On the one hand, Cafe Milano is overpriced and often has more than it’s share of attitude. And it’s, um, shall we say European in it’s pacing, which means you might wait ten minutes after being seated before you’re handed a menu. Never dine here if you’re in a hurry.

On the other hand, if it’s a beautiful warm afternoon and you have two hours to while away with a good friend, and if you like people watching, by all means head to Cafe Milano and snag a table on the spacious patio. It can be a lovely experience. But, if you’re seated inside, beware the smoke: the large and pleasant main space allows smoking, while two boring back rooms are for non-smokers.

Although I’ve always felt Cafe Milano to be overpriced, in the past the quality of food usually justified it. But in recent visits, the food has been less than exemplary. Daily specials of asparagus soup and mushroom fritata were pleasant, but uninspired. The hearts of romaine salad with Caesar dressing was plain beyond belief, despite shavings of good Parmesan cheese. A dish of ricotta and pea filled tortelloni with asparagus and a morel sauce just tasted like four undersalted ingredients in search of a unifying theme. And the pasta was thick and strangely dry, where in the past it’s been thin and supple.

Deserts have gone from acceptable to iffy. A recently sampled chocolate mousse was tasty but dense as a brick — hardly mousse-like.

If this were a Germantown strip mall restaurant at one third the price I’d call it a find. But the menu described above (also including chocolate ice cream, two soft drinks, and a cappucino) cost us eighty bucks. For that price the food had better be a lot more inspired and perfectly executed.

Based on the latest experience, Cafe Milano may well be crossed off my list. But I’ll probably be back one more time when the warm weather returns, because I do love the patio. Hopefully the kitchen will have gotten its act back together by then.