(Credit: Patrick Raycraft)
That said, there are times and places for absolutely everything, and sometimes Italian food (or at least "American" Italian food) means that it's packed with strong flavors and colors and portions big enough to conjure up the memory of being harangued by grandma for not eating everything on your plate. In this, Tre Scalini doesn't come up short.
What you will find, though, is the sort of food that is meant to warm and to satisfy (for several days, in fact, if you're a fan of leftovers).
The eats: Exceptional appetizers and antipasti, especially the Pane Cotto, although the gamberoni (shrimp) with pecans and drizzled with a sherry sauce is just plain weird. Soups are traditional, hearty and well made—like grandma is in the kitchen. Pastas are perfectly cooked but largely flavorless. My suggestion: Ask what is off the menu, and listen. Carefully. And then head for the wine list, which is as big as "War and Peace," but not as scary (at least price-wise).
The look: Classic 1960s Italianesque splendor, with pinkish brick walls (the color of Penne alla Vodka), weird fake vines and overturned petite Christmas trees suspended from the ceiling. Odd, but ultimately it makes you smile.
The vibe: Incredibly friendly and doting without being intrusive. Lots of families, both young and older, hungry kids and Wooster Street regulars pile in here for huge quantities of food and familiar faces.
The damage: Not inexpensive, but remember, each entrée could feed an army. Antipasti, $10 to $12; soups, $6; salads, $7 to $9; pasta, $18 to $24; entrees, $19 to $27; desserts, $7.
Bottom line: Spotty, with a leaning toward wonderful appetizers. Order three or four of them, and call it a meal.
Read the entire review on www.courant.com.
Tre Scalini
100 Wooster St., New Haven
203-777-3373
