156975 Fri May 19 12:29:14 -0700 2006 19 12 Boston Area 0 844977 Went to Trattoria last night in the North End; I paid $16 for a 5 shrimp dish, no pasta or even unique seasoning, just the shrimp. Maybe it's just 'cause I'm new in town but this seemed unreasonably expensive; is this typical of the North End? Can anyone suggest a good-valued North End Italian joint, with say $15-20 entrees, where I can get perhaps EIGHT shrimp AND some pasta...or am I searching for a black-hole of North End restaurants? Nevertheless, Texas Nate is loving Boston so far! Fri May 19 12:29:14 -0700 2006 0 Texas Nate 1 844978 antico forno notables: vesuvio pizza linguine al frutti di mare rigatoni alla boscaiola hard to go wrong at this place. Link: http://www.anticofornoboston.com/ Fri May 19 12:40:41 -0700 2006 844977 0 coookie 1 844979 Is "Trattoria" the entire name of the restaurant? Kind of odd, like calling your place "Restaurant". Where in the North End is this place? Fri May 19 12:51:57 -0700 2006 844977 0 MC Slim JB 2 844982 The full name is Trattoria II Panino on 11 Parameter St. It's a half-block off of Hanover. Fri May 19 13:13:33 -0700 2006 844979 0 Texas Nate 3 844988 That happened to me too about 3 years ago. I'll never go back!!! Fri May 19 13:47:20 -0700 2006 844982 0 Shaebones 3 844991 I'm not quite sure what shrimp dish you ordered at Il Panino, but clearly it wasn't the right one. They have plenty of great pasta dishes (served with seafood or without) and actually it is one of the spots in the north end I'd recommend for good food at good value. But clearly that's not what you experienced last night, though I'm still pretty confused about what shrimp dish you could have gotten there that was just plain shrimp without pasta. Anyway, that being said I think there have been a couple of good recommendations for standard italian fare so far including La Summa and Antico Forno (tho the menu is not quite as red-sauce standard at Antico Forno. I'd also add Artu, (on Prince street), Al Dente (on Salem) and Cibo (on Hanover) for good, basic food w/value. Enjoy. Fri May 19 14:10:37 -0700 2006 844982 0 twentyoystahs 3 844993 Ah, I know that place, though I've never eaten there. If I had to abbreviate the name, I'd refer to it as "Il Panino", even though it appears to be the only place in the North End with "Trattoria" in the name (now that Trattoria a Scalinatella is gone). Did DiPasquale change the name of this place at some point? I associated the name Trattoria Il Panino with his Financial District bar/nightclub/restaurant on Franklin St that is now Umbria. Fri May 19 14:12:11 -0700 2006 844982 0 MC Slim JB 4 845000 I think this was DiPasquale's first place..the original Trattoria Il Panino. It used to be more of a sandwich shop on the ground floor and a dining room downstairs. Name is still the same. I've always enjoyed the place. Fri May 19 14:36:07 -0700 2006 844993 0 9lives 5 845004 You are right, it was his first place, the original (and the best, imho). And yes, it was a sandwich shop, sort of along the lines of the Il Panino Express that is now on Hanover St (around the corner) where you'd walk up to the counter and order what you wanted, then just take a seat at one of the tables upstairs. If you wanted to be waited on, you could go downstairs, but I believe the menu was the same both upstairs and downstairs. Probably close to 15 years ago I lived in the North End and was a poor college graduate....a special night out was going to Trattoria Il Panino, and ordering lobster fra diavlo from the guy at the counter. For $9.95 you'd get a small lobster, broken up in pieces, atop a mound of linguine, with a spicy red fra diavlo sauce. Really freakin delicious, those were the days. The food was always good there, and though I haven't been in a while, I imagine it still is. Fri May 19 15:32:17 -0700 2006 845000 0 twentyoystahs 6 845025 The shrimp dish was on the Antipasta list, however, I for get the name. To clarify to Jane: it was 5 regular sized shrimp; I know jumbos, and jumbos they were not. :) My friend got the Crepselle: Two crepes with spinach and ricotta and a marinara sauce which was $15 or $16. I tried this as well and was not impressed: The crepes themselves were thick and a bit bland, not delicate and light (perhaps this is the style, I don't know). And the spinach/ricotta was like mush: no thick cheese crumbles to sink your teeth into and no type of seasoning to zing you - just a play-doh like filling in the crepe. Since this is turning into a rant I might also mention that we were served room temperature bread...it's just not the same as a piping hot loaf. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, I'll certainly check them out. Anyway, I'm off to Bartley's Burgers tonight in Cambridge...heard it's damn good. Fri May 19 17:13:38 -0700 2006 845004 0 Texas Nate 7 845076 That sounds like a rip-off to me too, guess I won't be going there. One place that's widely regarded (not just me) as great in the North End is Neptune Oyster Bar, which has a lot of seafood choices, great wine, great service/atmosphere. Sorry about the bad experience. Sat May 20 20:16:50 -0700 2006 845025 0 John 4 845014 The Monica's across from Dino's on Salem Street recently changed its name to Trattoria di Monica. They have a new sign/awning and revamped menu. Looks to be a little pricier, which I'm bummed about because the food used to be so good AND affordable. It seems like these restaurants are always trying to one-up each other. Fri May 19 16:05:02 -0700 2006 844993 0 chucktownlady 5 845015 That's rich: Monica's changes its name from Restaurant to Trattoria, and *raises* its prices? How do you say "Unclear on the concept" in Italian? Don't get me started on "bistros". Fri May 19 16:18:42 -0700 2006 845014 0 MC Slim JB 1 844983 Are you talking jumbo shrimp? I can't imagine getting 8 jumbo shrimp for $20, and I'm in RI! Certainly not Boston. Can't recall the last time I SAW 8 jumbos in a dish - I see 6 and get excited. Fri May 19 13:23:38 -0700 2006 844977 0 Jane 1 844984 I have two suggestions for you: Giacomo's, on Hanover St. and La Summa, on Fleet St. Giacomo's is wonderful, and they certainly give large portions. But they don't take reservations and it's usually a long line outside. La Summa has excellent traditional Italian food, and homemade pasta. The portions are large, and the prices are very reasonable (most are under $20) Fri May 19 13:28:37 -0700 2006 844977 0 mwk 1 845032 Try LoContes on salem st, ytou'll get about 10 good sized shrimp for about 20$. Fri May 19 19:08:03 -0700 2006 844977 0 chris 1 845040 In the last month or so I have been to two restaurants in the North End which I felt were huge rip offs. The first ws Bricco's and the second was Prezza. Both places served at best average food and extremely high prices! Fri May 19 21:53:39 -0700 2006 844977 0 lam 2 845050 Wow, that's the very first time I've read a bad word about Prezza, What did you have? Sat May 20 02:01:00 -0700 2006 845040 0 Shaebones 3 845070 a salad for $12.00, tuna tartare app. for like $16.00 , my friend had halibut for $28.00. the desserts are $10.00. I am not used to the North End charging Newbury St. prices, and that would be steep for that street too. am I cheap? I don't think so! Sat May 20 17:00:44 -0700 2006 845050 0 lam 2 845116 I agree! Bricco is a total rip off and so is Prezza. Even the pizzas are subpar for the price at Bricco. Prezza has a nice bar with a great wine by the glass selection and gracious service, but the apps are blah and except for the pata dishes, everything else is ordinary and over priced. Mon May 22 08:23:15 -0700 2006 845040 0 Joe