A truly special restaurant in Devon is attracting rave reviews for its authentic Italian feel and monster portions. The delicious smell of fresh food cooked on the premises is enough to tempt you as you walk by.
Trattoria Capri is a relatively new restaurant to Plymouth's Barbican and I’d been longing to try it as Italian food is definitely up there with my favourite cuisines. Having heard that the portions were generous and that most of the menu is “homemade” onsite, myself and a companion visited the restaurant for dinner in March.
We were made to feel very welcome as soon as we arrived and the restaurant has a warm, homely feel to it. When we sat down in a seat by a window looking out at Southside Street, there was another couple finishing their meal.
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They told us “the portions are huge” and warned us not to order too much due to the very generous sizes.
So, we ordered a starter to share - the Arancini balls. These are a typical Italian dish, made up of risotto rice, stuffed with mozzarella cheese and cooked in breadcrumbs, served with rich tomato sauce, topped with parmesan shavings and rocket.
As we were ordered, several more customers trickled in and before our order arrived, the venue was filling up fast. I chose a soft drink, Belvoir ginger ale for refreshment, my companion chose a Poretti beer, which he’d not heard of before - not to be confused with the better known Birra Moretti.
For mains, my partner ordered veal Milanese (there was also the choice of pork or chicken Milanese). The meat is cooked in breadcrumbs, served with a tasty pasta on the side, which has a choice of aglio e olio (garlic) accompaniment or a or tomato-based sauce.
I chose the Mediterranean sea bass which is pan fried with cherry tomatoes, garlic, black olives, drizzled with pesto and balsamic glaze.
We didn’t need to order any other side dishes as both meals come with thinly cut roasted potatoes and a selection of colourful vegetables.
When the food arrived, we were very impressed. It was tasty, beautifully presented and the service was friendly and professional.
All the dishes were temptingly colourful and they tasted even better than they looked. The Arancini balls were nicely seasoned, crunchy crumb enveloping soft rice and the tomato-sauce that came with them was mouth-watering.
My partner said the veal Milanese was “delicious” and he also commented on the “homely feel” of the restaurant. My sea bass main was so fresh, I’d imagine it was sourced from the nearby Plymouth Fisheries, as the restaurant has a sign on the door that states they source fish locally.
The portions were certainly large, but as it was all so tasty we managed to finish our mains and even had a little room left for dessert. I chose a lighter option of lemon sorbet, my partner chose Cannoli, tube-shaped pastries filled with a sweet, creamy ricotta filling.
By the time we had finished our desserts, Trattoria Capri was completely full up and they were even turning people away - despite the premises being a very reasonably sized restaurant.
But it’s easy to see why the restaurant is so popular, the food is exceptional, the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and there’s plenty of choice to keep trying new dishes.
Prices were reasonable, the food total came to £52.75, for the two mains, shared starter and two desserts, with drinks on top, the bill came to just under £70. We'll definitely be going back to try more on the menu there soon.
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