We are back from our summer vacation, just in time (literally) to welcome our daughter’s friend from college who came to the Boston area for a three day visit. Our daughter was the chief tour guide, but we joined in on the fun in the evening. We enjoyed a dinner at home and another evening took him, a Native New Yorker, to a Red Sox-Yankee’s game (he was a great sport, even when the Sox won).
At our daughter’s suggestion, we also enjoyed a night in Boston’s North End. My husband suggested we try Trattoria di Monica, a restaurant he had been to before and enjoyed immensely. Although I had visited its sister restaurant on several occasions, I had never been to this more casual and intimate eatery so I was excited to give it a try. We had a great visit and while not every dish was a clear winner, most of them were and it’s a place I would return to in a second.
Let me tell you about it.
The Mendoza brothers have been serving up family recipes and hospitality at their North End restaurants since the mid-1990’s. The restaurant group today consists of Monica’s, a more upscale restaurant on Richmond Street that offers a bar, extensive seating for a North End eatery and a fairly big menu. Trattoria di Monica is a more casual eatery with exposed brick walls, perhaps a dozen or so tables and lots of ambiance as you sit elbow to elbow with your neighbors. Monica’s Mercato & Salumeria is where you can purchase a deli sandwich and other prepared foods, and find all kinds of Italian staples and freshly made pastas. The most recent addition to the Mendoza’s group is Monica’s Mercato Pizza which is on Salem Street and offers takeout and delivery of all kinds of pies, salads and rotisserie chickens.
We were early for our reservation and our table was not quite ready so we wandered over to the nearby Mercato to get a glimpse of the place my husband goes on the weekly to get an Italian sub. Just opening the door you are pleasantly assaulted with the wonderful aromas of an Italian deli. It reminds me of the deli I grew up going to in my town…
A view inside…
And beautiful pastas of all shapes and sizes…
The Mendoza’s named their restaurants after their mother, Monica…
A sunflower sign hangs outside the restaurant and the tables are dressed with fresh sunflowers which we were told were Monica’s favorite flower. Incredibly sweet. The interior walls of the Trattoria is adorned with all kinds of artwork done by brother, Jorge Mendoza.
The menu at Trattoria di Monica is filled with Antipasti ranging from Arancini or Bruschetta ($9) to Fried Artichoke Hearts ($13) and an Antipasto Platter ($16). Four salads are offered as well as an extensive selection of dishes featuring Moncia’s hand made pasta. Gluten free pasta is also available, although not homemade by the restaurant. Chicken and Veal are prepared four ways, Cacciatore, Piccata, Francese and Pizzaiola. Lastly, there was a section of the menu with House Specialities. Both of my dishes came from those offerings. Three daily specials were offered as well.
Since it’s still Rose season, I wanted to share with you what they were pouring. A very refreshing and full bodied wine, this Rose came from the Veneto. I really enjoyed it and am going to see if I can find somewhere…
Our family is a little obsessed with artichokes so both of our daughters ordered the Carciofi Fritti that were battered and fried. The artichokes we normally enjoy are either flash fried or grilled. The girls felt as though the batter distracted a little bit from the artichoke, but that they were still enjoyable. We appreciated that the dish included a small arugula salad. It was a tangy contrast to the richness of the batter, and felt like a good value…
My husband shared the artichokes with one daughter and together they also shared this Caprese salad ($11). While it was tasty, the tomatoes were not as good as some of the farm fresh ones we’ve been eating of late to be honest. He said he also prefers slices of tomato and mozzarella to this chunkier approach because he feels it’s easier to eat (a very practical man he is). But overall, the salad was still very tasty and well seasoned…
I ordered one of the House Specials, the Stuffed Zucchini Flowers ($15). These are so special and not available everywhere so I tend to order them when they are offered. Stuffed with goat cheese, battered and fried, these were truly delicious, especially once they cooled down a bit and the flavors were more pronounced. I would have preferred a slightly more delicate hand with the balsamic drizzle…
And lastly, our daughter’s friend, Darius ordered the Calamari Fritti ($9) that were served with a spicy aioli. These were so delicious, perfectly fried and deliciously enhanced by the sauce. Not sure the drizzle was necessary here either, but clearly that is a signature…
Every pasta dish looked better than the next so it was difficult to choose what to order. We did however all really enjoy our entrees, pictures notwithstanding as the light was fading at this point. First up, my husband ordered the Risotto al Funghi ($24) that included shitake, portobella and button mushrooms. He loved it and ate every bite…
One daughter ordered Pollo Alla Parmigiana ($25) which she asked to be served over spaghetti. She also loved this dish and having tasted it, I can attest that it was delicious. You can’t go to an Italian restaurant and not have one dish with red sauce so I am glad someone ordered this…
Darius ordered what they named Orrecchiette con Gamberi e Rabe. In English, they referred to the pasta as shells, but Orrecchiette are traditionally shaped like little ears so I am not sure what to say about that. Nonetheless, Darius loved this dish too, although I thought a couple more shrimp might have been justified for $26.
My dish came again from the House Specialities. Pappardelle con Caposante included long strands of beautifully cooked pasta tossed in a creamy homemade pesto sauce. Crunchy walnuts and perfectly pan-seared scallops completed the dish. I can’t say one negative thing about this dish as it was truly wonderful…
And lastly, our other daughter ordered the Spaghetti Aglio e Olio that was made with her favorite spicy red pepper flakes. I guess this may be a fan favorite because in doing my research, I found this article that mentions the restaurant is a hometown favorite of Jimmy Fallon. The article also featured a recipe for the pasta that I will make for our daughter before she returns to school…
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Service was excellent. The staff was limited but very attentive and the food was delivered promptly. The servers were well versed on the menu and we never felt rushed despite the fact that the restaurant was extremely busy.
Small and intimate, shoulder to shoulder dining with mostly well executed dishes is what you should expect from a dining experience at Trattoria di Monica, at least for now as they are expanding! If you are looking for a place to check out in the North End sometime soon, I suggest you give this one a try!
Until next week…
One Year Ago: Summer Squash, Corn & Tomato Gratin
Two Years Ago: Double Chocolate Loaf Cake
