<?php

public function execute(
        \Magento\Framework\Event\Observer $observer
    ) {
        $item = $observer->getEvent()->getData( 'quote_item' );
        //$item = $observer->getQuoteItem();
        //$item = ( $item->getParentItem() ? $item->getParentItem() : $item );

        $this->_logger->info('in check options');
        $this->_logger->info('item: '.$item->getItemId());

        $product = $item->getProduct();
    ........... more code below, but fails at getItemId()
}