Il Trullo

We nearly passed Il Trullo as we walked up St. Denis, as the entryway looks more akin to a coffee shop than a restaurant. Once inside though, the dozen or so tables were adorned with table cloths and candlelight and the decor had a sort of contemporary hominess rather than something of a tiny espresso bar. Our waiter looked like a first cousin of David Rocco, adding a point of Italian authenticity to the environment.

The first thing I noticed on the menu was that they served alcohol, and that, come January, they would be a bring your own wine establishment. Considering the proximity to an SAQ, this seems like a favorable destination upon picking up a cheap bottle of wine on an empty stomach. Unfortunately for me though it was December and we dined on a budget, so I ordered my coffee virgin with a glass of water. My first cup was a bit on the truck stop side - it had been sitting for a while atop an element, gradually becoming intensified and bitter before it made its way to me. I did not think much of this at first, until Shannon ordered a cup and had to wait while they brewed a fresh pot. After finishing my cup, the refill was considerably better, a bold, chocolaty sort of brew.

Internet reviews had recommended we try the calamari, and us being fans, we ordered that to start. I was extremely disappointed to discover that, although their specialty is veal, that osso bucco was not a featured menu item. Now, upon further investigation of their online menu, where I’d read osso bucco Milanese, was actually on an example only table d’hote menu. I opted for a complete contrast and ordered linguine with clams and Shannon ordered the lasagna.

Our pre-appetizer bread was accompanied by a house-made butter that features garlic and, as we are told, a “secret family ingredient”. Shannon quite enjoyed the butter, but I quickly switched to the plain stuff as I found it flavored very much like garden vegetable cream cheese - something I am not a fan of. I’m not sure if that makes the secret ingredient dehydrated mirepoix and roasted red pepper or what. Bread and butter is all well and good, but with a feast full of carbs soon to come, I ate sparingly.

Glancing the first few paragraphs of this review, it could be safe to assume that I had a lackluster opinion of Il Trullo, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. By the time our appetizer arrived my coffee was fresh, I was jazzed from my first cup and a half and I was enjoying my company and my evening. The calamari arrived as a generous portion and it was beautifully cooked. The rings were large enough to easily pierce with a fork and there was no sparing on the tentacles, which are in my opinion the best part, the crispy little strands popping in my mouth. The accompanying sauce was a simple and slightly spicy marinara. Excellent.

I commented to the waiter that ordinarily calamari can be quite rubbery and I was happy to see that Il Trullo had done it well. He thanked me and explained that it was because most places overcook it, and they make sure to just do it quick, 30 seconds to a minute, no more! That is why their calamari was nice and succulent. We also received a nice house salad with a perfect balsamic vinaigrette, the only downside being some rather bland out of season tomato slices.

When our waiter came with the pasta, he began to put the linguine in front of Shannon when we corrected him. He apologized for the mistake and explained that he just assumed, he wasn’t thinking. It was then that we realized that I had ordered the “girly” dish and Shannon had ordered the “man’s” dish. After I finished giggling about this and twirling my hair, we prepared to dig in.

Our waiter offered us Parmesan, to which I accepted. He said he would not add too much, as any more would mask the flavor of garlic in the sauce. It is these little details from our waiter, that he was not only knowledgeable about the menu itself but as to the preparation of the food, that sold the place to me. Though the linguine and clams was not the best I’ve had, it was certainly satisfactory, with fresh, perfectly cooked pasta and a light cream sauce. The lasagna bared more sauce and cheese than the plate adequately contained. From the few bites I had, the lasagna ate more like a giant ricotta-stuffed manicotti than a several layered noodle dish, but this is hardly a complaint, as far as I’m concerned. We promised to return for an espresso and tiramisu, having been unable to find the room at the time.

It is all too often that I find myself eating somewhere that the chef does not even seem to care about the food, let alone the person serving it. Good service and food should be accessible to any budget, and Il Trullo is definitely friendly for the budget conscious. To find an establishment where the food is well prepared and yields no complaints, and the compliments that stem from that can be met not only with pleasant enthusiasm but supplementary reasoning is refreshing to me. While it is all too common to find an Italian restaurant that really bares little resemblance to what I picture Italian food should be like, Il Trullo paints a picture I would like to see imitated.