UPDATE 22. NOVEMBER 2002: TRATTORIA DA RIZZO HAS, UNFORTUNATELY, CLOSED.
An Indian restaurant (still to be tested) has opened in its place.
Delicious homemade pastas and friendly service make Trattoria Da Rizzo a top destination.
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With approximately 12,000 Italian inhabitants, Munich is often referred to as the northern-most Italian city and, as such, has no shortage of Italian restaurants. Still, finding one that really makes the flavours of Italy come to life in Bavaria is something to celebrate. Trattoria Da Rizzo, with its fresh, authentic flavours and clear love of cooking, deserves to be celebrated.
Set back from a busy street, it is the decor at Da Rizzo that first suggests this dining experience will be different. Unlike the dark, oppressive interiors common here, Da Rizzo's small dining room, with seating for around 30, is bright and cheerful. Colourful, fresh-cut flowers complement the soft but bright yellow walls, and sunlight streams in through the large windows that fill the front of the restaurant and look out on a small garden and a lovely terrace. (Weather permitting, al fresco dining is also available for an additional 15-20 people.)
The weekly lunch menu includes several homemade pastas and gnocchi (bite-size potato-based dumplings). Always cooked to perfection and in flavourful sauces, the dishes manage to be rich without being too heavy; they are also usually accompanied by a small salad drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The cook's southern Italian roots are reflected in many classic dishes, but he also takes obvious pleasure in experimenting and pairing together unusual ingredients. A few favourites have been the pear and walnut stuffed fioretti in a light gorgonzola sauce, and the walnut and ricotta filled tortelli with mint. Also worth mentioning are the cheese gnocchi in tomato sauce, which were accompanied by warm, nearly carmelised balsamic vinegar that arrived at the table in a small long-handled, hand-hammered copper pot. (From our table we watched as our server plucked fresh leaves from a basil plant and tore them into small pieces over the gnocchi. Talk about fresh!) Considering how vast and varied Italian cuisine is, it is refreshing to find a restaurant that believes in showcasing the country's more unusual, regional specialties.
Also on offer are several main courses, including seafood, poultry and beef. (As a vegetarian, I have not tried any of these dishes, but carnivorous friends who've joined me for lunch have never been disappointed.) A fixed menu is also available, and includes a small selection of pizzas as well as other pastas and main courses. A wonderful antipasta platter with roasted courgette and aubergine, fat white beans in tomato sauce, marinated peppers and mushrooms, hard-boiled quail eggs, fresh mozzarella and ripe red cherry tomatoes can be taken as a main course or as a smaller appetizer. Desserts vary from week to week but may include mascarpone cream with fresh fruits, tiramisu and panna cotta. Portions tend to be plentiful but saving room for dessert is highly recommended.
The restaurant has a small but well-chosen wine list, as well as the ubiquitous beer (likely made at one of the breweries across the street) and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages.
The service here is strikingly friendly. The Calabrian cook and his German wife run the show, providing professional but expressive service that proves the difference a smile can make. Lunch can easily be accomplished in an hour, but anyone on a tight schedule or in a hurry to get back to the office may want to save this destination for a time when the meal can be thoroughly enjoyed.
With their record of exceptional cooking and friendly service, Trattoria Da Rizzo succeeds in providing guests with a highly enjoyable and delicious dining experience. Moreover, Trattoria Da Rizzo proves that authentic Italian flavour and tradition can make it safely across the border and thrive.
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