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28th St-Park Ave S (6)
23rd St-Broadway (R, W)
Sunday thru Thursday 10% off for Yelpers (cash only). Lunch specials all week for only $12.50, come join us and see what the Yelp is about
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Delicious, laid-back, cozy and elegant at the same time.
This is a wonderfully low-key place for a great Italian meal. Especially if you are in the mood for pasta.
I docked off one star because the entrees were not as perfect and because the desserts could use some improvement.
We tried the special pasta of the day in an appetizer size, which was ravioli stuffed with crab and marscapone in a light tomato sauce. This single dish was out of this world delicious. I usually dislike raviolis because I think they are quite tasteless or taste only of ricotta cheese, which is quite bland on its own. However, the little parcels of joy in this dish were all so packed with crab flavor and went so well with the tasty tomato sauce. It was such a delight to eat.
The mini calzones were deep fried pastries filled with melting mozzerella cheese and tomato sauce. They were steamingly hot and very juicy. I thought it was so-so but my dinner companion greatly enjoyed this dish.
The entrees were overall enjoyable but seemed to suffer from the same problem - the meat was tasty but a bit overcooked and the side dishes were tastier than the main meat itself. We tried the braished beef short ribs and the stuffed pork loin. The beef was tasty but just a tad overcooked. The barley and butternut squash risotto it came with was very yummy. The pork was tasty but also a little dry. The mashed potato and sauteed leeks it came with were also very yummy.
Dessert was the greatest disappointment. The tiramisu, which was recommended by our waitress to be better than the chocolate cake, was run-of-the-mill ordinary.
I wouldn't mind coming back here again if I'm looking for a nice, laid-back dinner. But I would stick to pastas next time and skip the desserts.
Blue Smoke next door quoted us a crazy wait so we came over here instead. The restaurant was pretty full, but there was no wait for our party of six on a weeknight around 8PM. Service was wonderful! Despite our ordering light (no apps or dessert, and only one bottle of wine), we were treated with respect and there was no pressure to order more, order more expensive, or leave early. Since there were no other patrons waiting for our table, we lingered well after the bill was paid, and they were great about refilling our water glasses.
As for food, the free bread was fabulous, but I wasn't all that impressed with my dish. I ordered the spaghetti special with tomatoes and sea urchin. The dish overall was a little too acidic, and there was zero uni taste. Sadness. But the noodles were indeed yummy and al dente. My friends all seemed to enjoy their meals, though there were no feeding noises made. This place is a little on the pricey side (entree + wine = $45) but I'd be willing to return and try something on the normal menu. Oh, and the wine list is ginormous. Wonderful for Italian wine lovers.
The rabbit ragu was mentioned in Food Network's Best Meal Ever show, so I just had to try it.
Walking in, this place is an absolute charmer. The lighting, the flooring, even the scent of the place, its all beautiful. Oh my, is that a garden in the back?? What?!? Is that a waterfall? Full points for decor! Rumor has it that an old Italian woman makes the pasta fresh for patrons to see during certain days, but I didn't have a chance to catch her. This place is wonderful to bring a date.
I'll be damned if I let a little bit of aesthetic amazement cloud my palette though! The food is really unspectacular, and the most enjoyable item I had here was the starter bread. The rabbit ragu wasn't bad... but it just wasn't that good. Maybe I lacked the finer tasting points of a well-renown chef to place it as the best meal ever, but the rabbit didn't even taste like rabbit. It could have been any kind of meat because the sauce really masked the dish.
Hot for dates, mild for foodies.
If you decide to dine here, don't order the Calamaretta dish which is a ring-shaped pasta dish with mussels, clams, zucchini and cherry tomatoes. There was a good amount of mussels and clams however they need to improve on fully cooking their pasta. How hard is it to prepare ring-shaped pasta?! Anyway, I ended up asking the waiter to cook the pasta a little longer. 10 minutes later the waiter came back and told me that the chef prepared a new batch of ring-shaped pasta... however it was still undercooked. The manager even came by our table and mentioned that the pasta still look undercooked but oh well I wasn't in the mood for round three. So, I left my silly ring-shaped pasta on my plate and finished the clams, zucchini and cherry tomatoes instead.
