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Vitello Vincenzo

Vitello Vincenzo

The term “authentic “ is often tossed around when describing restaurants that serve food typically identified with a certain country, and it is one I find entertainingly subjective.   I’ve seen grown men (with the aid of a beverage or two) argue over what is “authentically Woostah,” having grown up blocks away from each other.  I would never presume to qualify something as being authentic, but I can say that Mare e Monti Trattoria tastefully and subtly captured, from my experiences, the feel of a small restaurant in Italy.  It was a rare treat to experience that in a local restaurant, and I would go back for that experience alone.

Confession: I am a sucker for mushrooms and cheese.  So naturally when I came across the Vitello Vincenzo, a sautéed veal scaloppini with wild mushrooms, prosciutto and roasted garlic in a marsala wine sauce over choice of pasta, I looked no further.   The meal did not disappoint, though I will admit it did not exceed expectations.  The dish would have benefited from being slightly less salted, though it was by no means overwhelmingly so, and the portion of veal seemed a bit small in comparison with the rest of the plate.  I chose to pair it with the Ruffino Superior Chianti, which was just as pleasant as the meal itself.

The highlight of the meal was the selection of various homemade desserts, and in particular the delectable almond tort which I was able to make disappear with the deftness of a seasoned magician.  The exceptional service, ambiance, and dessert will bring me back to this diamond in the rough in search of a main dish that will rise to the level of excellence that abounds in Mare e Monti Trattoria.

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Gamberi Andrea

Gamberi Andrea from Mare E Monti Trattoria on Wall Street in Worcester, MA

Gamberi Andrea from Mare E Monti Trattoria on Wall Street in Worcester, MA

Entering Mare E Monti Trattoria on Wall Street, I got the feeling of an intimate rustic atmosphere. A friendly server who pointed us to our table greeted me promptly. My husband and I headed over to join friends who had already arrived. Our table and companions for the evening was quite large with around 14 people. The two servers assigned to us worked together nicely to make sure we were taken care of. I felt the service throughout the evening was good and prompt.

I am a huge fan of red sangria and after asking if they could make me one I ordered one and was nicely surprised when I tried it. I would go back there just to have their sangria again.

It was hard to choose from the menu because I found so many menu options to my liking but I finally settled on the entree called “Gamberi Andrea” it was a combination of Sautéed jumbo shrimp, cracked black pepper, baby spinach, roasted garlic all mixed into a vodka rosa sauce. This was served with a choice of pasta and for a few dollars more I was able to choose from one of the two home made pasta. I chose the pappardelle. The other homemade pasta was spaghetti. The sauce in this dish was truly amazing. Just that right amount of cream to go with the tomato base. I found myself eating my whole dish of pasta and shrimp. The portions are nice sized here too. A bit large but I expect that when I am ordering pasta. The dish had a small spice to it but nothing the average person would not enjoy. I enjoyed it immensely and would go back and order it again.