Trattoria Centrale

Trattoria Centrale Restaurant Review:

A red awning invites diners to enter a neutral ivory-and-black-toned interior that spotlights the colorful plates of food. Owners Geoff Lockert and Brian Somershield serve up soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza and pasta bowls at lunch. Fresh-from-the-farm ingredients make the dishes in this tiny eatery a hit. Roman-style pizza dough is prepared in-house, entailing a four-hour process with an additional 30 minutes to stretch it before it's baked. Pizza toppings change daily, and so does the special. Try a Wednesday fusilli with Gulf shrimp, curried cauliflower, spinach, golden raisins, pine nuts and pecorino cheese or a bucatini all'amatriciana with meatballs, pancetta, mushrooms, basil and pecorino. Breakfast offerings range from sweet or savory scones to fluffy omelets --- perhaps one with pancetta, scallion and goat cheese. Mascarpone-filled french toast is legendary, made with Brick & Tin challah, and topped with plums, bacon and maple syrup. Drink options include Octane coffee, wine and local brews. Go early for Sunday brunch to beat the crowd.