Okay, so my dish was not so great and another friend of mine ordered some other dish that tasted like Hamburger Helper. It was starting to get late and it was time to pay for the bill and be on our way. My friends gave me cash for their share so I asked the waiter to use the cash and put the remainding amount on my card. BAD IDEA! I come to find out that I got charged for the entire bill on my card and who knows what happened to the cash. After contacting my bank and waiting to see if I Trulli would transfer the unauthorized funds back to my bank account which never happened, the dispute center ended up reversing the funds after investigation. This is my first time having problems with paying cash + card. It's not that confusing ITRULLI, come on now.
2 Stars for ambiance + effort
Went to the enoteca side on a Friday night with a group. The place was maybe half-full, certainly not busy, and seemed properly staffed for a Friday night. There was absolutely no sense of welcome - they didn't seem to care whether people were there and being served or not. The bartender had an incredible ability to avoid eye contact with everyone at all times, too. What a great skill for a bartender, no?
The menu of wines by the glass has absolutely no descriptions of the individual wines. I'm sorry, but what kind of enoteca is this? The bartender was absolutely no help when asked for guidance. When flights were ordered, the fill levels varied widely from glass to glass, giving the impression that the customer is either being cheated or they just don't care. To top it all off, I ordered an aged grappa which was brought to me in a shot glass, which is traditional, I suppose, but when I politely requested a snifter, the bartender rolled her eyes at me. Sorry, but when I go to a pretentious wine bar, if someone is going to roll their eyes at me, it should be because I ask for an ice cube in my Pinot Grigio, not because I ask for proper glassware!
As far as the food is concerned, the menu looks fantastic but delivers expensive (and tiny bites) of middling quality. The fried artichokes were burnt, woody, stringy, and flavorless, and the mint sauce made no sense. Cheese was thrown on a plate in awkward sizes with no utensil to cut it with. Fettunta with a white bean puree was served with the puree on the plate topped by the toast points, again with no utensil. All of the ingredients are there for this to be a fine place, but the consistent lack of care and consideration taints almost every aspect of the experience.
Given the numerous other fantastic wine bars in the city, I found absolutely no reason to return here.
I went for dinner on a Sunday evening, and was surprised to see the place still full.
Pretty okay wine selection. we had a bottle of Chianti.
Appetizer: Grilled Calamari on greens, with very light citrusy dressing - was AWESOME!
Entrees: I had the special - Pan Seared Pike (something you dont get very easily, Pike is a fresh water fish, so less salty and much sweeter than other fish) - Very impressed with the simplistic preparation.
My friend had the Grilled Sirloin Steak - which was also very good.
Dessert: Panna Cotta - my friend liked it very much.
Fig Tart with Licorice ice cream - Was REALLY DELICIOUS.
All in all - had a very nice ambience, quiet and feels different from the neighborhood it is in. Service was very good. There is also a back room with a little outdooring back porch, with a fountain, they have heaters out for winters - very cozy place.
Fantastic wine and food. How fun are the flights and many of the wines that you discover they import through Vino across the street so they are rare and well curated.
The best Pasta and Risotto I've ever had in US. You can not find this level of Italian in the bay area. I love this cute restaurant.
I just want to say that I loved this place. When friends proposed it for dinner last night, I agreed enthusiastically because I remember coming here in 1999 and having an excellent dinner. Five of us were seated on the back patio, which does have a roof of some kind but seemed to be essentially outdoors. We had two interesting and quite excellent wines, starting with the "Erbaluce di Caluso La Rustia 2007 Orsolani / Piemonte," which came in at only $36. I had the fried anchovies to start and then moved to the Spigola: "Filet of stone bass, tomato braised escarole and cannellini bean puree." Both were great! For dessert, I ordered three cheeses, whose names I can't recall; they were a good choice for finishing off the red wine that remained on the table. The only false note in the service is that my espresso came before the cheeses -- that was supposed to finish off the meal.
I'd come back any time. And I should shop at Vino across the street.
i Trulli provided for an enjoyable lunch experience. It was a slow day before the holidays and thus we decided to skip out for a drawn out lunch. One of the most interesting aspects of i Trulli is seeing the homemade pasta being prepared right as you enter the door. We weren't able to sit outside on the patio as it had been raining previously and was a little flooded, but the space itself looked awesome.
Feeling in the mood for something that wouldn't completely knock me out, you know how Italian food can be, I opted for the Malloreddus (Sardinian saffron dumplings with sausage and tomato). This hit the spot perfectly and quenched my thirst for something of the pasta and meat variety.
