Trattoria La Piazzetta - Niles

Italian Gem Hidden in Rockwell Trattoria La Piazzetta serves authentic Italian dishes that will make you feel like you're actually in Italy. There's no denying the goodness that comes off your every bite. Owned by Mr. Roberto, an Italian who now lives in the country, this restaurant promises you nothing but genuine delectable dishes. Even their grill is imported all the way from Italy so their pizza is made the way Italians are used to eating. You can see it when you dine in through a glimpse of the kitchen on a glass window inside the restaurant. Burrata con Rucola (Php 495.00): is a salad with burrata cheese, tomatoes, and arugula leaves with olive oil. Burrata cheese is made from buffalo milk cheese and a much fresher and better version of the mozzarella cheese we're used to putting on our food. I could honestly eat the cheese alone but of course, the tomatoes and arugula leaves make it so much better than it is alone. As a starter, this sets the bar too high already. Bruschetta Ricotta (Php 390.00): I don't think this is on the menu on Zomato because the one I saw there was different. I also really loved this, mainly because of the ricotta cheese. It's so creamy and it's like a whole new sensation of cheese heaven after having the burrata. And I love how it stands out more than the taste of the ham because I truly believe it's the highlight of this dish. I mean, it's on the name so of course, it is. Black Ink Linguini (Php 550.00): squid ink pasta with aglio oil. The sauce of the pasta had a really light taste which makes it perfect because the pasta itself had its own flavor and it highlights both of them really well when you eat it all together with the sunny side up egg and the lemon. If you love squid ink dishes, this is a must! Grigliata Di Carne (Php 1450.00): even their grilled meats are cooked perfectly. All so juicy and tender that it will meet even the highest standards. It didn't even need any more salt and/or pepper. Kudos to the chef for that. Salmone Al Forno (Php 785.00): another main dish cooked to perfection. The salmon was cooked so well that it was still juicy and far from being dry even after sitting for a while. I don't even drink much wine but you're gonna want that perfect pair after having a bite. Margherita (Php 385.00): here comes the best of them all and one of the main reasons you should try this place out. The way they create their pizza, the Neapolitan way. It's the way Italians made their pizza centuries ago. In fact, they wanted to preserve it so much, it has been given a UNESCO status. That way, it can't be touched or twisted into any other way. I mean, why would you even do that? It's perfect the way it is. In my own, honest, and personal opinion, no other style of pizza would ever compare to how good this is. And I'm basing this because I prefer chewy and softer bread over thin crusts and I also prefer lesser toppings more than overloaded ones. I just want dishes to focus on what taste they want me to taste, it's straight to the point that way. Margherita is the perfect flavor because it's basically just tomato, mozzarella, and basil leaves. It's simple yet very tasty. Trattoria is located outside Powerplant mall, it's easy to find if you know your way around the mall. The interior and atmosphere of the restaurant gives you a casual dining experience. It's perfect for both a date and a family dine out. If you really want to impress the people you're with, choose this place because it won't let you down.

Great food, simple but tasty! Place is very convenient and nice for a quiet moments with loved ones and friends! Service could be better if servers know to anticipate customers' needs.

Actual rating: 4.6 I was definitely impressed by this restaurant. To begin with, I’m not too fond of Italian cuisine, but since my friend was craving Italian, okay, let’s give it a try. Place was spacious and well-lit. They give complimentary slices of bread with some olive oil-balsamic-garlic-parmesan mix. I got the set of lamb chops with tomato-based sauce, parmesan risotto, and baked veggies. It was wonderful. The lamb chops were cooked spot on, tender and juicy all throughout. Cooked at perfect medium well. You can really taste the essence of its meat. The parmesan risotto was also great, flavor was spot-on, mild cheesy taste which compliments the dish well. Consistency was a little bit dry, though, imo. But still yummy! The sauce though was a little too salty and overbearing for the dish. But, you can just put it aside. Hindi naman siya inabsorb ng lamb. My friend got the Tagliata ai Porcini. The steak was cooked at medium well and it was tasty and delicious as well, you can taste the salt and pepper bits that helped the flavor of the meat to surface. Fries were crispy as well. The mushroom gravy sauce that came with it had truffle oil in it which was also a great match. Generally, good experience. I would go back if ever I crave for those dishes, or Italian cuisine for that matter.

