Trattoria Pulcinella
Cambridge, MA 02138-1367
Phone: (617) 491-6336
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Concord Avenue
- Hours:
- Tue-Thu 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm, Sun-Mon 5pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Trattoria Pulcinella – by Citysearch Staff
The Scene
Befitting the trattoria's rather authentic atmosphere, the dining room features several rustic touches and cramped seating arrangements (expect to have a hard time hearing your date when the place is packed). The menu features the old (eggplant-stuffed ravioli) and the new (sweet potato gnocchi with duck ragu), all Italian, all done right. Daily specials incorporate the catch of the day.
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User Reviews for Trattoria Pulcinella
01/08/2008 Posted by curious1150
2 couples on Friday 1/4/2008 with reservations. This place is very cute and was busy and almost full when we visited. The menu is very tiny print so, if you go after this review, bring glasses and a flashlight. Service was busy and a little abrupt, and it took some time for the food. The specials were unpriced; one was boar's meat with coca sauce (sounded a little sweet?), another risotto with seafood, another snapper. Three out of four of us thought the food was unappetizing. The liver and a pasta dish were inedibly salty. The snapper in tomato sauce was tasteless; it seemed to be missing the sauce. (Our fourth didn't weigh in on taste.) The wine list is extensive, unless you ordered the low-end house wine, which was mysteriously unavailable. I would not recommend this restaurant, and would not return. If you must, I suggest you order the simplest traditional pasta dishes, and see if they are good at that. The venue might be popular because it is cute and appears authentic (and in traditional areas might be) and also because it is located conveniently in the middle of the cambridge/harvard residential neighborhood.
Pros: cute looking, polite clientele
Cons: food is tasteless
04/02/2007 Posted by thomv
A terrific little trattoria off the beaten track in Cambridge, over by Fresh Pond. Family owned and operated, the atmosphere is cozy and rustic, and the service is old school traditional (I was even gently scolded for not removing my hat after being seated!)...The way the smooth 1950s jazz and classic aroma of garlic cooked in olive oil commingled in the air, I knew right away that I was in for a very pleasurable dining experience. Salads made with wonderfully fresh, simple ingredients, homemade pasta cooked to perfection (i.e. 'al dente'), a tantalizing variety of seafood and lean meats - plus a wine list with everything from select yet affordable table wines to the most extravagant Barolos and Brunellos, this place is really everything you could want in an authentic home style trattoria: vibrant, healthful, flavorful food, honestly and skillfully prepared in the Italian tradition. Bravissimo! Next time I'll make sure to get dessert!
Pros: Superb Italian cuisine, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Cons: None!
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