I'll have to come back and update you on the patio next time I have a chance to skip away for a proper lunch.
Yet another typically humid summer day in NYC, my afternoon was surprisingly interrupted by a late lunch with a couple of Frenchy, Los Angeles fashionista friends who were in town for business. Gotta love the French for making sure to pull you away from the normal schedule and beeline for the afternoon respite of their version of "afternoon tea". Giggling down the street soon after meeting up, we quickly duck into Enoteca, a slightly romantic looking Italian wine bar for some wine, cheese and other savory afternoon snacks.
Immediately upon entering, you are immersed into a dark, rustic and warm little world of small tables and countless bottles of wine. Our hostess seated the four of us into a little corner table and several servers surrounded us, setting the table, handing us menus and pouring water. The attention was top notch, like something from a small, yet elegant European Cafe.
A bottle of French wine was ordered, brought to the table and uncorked right away. They served each of us a taste, a little out of the norm from my experience but very considerate of them. The wine was delicious. A fuller bodied merlot, with an excellent balance of spice and berries, smooth finish. We're giddy.
A bread basket filled with an herb and tomato foccacia arrives almost as quickly. Perhaps one of the best foccacias I've ever had. Just the right amount of delicious olive oil, fresh tomatos and soft bread.
Our first plate arrives. A mixture of prosciutto, figs, manchego and gorgonzola cheese arranged neatly with a couple of Grissini crossing over the plate. The prosciutto almost melts in your mouth. The manchego is smooth and gorgonzola has just the right amount of pungency.
Our next plate is of fresh ricottta cheese and spinach. Fresh ricotta is one of my favorites...and this dish meets my expectations. Smooth but not that pungent...it's a fun cheese the way it almost morphs with the slightly bitter steamed spinach.
Our next and final shared plate is of rabbit, tuna style, a Tuscan favorite. The rabbit is prepared similar to the way canned tuna fish can be prepared...a variation of sliced and shredded with oils, herbs...maybe a bit of mayonnaise and it is served on bruschetta bread. The flavor is delicious. A slightly gamey version of tuna fish is really the best way to compare the taste.
All along we've received the most attentive service which we find impressive. We're happily satiated for now, the servers allow us to linger (which is nice to not have to be rushed out), we finish our bottle of wine and we finally request our bill.
We slowly make our exit, donning our rock star shades noting that this little gem is one to keep on the list!
Great place Great Service.... Food was excellent. Christina the general Manager was wonderful. I highly recommend this place.
Itrulli is like a hidden gem! The walk-in/bar is called Enoteca and when you walk further in, you've magically found yourself in Itrulli! They have an outside seating area and it's super romantic! It has ivy and tall plants hiding you from pedestrians and small lights placed hanging above you. The staff is very helpful and the manager walked around making sure you were enjoying your meal. The seafood pasta was delicious and felt very light and refreshing, not heavy at all. I would suggest making a reservation and be sure to spend some $$, as this place doesn't come cheap!
This place has a cute outdoor seating area, with its' own little waterfall. A bit too hot for a summer day, but I'm sure that once the weather cools down, this would be an awesome place to sit and enjoy your meal.
The food was very delicious. The best part however, was the dessert at the end: Coppa di Cocomero (watermelon, watermelon granita and vanilla cream). The perfect combination of juicy watermelon and cream, incredibly satisfying for a stuffy afternoon.
Love this hidden gem of a restaurant! We almost backed out of our plan to dine here due to our decidedly full, but not too full, stomachs. Glad we sucked it up! The ambiance of this place is so cozy and romantic. We were escorted to the back patio on a warm summer night. With a glass of wine in our hands, an order of orrechiette w/ pesto to split, and a cheese plate, it was the perfect way to wind down after a long day in the city. Thanks for a lovely evening, I Trulli. Can't wait to come back.
Overhyped.
Pros:
-Delicious bread! Flavorful, Crispy on the outside/soft on the inside. Comes with Ricotta spread.
-Good ambiance for romantic evening. Fairly open space. Pretty fireplace.
-Freshly made pasta
-Pancoti ravioli with sage butter is tasty.
Cons:
-Orecchiette w/ rabbit ragu was ok but not mind-blowing. Meat in sauce was a little tough.
-Ricotta fritters on the Heirloom Beet salad were soggy.
