For my birthday this past weekend, my grandmother took me out for dinner. Based upon a coworker’s recommendation, we went to Via Tribunali, a locally-owned authentic Italian pizzeria. The owners’ goal was to transport diners straight to Italy. Even the oven itself is made of bricks from the ash of Mt. Vesuvius, and the wine list was fully imported. To read about what makes authentic Italian pizza “authentic,” be sure to read about it at the restaurant’s website. No heavy American pizza here! The “sauce” is made from freshly smashed tomatoes or simply of olive oil, and the fresh mozzerella was sparsely scattered around the pie. Some of the imported topping included artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, prosciutto, Italian ham, salame, basil, argula, anchovies, and many others. The menu also includes a couple of calzones and some salads. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked great!
Things to love: Besides the great food, I was particularly impressed by the atmosphere of the restaurant. There was low lighting and plenty of candles without feeling too dark. The restaurant was full and music played in the background, but at no point did we ever feel that it got loud. In addition to food and atmosphere, we loved the prices! Pizzas go for $11-16 each, and each feeds two women – my grandma and I even had some of our pizza left over. We ordered a half liter of house wine, which also ran about $16 but gave us two glasses of wine apiece.
Less than perfect: While I loved the food, I was disappointed by how it reheated. I microwaved my leftovers for just a short bit, but the crust came out very chewy and tough.
Final analysis: I highly recommend this restaurant for a date or an evening out. It has the feel of a very nice restaurant without too steep a bill. I should also note that it is kid-friendly and we saw several families dining together. There are three locations in Seattle, and you can find the addresses on their website.
Posted by: Lynnette
