A glass of red wine at Trappizzino in Manhattan

We were walking around the Lower East Side on one of those early spring days in the middle of February hoping our toddler would doze into a slumber so we could grab something to eat. Sadly, those days seem behind us as he’s largely outgrowing a stroller nap.

Luckily, we had some other tools at our disposal. We had recently given him a Kindle loaded up with a Thomas the Tank Engine Game. So far we’ve reserved this magic device for restaurant dining, and he’s enthusiastic about sitting quietly and playing.

We decided to try our luck at Trapizzino, a Rome-based restaurant that had opened in the Lower East Side a few years ago, closed during the pandemic, and then reopened in the same location.

My wife first came across Trapizzino on a trip to Rome when she stayed in an AirBnB above the restaurant. Located in Testaccio, a one-time working-class neighborhood, she had chosen the neighborhood in part because she followed the writing of Rachel Roddy.

Roddy has been a champion of the neighborhood since moving there, and it serves as the source of many of the articles she writes for the Guardian. She’s also authored An A-Z of Pasta, a look at pasta shapes and stories behind them.

Trapizzino had a busy brunch service the afternoon we came by

Trapizzino is named for its signature food, explains Katie Parla. Invented by Stefano Callegari at his pizza-by-the-slice restaurant, 00110, the term combines tramezzino, triangular cafe sandwiches and pizza. Trapizzino in Rome is actually just a rebranded version of 00100, which closed and reopened around 2013.

Testaccio has become something of a destination in recent years. When my wife and I returned, we also stayed in an apartment there. We attempted to stop in at Trapizzino, but it was closed for the holidays. We ended up eating at a sandwich shop in the Testaccio market.

Trapizzino opened in Manhattan in February of 2017, in a space far more upscale than the Testaccio location. A few months after opening, the restaurant received a license for wine and beer. We paid a visit a few times in the pre-pandemic. It was a great spot for a light bite, especially in a neighborhood surrounded by many overpriced and not particularly good restaurants.

The pandemic shuttered Trapizzino, seemingly permanently, until it reopened in 2021. There’s still a rotating selection of trapizzini and rice balls, plus pasta and salads. The restaurant also added brunch service which was in full swing when we rolled up.

We had to wait a few minutes for a table to open up, something we haven’t really done since having a newborn. Toddlers are simply too energized. Standing on line with a toddler is the circle Dante forgot to mention.

A small table with a corner bench opened up right near the door. It was more meant for two, but toddlers are small. Eventually as the restaurant emptied out, I did get a stand alone chair all to myself. We plugged our toddler into the tablet and set about ordering a glass of wine.

We ordered some vegetables, rice balls, and trapizzini. Our toddler had filled himself up on fruit snacks on the walk over, which was good because he’s a picky eater and there wasn’t anything he wanted on the menu. We did bribe him with the promise of a slice of pizza afterward if he played his little games.

Fried, Roman-style artichokes

The carciofi arrived glistening with hot oil from the fryer. The edges of the leaves were crispy brown, and there was a side of aioli or mayonnaise for dipping. The sauce wasn’t all that necessary, as the artichokes had great flavor without it. I would have preferred a bit of flavor in the aioli to be honest.

Broccolini topped with ricotta salada

The broccolini arrived dusted in cheese, a ricotta salad, which brought a little saltiness and a little texture to the vegetable. The fresh lemon cut the bitterness. If there is any complaint, its the flavor isn’t very strong compared to the other dishes we ate.

The rice balls are fried perfectly and arrive crisp and delicious

Pulling the rice ball apart reveals the melty cheese filling

The absolute breakout star of this meal was the leek and Talleggio rice ball. The cheese was melty, the leek had just the right amount of peppery flavor. I would have ordered more.

One of the things about the rice balls that really struck me is how little rice there is. One of my complaints with a lot of arancini in the city is there isn’t much filling, but lots of rice. Here there was a much better balance.

The trapizzino is described as a combination of pizza and sandwich. One downside of this is they don’t stand up on their own and require this little metal holder

Then arrived the main event: the Trapizzini. These are pockets of bread filed with deliciousness. We ordered two: an eggplant and a chicken cacciatore.

The eggplant had a crispy breading, but the sauce had softened this in places. There was a strong Sicilian flavor profile with umami and brine and saltiness.

The cacciatore is unlike Italian American cacciatore with red sauce and chunky vegetables. Instead, the flavor is heavy on the rosemary, white wine, and lemon, cooked in a Roman or southern Italian style.

There’s a strong rosemary flavor in this chicken, and the texture is juicy and a little bit greasy, in a good way.

If you’re interested in the alternative cacciatore, check out Katie Parla’s recipe, inspired by the Trapizzino in Rome.

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