-Pricey
I was seriously impressed by this place! I went to I Trulli with my best friend and his mom, while she was visiting NYC. First of all, if you eat here, you need to sit in the back on the patio. We started off with a great bottle of wine and their rosemary bread with fresh ricotta cheese. We then shared the heirloom tomato and mozzarella appetizer, and the corn fritters with goat cheese. The cheeses served at I Trulli are to die for!!! All of the entrees had perfectly selected ingredients that truely complimented each other. I don't think you could possibly go wrong at this place! We ordered a tiramisu for dessert, and were surprised with two additional complimentary desserts. The manager was a doll too. She was chatting it up with everyone in the resturaunt and going table to table. I love managers that really interact with their customers and deliver a personal experience by engaging you in conversation. She even sent us over three glasses of a delicious dessert wine! We were really taken care of here, and felt very comfortable. We stayed for three hours!!!! It was seriously a perfect dinner. I have told all of my family about this place and will definitely return soon!
How are you, last night i picked up my J-Date and we went for a light dinner in the bar area of I Trulli, the atmosphere is very nice and the wood aroma when you walk in the door, makes you think you are not in a big city, but a country restaurant. I have to say the service was over the top everyone is well schooled on the wine and the food. The food had good flavors but all dishes were cold even the dessert. My Date sent the Ru barb back, and it came back on an ice cold plate. ( You cannot heat a dessert and put it on a plate from the fridge) They must keep the dishes hotter, serving good food cold, makes it not so good.
It was a little expensive but it would be worth it, as soon as they heat there plates.
Big Joe
Tried their $35 three-course menu during the Restaurant Week. Good portion. They have some daily special in addition to the fixed RW menu. You should definitely ask for their garden table. It's nice, cozy and relaxing. Their desert menu is super delicious! and very creative!! Poached peach with mascarpone mouse is a must try. I want to come back for a Sunday brunch in the garden.
This truly was a memorable dining experience. My son and I met the owner of this restaurant in the subway on a Thursday night and I really wanted to go and check it out. So we went the next night! Oh, my gosh! We were treated like royalty, as we noted all customers were. Our waiter, Luis R, was exceptional. He catered to our needs and even anticipated them! We did not get off to a great start, as the bottle of Chianti we ordered didn't taste so great...a bit on the tart side, so we did not accept it. Luis brought us a bottle of "reserve" Chianti which was much better! For appetizers, we shared the heirloom tomatoes with fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and a garbanzo bean fritter with fresh goat cheese(sorry, I don't remember the name of this delicious dish); then we shared a first course - orecchiette with rabbit sauce. Awesome flavors! For the second course, we had our own entree- I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh tuna that was prepared to perfection, Ryan had the lamb and his friend, Desiree had the swordfish. All we could say was, "oh my God, this is delicious"! For dessert, we shared the tiramisu in memory of our dear friend Patty who loved tiramisu. Luis treated us to 2 additional desserts- complimentary creme brulee and a chocolate torte. The general manager completed our meal with a complimentary glass of Maivasia Frizzante '05. You must plan on coming here for an intimate dinner. We enjoyed the beautiful patio for our dining experience and as the weather changes, moving inside promises to be the same. I can't wait to come back to NYC and to iTrulli!
Went here with friends before heading to Kipps Bay for a movie. The food was fine, but the portions could have been more generous. The venue was surprisingly big, with a back room with windows all around. The thing that weirded us out a bit?
It felt like take-your-grandparents-to-dinner day. My friends and I had the only table where there wasn't at least 3 patrons over the age of 70. It felt a bit odd for a Saturday night. We tried to keep the gay talk to a minimum and keep the conversation PG13. Probably a good place to celebrate someone's graduation...not the most fun/festive place for folks in their 20s.
Came here for an anniversary dinner during Restaurant Week. In the course of a little over 2 hours, we experienced:
- An overly smoky fireplace which set off the fire alarm at Blue Smoke (appropriately enough) next door, which caused the fire department to show up, which led to half a dozen firemen walking into I Trulli, one of whom was carrying a giant pick axe. Honestly, I'm not sure whether to add or subtract a star for this. Certainly, it made the evening memorable. However our clothes reeked of smoke afterwards.
- An inattentive waiter who had to be flagged down so we could order, ask for more wine (we eventually just asked that he leave the chilled bottle at our table), and pick up our credit card so we can pay and get out of there.
