When I stepped into Trilussa and counted the nine tables that make up the tiny restaurant's interior, the first thing I thought about was this little place I went to in New York over fall break.
That eponymous venue, known only as Frank and lacking virtually any exterior mark of its existence, happens to be one of the top-rated Italian restaurants in New York. Inside, it has about six tables. If you don't have reservations, your only option is to be seated with other folks at one giant table that fills one of the restaurant's two narrow rooms. Wedged uncomfortably into the corner of that table, I wasn't sure if my visit to Frank would be worth it-that is, until I ate the excellent food and experienced the friendly, if beleaguered, service.
Trilussa is not in New York City, but in Chapel Hill. And if you're going to try to pull the type of stunts in the Triangle that a top-rated Italian place pulls in New York City, you'd better be able to walk like you talk. We did see Dean Smith stiff-shouldering his way out of the place with a takeout order as we walked in, so we took that as a good sign.
Unfortunately, my first hour at Trilussa involved a lot more talking than eating. First, my party was informed that we were being split up because we were "15 minutes late." Though the place would only agree to give us a reservation time "between 7 and 7:30," arriving at 7:16 (literally) fits their definition of not making it.
It didn't help that two of the eight people who were supposed to be there didn't show up. Certainly, we shouldn't have been surprised when one of the waiters told us that he would, "be in deep shit with the boss," if we remained a party of 6 at an 8-person table and asked us to move. It's a small restaurant-Trilussa must fill every seat in the house, since the place doesn't have many seats to spare.
Still, it seemed a bit odd when, fifteen minutes after our relocation, our waitress informed us that because we were late, we wouldn't be allowed to order. Was this place run by an Italian chef-owner, or Benito Mussolini himself?
The wait left plenty of time to peruse the restaurant's menu. Along with chicken, seafood, beef and veal dishes and a pasta menu heavy on cream sauces, Trilussa gives the nod to more politically correct patrons with a sizable selection of vegan offerings. For non-Italian fans, the menu also has paella and jambalaya dishes tacked on the end. Appetizers include three salads, a soup of the day (mine was a creamy seafood concoction with huge chunks of salmon) and some heartier offerings like frittata. Especially given the restaurant's small size, one can hardly complain about Trilussa's menu selection.
When it finally arrived, Trilussa's food proved to be pretty good, though it didn't meet the expectations set by all the attitude. Most patrons seem to opt for the restaurant's pasta offerings (at $10.99-$14.99), and we did the same. While the papillion (bowtie pasta with a tomato and spinach cream sauce) had enough zing, other pastas like the tortellini alfredo had little taste at all. And in general, the pasta entrees were drenched in sickening amounts of cream sauce-not the kind of sensation you want when the service has already left a bad taste in your mouth. Again, although a small restaurant can be excused for certain limitations, such as a slow kitchen, a long wait for tables and overworked service, its food must be superior enough to overcome them.
In fact, Trilussa's small size is probably its greatest advantage and greatest weakness. The quaint setting makes for a perfect date, and probably scores some points for insider caché. Unfortunately, it also does make for a small kitchen, overworked and often rude service and an entrepreneurial attitude that suggests that if you don't want to play by Trilussa's rules, you can be replaced. Take, for example, the note at the bottom of the menu that apprises patrons that a plate-sharing fee will apply Sunday through Thursday, while all patrons are required to order an entreé on Friday and Saturday. While the policy makes sense, it doesn't set a particularly inviting tone. And with standouts Vespa and 411 West within a stone's throw, there are certainly equal or better places nearby that don't give patrons so much grief.
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