried tomatoes and a light sauce comprised of white wine, olive oil, and garlic. Although the shrimp were a fair size and the portion was generous, the dish didn't have much zing, punch, or character.

The veal Marsala ($16.95), too, looks more impressive than it tastes. The ultra-thin veal medallions are hidden beneath an extra-large pile of sautéed mushrooms, and the entire dish swims in its sweet, brown Marsala wine sauce. A strange carrot and cabbage slaw garnishes the plate, as well as a piped dollop of mashed potatoes. There's absolutely nothing wrong with each component, although there wasn't much to write home about either.

Sofia's offers a number of other reasonably priced pastas, including penne alla vodka ($12.95), lasagna classica ($14.95), spinach ravioli ($12.95), and rigatoni Bolognese ($15.95), as well as several chicken and veal entrees prepared the same way: parmigiana, picata, and francese ($15.95 for chicken, $16.95 for veal). Seafood mains range from shrimp scampi ($17.95) to stuffed sole with crabmeat ($19.95). Also on the menu but not available during the review are four different veal and pork chops ($15.95-$19.95).

The limited dessert menu includes a very inexpensive cannoli ($3.95) and an Italian cheesecake ($5.95).

One could certainly see how Sofia's would be a good choice for children, since the wait staff didn't seem to worry about noise-level and there's plenty of room to spread out. On the flip side, however, service was no-frills. Diners had to ask for fork replacements and water refills, and no fresh pepper or parmesan cheese was offered.

Fine Italian cuisine might very well be an overstatement, but there's no arguing against the fact that Sofia's food, while middling in presentation and execution, comes at mostly affordable prices. One of the few bright spots is the mussels sambucca starter ($7.95). The bountiful, briny mussels contrast well with its chunky, anise-flavored tomato sauce, ending with a creamy butter finish. At that price, sometimes average can suffice.

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Sofia's

272 Morris Ave., Springfield

(973) 218-6468

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Saturday, 11 am-10 pm

Sunday, 4-10 pm

BYO. Kids' menu and catering available.

All major credit cards accepted.