- Mediocre food that didn't really resemble the Puglian cuisine we had when we were in Italy 2 years ago. The braised short ribs were okay, but my boyfriend's duck was way too salty.
The two stars are for the very helpful staff who cleared our tables and for the nice wine list.
Been here several times now and each time it has been a good experience with good service and good food. What I like about this place the most is their garden in the back, always nice to have a great time drinking wine with great friends in the back.
Portions are generous, and the food has always been fresh! The bar at the front is a nice little touch; one of the few places where I wouldn't mind if my friends were late, just pull up a seat and enjoy a glass of wine.
The ravioli and lamb (Angello) are never a letdown.
I enjoy my glass(es) of wine WAY too much, which is why their extensive wine list is one of the reasons why I have fallen in love with with this Italian eatery...and everyone who knows me, knows it's hard to get me through the doors of a carbolicious establishment.
The pasta is made fresh and there is something for everyone here. I promise. Fresh seafood, quail, rabbit, pork, steak, chicken...exotic or not, you'll have lots to choose from.
Aside from the food and wine, the outdoor garden is money, especially in NYC. I simply love vines/leaves hanging from above...it transports you somewhere else, if only for a few hours. In the colder months, head inside for an inviting, warm and romantic fireplace setting. You must bring a special someone here and share--you may just get lucky a la Lady and the Tramp!
It was such a shame that it was raining the night I went because we had reservations to sit in the garden, which looked beautiful. Warm, cream-colored atmosphere. While I waited for my hosts with a glass of white wine (their wine selection is great) at the enoteca, I admired the classy, very Italian feel of the restaurant.
I ordered the barbabietole, which is the heirloom beets, green apple, arugula, and ricotta fritters for my appetizer and cavatelli: home-made flour dumplings with broccoli rabe and roasted almonds. The beets were too soggy and it could have been better. Though the ricotta fritters was light and fluffy- pretty good. The pasta was okay. My friend ordered a special appetizer which was a salad and then anatra, or pan roasted duck breast, leg confit, creamy polenta and vignaiolo sauce. My host just ordered the pulpo, which I think was the best appetizer. The best part of dinner was definitely the Grissini e Taralli, or more simply put, the handmade breadsticks and taralli. The taralli was peppery and perfectly savory.
I had to give this restaurant 3 stars and not 2 stars because it was such a cute restaurant but the food was just "A-OK"
I love this darling place. The music is not too loud, food was very good(rabbit "tuna" was quite interesting). But most of all, the early evening I was there,5/15, i found the gentleman behind the bar to be most impressive. His obvious love of the food and wine made the experience even more lovely. Listening to him share his knowledge with his younger colleagues or charges reminded me why I love NYC restaurants.
I love love love this restaurant. First went here on a business lunch and fell in love. Went back on my own risking the bill because it was so good. To my surprise, my friend was nice enough to pick up the tab, but I still would come here and drop some dough because it's so good.
The atmosphere at I Trulli is really worthy five stars. You can choose indoor dining or head out to their back patio, which is slightly covered with ceiling fans. Perfect for a cooler summer evening.
As far as the drink menu: great wine list, great wine, great cocktails. Strong cocktails. Very easy to get a little tipsy at this place. Don't worry, you've got a lot of pasta options to soak it all up.
We had a late dinner, so we wound up ordering a bunch of small plates. All delicious. Service was very quick and our waiter was very amicable. Our only complaint was once 11:30 rolled around, it felt like we were being ushered out of the restaurant - the only catch is they were accepting 11pm reservations - so there really was no reason for a rush. Not so true to Italy, but I supposed I'd rather have quick service and the rush than eat my fist waiting for my food.
I honestly can't remember if I had dessert - by the end of the meal the martinis and wine flooded my head - but I'm sure it would have been and/or was wonderful.
I really wanted to give this a 3.5 but rounded to a 4 as nothing was particularly wrong.
The service was out of this world. Every time I needed something it was like they were mind readers. My water glass was always full and the food came out super fast.
For an appetizer we had calamari that was definitely fresh. It came out nice and hot like it was just pulled out of the frier. It was 5 startcalamari.
For my entree I had sea bass and it was just alright. The beans it was served with were yummy and unique. It was a good combination of sunflower seeds, garbanzo beans, and a few other goodies. All and all it was quite pricey for the portion. I would have liked another side dish with it. Maybe some spinach or broccoli.
