Trattoria Il Trullo

Closed… Too Bad… This location in Riverdale Farms must be jinxed. I’ve lived up here since 1987 and this has to be the 6^th failed restaurant to occupy that space.

I’ve been here now three times, all three eating at the bar with either my father or my wife, where the full menu is available. The food has been very good each time, it’s certainly more cutome authentic than some of the other Italian places in the area (Max a Mia good but a bit formulaic, Da Capo has great pizza and but lacks some «touch»). At Il Trullo, I’ve tried some interesting risotto dishes, amazing fra diavolo sauce w/​mussels and solid ragu over tagliatelle. If it’s not on the menu, chances are they will make it for you. The owner, Rocco, and the chef seem to aim to please. It’s a very comfortable atmosphere and the bartender is very personable. There are still some kinks to work out here and there (maybe a more focused wine list, a few dishes a little salty) but it’s absolutely worth a try.
Ultimately, they are committed to providing you a good experience and have the food to back it up. I will be back and would suggest giving it a shot.

I was disappointed in my experience there last night for the following reasons:
Wine list — not very innovative in their wines by the glass offerings.
Service– waiter was attentive, personable and skilled at the customer service side but it seemed like in terms of menu knowledge there was room for improvement.
Food. My friend had the scallops risotto (the special) Although there was a decent portion and the scallops were cooked to perfection, the risotto was under seasoned and kind of… Mushy. The dish was just a bit bland. But, I was the big loser of the night. The salted cod was swimming in a sea of sauce. Although tasty, there was simply too much. And, when mixed with the creamy polenta (which was completely overpowered by the sauce) I was left with something that was akin to tomato cream of wheat. The fish was good until ½ way through when I hit the spine.
It was tough, rubbery and I could not cut through it. Of course I only knew it was the spine when after indicating my dissatisfaction to the waiter/​explaining why I didn’t want a to go bag, the manager came over and basically said that that was how it was cooked.
It remained on my bill even though the server indicated it would be removed.
Right. So I’m not a professional. It may well have been in fact the proper way to serve the fish. But I do know a thing or two about good customer service. I wasn’t trying to get out of paying/​pull something shady. I was literally disgusted by that onr tough rubbery part. I simply could not continue with my meal.
Appeasing my unhappiness would have gone a long way. But there was no appeasement to be had.
It’s really a shame. The space is warm, gorgeous and inviting and the menu itself looks promising. I likely will not
be going back to try any of it sadly.

Could be great, but not yet. Misat salad was good — tasty and large portion. I had Pappardelle AI Funghi. Description said homemade pasta but it was tough. Fresh pasta should be cooked longer and not al dente, but the flavors overall were delicious. My friend had the Linguine Frutti De Mare. He loved it and said he would get again. Bread was delicious, fresh and hot. Wine by the glass is limited. Will try again.

Terrible service, cold food and no effort to try and make things right… This is the first review I’ve ever taken the time to write. I couldn’t believe the poor service. Almost a two hour wait from the we ordered our food. No apology or compensation offered. I won’t be back.

A very nice start to a nice new Italian joint that opened up where Papacelle used to be.
We went here on a recent night. First off, the owner, Rocco, was a gracious host, chatting with our kids and explaining the place. The dining room was loud — but in a good way. Lots of people having a good time. Couples, families, friends. Exactly what a good family-​friendly Italian place should be.
The food was very good. The fried calamari and shrimp was crispy but soft on the inside. Seafood was very tasty. And it went nice with a marinara sauce. The french onion soup was good (not great) too. Can’t quite put my finger on it other than perhaps the broth was a little bland. Not bad, but not up to my gold standards.
The kids plates of pasta or pasta with meatballs were fresh and delicious, though one of the plates seemed a little skimpy on the portion size (while the other seemed to be a little large — go figure). At $ 5.95 its price about right.
And the grown up dishes? The fresh pastas are the real centerpiece here and the reason this place is worth going to. Homemade potato gnocchi with sausage ragu was lick-​your-​plate worthy and the veal saltimbocca (while a little heavy on pork — though really, who complains about that) had very tender veal and a great portion. Real winners.
And the kids got a fresh gelato for $ 1.50 (great deal).
So, since this place is new and we want it to succeed in a tough location, here are a few nits:
– Our waitress was not very good. Didn’t refill water glasses, was unfamiliar with the kids menu, asked US if she should put in our dinner orders (um, how should we know??). We had to ask for the specials, and overall, she just didn’t have the rhythm. She’d come to our table it seemed to check in. The other tables had better luck, but training needs to be more consistent.
– They bring bread, but no olive oil or butter (they serve a eggplant spread). Kind of odd. Olive oil for the table is a nice little touch, IMO.
– Dessert took WAY too long, particularly since I’m sure it was prepared ahead. Nothing is worse than a speedy dinner, followed by a very slow dessert.
– The website provides a Facebook logo to like the place but there’s no link to it.
But overall, we enjoyed it and look forward to coming back. A solid start for this newcomer. Worth a visit.