I'm not thrilled with Italian food. A lot of it is too thick and heavy for me to handle. A lot of the flavors seem to run together, though this may be an indictment of specific restaurants. Not to mention nearly every Italian restaurant thinks it offers some rare, niche cuisine and charges accordingly. Come on, you can find the same boring Italian spot in every neighborhood everywhere.
I do like Carmella's enough to give four stars. Reason #1? No predictable, "we're a very, very special Italian restaurant with very, very special food," attitude. The dishes are basic and tasty. Not too heavy, not too thick. The service I've experienced is consistently attentive and thoughtful. Pricing seems fair for what you're getting.
A good example of a family-owned establishment that gets it right.