Hidden in between Jojo Anavim Gallery and Shish Kebab Grill lies Felice, an upscale Italian restaurant imported from New York City. Overlooking Roslyn Pond, Felice’s tenth restaurant was once the farm-to-table restaurant Friend of a Farmer from 1992-2002, but then was left vacant. Until now.

Felice opened its doors on September 28, 2022. At first glance, it offers a homey feel with dim lights and a fireplace right in the center of the main dining room. I had a 6 o’clock reservation, and upon arrival, about half of the seats were filled. After our appetizers arrived, the place was packed. The meal started off with complimentary fresh-baked bread served with olive oil, the perfect start to an incredible meal.

To start, I got fried calamari and artichoke for the table for $22, along with an eggplant parmigiana for $19. The fried calamari was perfectly crispy on the outside without being oily, and chewy on the inside without being rubbery. The artichokes that came with the dish were crispy and perfectly salted. When dipped into the velvety parsley sauce and drizzled with grilled lemon, the dish came together as the flavors of the artichoke and the calamari were heightened. The second appetizer did not disappoint, with the tomato sauce as the star of the eggplant parmigiana. The layers of eggplant tasted light and fresh, perfectly complementing the creamy mozzarella and sweet tomato sauce. 

For the main dishes, I got a lasagna for $27, a frutti di mare linguine for $31, and a branzino (white fish) for $39. The lasagna was presented in a hot skillet and included layers of spinach pasta, creamy ricotta cheese, and their signature sweet tomato sauce. It was topped with a meat sauce that was dispersed through to the edge of the skillet, adding a savory component to the dish. The frutti di mare linguine was a seafood pasta in a spicy tomato sauce. The seafood in the pasta included mussels in the shell. shrimp, and calamari. My only complaint about this meal is that the seafood pasta was sparse on the seafood; it included only two shrimps and three mussels. However, the spicy tomato sauce gave the pasta a full-bodied flavor and the al denté pasta made up for the lack of seafood. The last entrée was a nice break from heavy pasta dishes. The branzino, a white fish native to the Mediterranean, was light and flaky with whole cherry tomatoes that burst with flavor. It was served in parchment paper, which helps the fish retain its flavor and moisture. I also ordered a side of cauliflower for $12 that came roasted with paprika, giving it a nice smokiness. The whole hazelnuts added a crunchy texture, which juxtaposed the soft cauliflower. Sweet raisins tied the flavors together. 

To finish out the meal, we ordered a chocolate hazelnut cake for $15. The slice of moist chocolate cake, filled with a rich hazelnut mousse, crunchy dark chocolate wafers, and topped with a rich chocolate ganache, was the perfect ending to our meal.

At the moment, the restaurant is serving solely dinner seven days a week, unlike their other seven New York City and two Brooklyn locations, which also offer brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The menu is also slightly shorter than the other locations. Hopefully, the restaurant will expand as soon as it becomes more well adjusted to its new Roslyn location.