Trullo : A very good Italian restaurant in Highbury

 

Trullo favourite

A New year and two things remains the same. The hunt for good tasting food continues and yet again by coincidence sports or exercise doesnt make my top 100 list or is that top 1000. There’s a new thing on the list however and I already gave a clue about this change in my Coq d’argent post. That change involves making more time for a few friends. Being one that hates procrastinating ( its a weakness of mine ), I messaged Taiwo, a friend of over two decades ( she actually featured in my Paradise Garage blog post two years ago ) and arranged to meet up last week Thursday. Next on the agenda was finding a restaurant to visit. I work in Westminster ( Central London ) and she works right bang in East London, Bow to be exact, so it made sense finding a restaurant in the middle. The middle in this case being Highbury and Islington in North London. Yes….I made a mistake.  After visiting a lovely Italian restaurant called Padella , I was determined to visit another called Trullo based on the good reviews on Tripadvisor and glowing references about the perfectly seasoned dishes by Jay Rayner in the Guardian. A look at the first line of the address which goes ” St Pauls Road” and I was convinced it stated St Pauls station. A quick call to Tai about this slight “ahem” change in destination and we were good to go.The plan was now to have dinner at a very good Italian restaurant in Highbury.

Trullo

I managed to get a table for 2 at 6pm courtesy of Opentable . I pretty much got to the restaurant 20 minutes before Taiwo who couldnt find the restaurant. Why couldnt she find it you ask….well I kind of didnt give her the name, just the address. The focus seemed to be on explaining why St pauls road and St pauls station were easy mix ups. She spent a few minutes staring at different Italian restaurants so I had to walk out of the restaurant to get her. That and there seems to be tons of road works outside Highbury and Islington station. The restaurant itself had just opened, so the staff seemed to be having a little briefing about the evenings plans.

Trullo team meeting

The atmosphere was quite relaxed and the waiter was friendly without being intrusive. I had asked for tap, but got a bottle of spring water for my sins and I would have drank it if not for Taiwo’s protestations. I asked for a change and this was substituted without fuss. When it did come to picking a few dishes, we went for :

Antipasti

A very flavourful Bruschetta of mussels. Taiwo liked this dish quite a fair bit. The bite I had of it really made it clear that this was very competent cooking. Comes in at a cost of £9

Bruschetta of mussels , chilli, garlic and wild oregano

Primi

A pappardelle with beef shin ragu that was tasty. I picked this dish because I loved the Artusi and Padella’s versions. Trullos interpretation of this dish was good, however I felt the other two restaurants pipped it on this one. The tomato sauce didnt feel as rich, however the beef itself was soft and moerish. You could tell it was slowcooked for a few hours. £9

Pappardelle with beef shin ragu

Oven

The Swaledale lamb shoulder with poached Swede, rosevale potato and Salsa verde was cooking at its finest. The lamb shoulder melted in ones mouth. You can taste the hints of thyme and garlic. £20

Melt in the mouth Swaledale lamb shoulder and Salsa verde

Look at that tender lamb shoulder

I offered my dinner companion a bite of this dish and she kindly refused. She loved her dish soo much she felt tasting something else would taint her taste buds.

Charcoal Grill

The dish in question was a whole cornish mackerel with Castellucio lentils and Salsa rossa. This fish was soft and with the lentils and salsa rosa packing tons of flavour. This might just be the tastiest dish of the lot I reckon and thats coming from someone who doesnt usually have fish at restaurants. £16

Cornish mackerel and lentils

Trullo’s flavourful Cornish mackerel

There goes our time at this very good Italian restaurant in  Highbury. I wished we ordered desserts thinking about it now. I had an eye on that Panacotta, but alas we were both quite full and most of all…its still two weeks from payday with the Ledbury and Bob bob ricard still to come. I did tell you at the start that the hunt for good food is on and Dinner at Trullo’s definitely hit the spot.