After our meal we had green tea which came out in a fancy looking individual tea maker but was sort of weak.
In summary I gave it 4 stars for its handmade pasta's that you can watch while you wait, great service, and good calamari. I took one star for price and my plain sea bass but I would give it another visit.
My guest was quite happy.
Just stopped in the Enoteca for a glass of wine and some cheese. Bartender was very knowledgeable and helpful. Wine was great as was cheese. The Enoteca "menu" has a great selection of meats and cheeses. We had Robilola Fio and the Telaggio with Porchetta. Delish!
I think I prefer something a bit more cozy though... the atmosphere seemed sterile.
I will definitely go back to try a meal the restaurant side though as I've heard good things about the food.
One of my favorite Puglian-style Italian Restaurant that has a great outdoor patio. Favorite wine is Il Falcone.
I have now eaten here twice on someone else's dime, and I gotta say, I could get used to it! The first time was a work lunch with my new boss at the time and the woman I was replacing, as a farewell lunch to her. It gets very, very busy during lunchtime because of all the business people schmoozing and wining & dining. But it's a fairly large restaurant with a big back garden, so it doesn't feel cramped, just a bit loud and lively.
The second time I went was for dinner, again with coworkers. This time, we were being treated to our Secretary's Day dinner by the big boss man. We sat in the back garden on a lovely spring evening at about 6pm, and it wasn't crowded at all. The service was very attentive, friendly and helpful. Our waitress had to explain a few of the dishes on the menu since this wasn't a typical spaghetti & red sauce Italian restaurant, but one that aimed for authenticity. She also informed us that most of the primi dishes could be served as a smaller appetizer portion so you could also order a secondi.
I was still a bit full from my very late lunch and was worried that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my meal here, so I opted for some lighter fare. I decided on one of the specials, a monkfish with shellfish (clams & mussels) in a lemon, (ever so slight) butter and thyme broth. It was tasty in its simplicity, and was the perfect portion - not too filling, not too skimpy. A few of the other women ordered risotto with shrimp and enjoyed it, while one woman ordered the veal chops and raved about it (the chops were surprisingly big).
The dessert menu had some intriguing choices, so it was good that we all still had room for it. I actually went with a favorite of mine, tiramisu, while others tried the Italian cheesecake with fig compote, the flourless chocolate cake and the white chocolate flan. My tiramisu was good, but definitely not the best I've had. Next time, I'd order the flan since it was really yummy!
I'd say the food is 3.5 stars - it didn't blow me away, but it was solidly good. The ambiance, service and back garden help to bump it up to a healthy 4 stars.
I Trulli is one of the most reliable Italian restaurants around. The appetizers, homemade pastas, and fresh seafood are amazing. They offer a lot of the traditional dishes of Puglia but luckily the wine list covers many regions of Italy - very good Piedmont selection. The atmosphere is warm with a rural feel and does well for both winter and summer (garden). The crowd is mixed and never seems to be a problem.
The wine bar next door is another story... I know the wine is important here but I wish they would charge a bit more and give better pours. I hate when they pour it to that white line on the glass - it seems so petty. So, if you can't get into restaurant and want a quick bite, the Vinoteca is fine but I recommend buying a bottle unless you are dying to try one of their wine flights.
An Italian ex-NYer knew I was going to New York on a business trip and asked me, another Italian ex-NYer, to try this place, as she has been getting their emails for a long time but hadn't yet gotten there.
What a great recommendation. Everything was superb. We started with a special appetizer of shrimp served over a bread/tomato sauce. The whole dish was cooked in the wood fired oven. It was outstanding.
My mixed green salad was served with a small "panelle," a chickpea fritter with goat cheese "sandwich." Very tasty.
Someone at the table ordered "panzerotti," small pugliese calzones filled with fresh mozzarella and tomato. These got raves by everyone.
My favorite dish was the "cavatelli," pugliese pasta dumpllngs with broccoli rabe and roasted almonds. I'm a huge fan of pasta and broccoli rabe, and this dish was outstanding. The cavatelli were perfectly plump and the flavors merged together perfectly. If this restaurant weren't 3000 miles from where I live, I can guarantee I'd weigh 10 pounds more because I'd eat this dish all the time. (Would I then be Trulli addicted??)