Trattoria La Piazzetta is totally a different concept from the previous Cantinetta situated in the same exact place. It was fully renovated, the menu was revamped, they made it more authentic, using imported Valoriani oven from Tuscany Italy that was approved and certified by Neapolitan Pizza Association which aims to retain the traditional preparation and quality of pizzas. For security reason, they don’t use wood inside the oven because its within mall vicinity and you have got to be an expert using wood. To showcase a different kind of pizza, not the usual thin crust or regular pizza the way we call it here in Philippines, they wanted to introduce the Neapolitan style though at the end of the day, as the owner said, you've got to somehow adapt to certain taste yes, it is Neapolitan but slightly adapted. Every ingredient, as much as possible is Italian like for instance the mozzarella cheese derived from milk, white in color and not the stringy type, whereas the ones you easily find at the grocery are typically commercialized and less than the real thing. As most of the brands have been influenced by the US, the American understanding of pizza here is quite confusing full of toppings, so many cheese, heavy or too oily, thin crust which is something opposite to the authentic Italian pizza that is light, chewy crust and less of a toppings thus it is 1 pizza per person. It is plain and basic by all means. The highlights during our lunch was actually not just focused on their Pizzas but their fresh pastas and main course. As for the Antipasti, we had the Burrata which is composed of 3 types of tomatoes, basil pesto, organic arugula drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. This is one of their new items from the Antipasti section. The medley of flavors are a breath of fresh air and it was indeed appetizing. Another new item from the Antipasti Caldi or hot appetizers is the Bruschetta Ricotta these are grilled slices of bread with Ricotta Mousse and Parma Ham glazed with balsamic reduction to intensify the palate. They have us try one of their home made pastas which is the Black Ink Linguine. It was cooked aglio olio style meaning, out of garlic and oil. There are crab meats, fresh greens, lemon chilly and sunny side up mix them all together to create a very scrumptious pasta dish. By the way, this is also a new item and so as the main courses to follow. Salmone Al Forno and Grigliata Di Carne were the main course of the meal. The Salmone Al Forno is oven roasted salmon served with baked vegetables. You'd love the skin and how it was perfectly roasted, the meat is smooth, has a subtle flavor. While on the meatier side, Grigliata Di Carne is a plate of different kinds of meats such as beef tenderloin, italian sausage, lamb chop, grilled chicken, vegetable and roasted potato. Scrumptious, tender and juicy meats, huge serving and cooked to perfection. Don't forget a bottle of red wine to pair with your favorite meats. We would not have missed the pizza on this case since we all discussed how they make their authentic Pizza. The Margherita would be the perfect example. Minimal toppings of tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil then chewy dough. As mentioned above, it has to be plain and basic. And to finally end our meal, we got to try the Classic Tiramisu and Chocolate Panna cotta. Not to exaggerate but It was heaven here on earth. Loved these desserts from every scoop. They are a must try! It was indeed a wonderful feast in the afternoon with a few bits of learning the Neapolitan way and preserving the authenticity of Italian cooking. To adapt at least is one way to connect the borderline of accuracy and authentic cuisine to the unpredictable and erratic modern approach. Kudos to Trattoria La Piazzetta! Thanks PigOutSundays for the invite

Did you know that the Napolitana method of making pizza was awarded the Unesco World Heritage status last December 2017 Yes UNESCO World Heritage familiar to us for bestowing the prestigious status to our very own Banaue Rice Terraces and Tubbataha Reef , also recognized for the very first time Pizzaiuolo or the Napolitana way of pizza making.....