Italian Dining in Cebu: Trattoria Da Gianni, Crossroads
Stepping into Trattoria Da Gianni felt like I was walking into someone’s home. It was as if I was transported into some Italian family’s dining room that would soon be filled with lots of laughs and chatter. It was cozy, welcoming and familiar.
For someone like me who is often conscious about not knowing what to eat or order at new restaurants, I was surprised at how “accommodating” their menu was. Initially, I had envisioned offerings that were too hard to pronounce, much more for my palate to comprehend but I was sweetly surprised at how familiar I was with their dishes. The descriptions also really helped. lol!
It also helped that their staff was extremely accommodating and if I ever had any questions about any of the dishes, they were quick to explain and share insights making the process a lot easier and more interesting.
Here’s what we had:
Quatro Formagi, Parma Ham & Mozzarella and Garden Basil Bruschette
(P 140.00 each)
Polpo Salad – Steam Octopus, Arugula, Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Parsley and Lemon Vinaigrette @ P 275.00
Spaghetti with Scallops – Seared Scallops, Shrimps, Black Olives, Capers & Parsley @ P 390.00
Osso Buco – Slow Cooked Beef Shank with Potatoes @ P 800.00 (for sharing)
Tiramisu Espresso (For sharing) – Layers of Savoiardi Ladyfingers, Coffee, Mascarpone and Cacao prepared at your table – P 360.00
There’s a misconception that Italian food is bland but if you do your research and talk to the right people, you’ll learn that Italian cuisine is more about the quality of the ingredients they use rather than grandeur preparations and theatrics.
Yes, I will admit that there wasn’t an explosion of flavors in my mouth and that I wish the servings were a tad more but eating their food felt like my tongue was getting a warm embrace. It felt like a meal that you could have everyday without ever getting sick of and as subtle and simple as some of the dishes were- it was a meal I wanted to share (again) with someone I love.
I would definitely recommend this place especially to friends who are interested in foreign cuisines. It’s definitely one of those places that stays true to their history and flavors- which if I’m not trying to beat around the bush means: it doesn’t try too much to appeal to the Filipino taste. I’m definitely not saying that it’s a bad thing, I really respect that, but it’s definitely something that your extremely Pinoy lola probably wouldn’t appreciate.
Trattoria Da Gianni
Crossroads, Banilad
For reservations: +63 9778422786
xx,
Issa G.
p.s. It’s never too early for wine! <3