My co-worker ordered the special pounded pork chop served with rosemary and potatoes. I'm pretty sure he wanted to lick the plate was he was done.
For desert we tried the tiramisu and the Italian-style cheesecake. It's not often that you see this type of cheesecake on the menu and it was quite authentic and delicious. And the tiramisu didn't disappoint, either. Again, all plates went back empty.
All in all, quite a find. I will certainly make another trip to I Trulli the next time I'm in NY.
Benefit of doubt: generous 3.5 stars.
For all the hoopla they shower upon themselves, taste not so authentic , or flavorful for the Puglia Region; and very expensive, given the size of the portions.
Great Italian food and a great atmosphere to have dinner. The service is a little spotty, but the food more than makes up for it. I was here with a group of 6 and every one really enjoyed the meal. For an appetizer, I would recommend the calamari, which is not fried, so you can taste the fish and the fried rabbit. For an entree, I thought the fresh orecchiette and the rack of lamb were excellent. You may as well go all out at this place and treat yourself to some dessert - the flan and tiramisu were both good.
Try to sit out in the garden in the summer and enjoy a nice Italian meal.
I always pass this place and thought it looked cute, so I after reading the reviews on Yelp, I decided to take my former boss (& good friend) here. I made reservations for a Friday night at 8:45 pm. When we got there they told us that if we waited 15 minutes they could seat us on the back garden so we sat at the bar and ordered a drink while we waited. The host was able to seat us before we got our drinks from the bartender so he said he would send the drinks over, but it took about 20 minutes for the drinks to finally come.
We sat at a cozy table next to the fountain. The wine list is huge, so we asked the server for a suggestion and got a bottle of Sangiovese to go along with dinner. For an appetizer we had the Panzerotti Baby calzones filled with mozzarella and tomato, which were very yummy. I had the Malloreddus Sardinian saffron dumplings with sausage and tomato for dinner and my friend had the Orecchiette Ear-shaped pasta in a rabbit rag. Both were very good and the portions were not too big so you didn't feel stuffed afterwards. We also had a chocolate cake with coconut ice cream that was delicious.
I would definitely come back here. The place was welcoming, clientele very mixed (families, couples), food was delicious, restaurant was roomier than expected, service pretty good and beautiful garden for the warmer months.
Disgusting, utterly disgustingly salted saffron dumplings.
It was as if the chef, believing me to be a brain slug from the Brain Slug Planet, feared for his life and attempted to poison me. Slow service during a particularly light lunch service compounds my disappointment with I Trulli.
I had high hopes. Only an otherwise decent hanger steak and well presented lamb chops along with my belief that the saffron dumplings had to be a one time mistake keep this from being a one star review.
Eating here is like:
Wandering the streets of Old New York, stealing awkward glances at the vendors on the street, you pick up a tribal necklace (circa 2008) - it's made of uranium, are they trying to kill you? Yes.
So, I love Vino which is right across the street, and I had heard they are 'sister' establishments- which I took to mean that they have the same owner. Whether or not this is true, I am not sure, but I do know that wine here costs 4 times as it does across the street. Also, the food I had was quite bleah. I heard such great reviews, but to me it just seemed mediocre and overpriced- a disappointment.
What a find! We had tickets to the Jazz Standard and were afraid it was going to be ribs or nothing. Then Dan noticed a review of I Trulli in TONY and we hopped on over.
There was no wait in the connected wine bar next door (its the same menu) and we had delicious olives appetizer, some kind of chick pea & goat cheese cake (the only weakness was the tampenade on the side---it tasted not so fresh), and really yummy homemade pasta. Dan actually ate rabbit ragu! I had the dumplings with brocolli rabe---even though it tasted like it was was boiled in butter, it hit several of my yum zone spots.
One other minor detraction: the staff was disorganized. A gem in a convenient location. Good wine too.
I have a hard time deciding what is better about I Trulli - the outdoor patio in summer, the fireplaces in winter - the food, or the wine list! I had the best wine I have ever tasted here - recommended by the sommelier - a '94 DaVinci Brunello - need I say more? This is a great place for a work dinner, a date, or a night out with friends to enjoy great food and even better wine. For a perfect evening, polish off the meal with a glass of dessert wine paired with a dried fig.......amazing!
Fabulous Brunch now served…
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Lunch or Dinner & a movie $28
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Category: Italian
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Category: Italian
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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
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