Caffe Itri
1686 Cranston Street
Cranston
by Bob Mariani
Deep in the heart of Cranston, for the past 14 years, the Caffe Itri has been serving up an expansive array of Southern Italian dishes, many of which have been adapted from their place of origin in the little mountain town of Itri, about 60 miles south of Rome. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal, the prices user-friendly, and the service is convivial and brisk, in true trattoria style.
At sunset on a much-too-chilly spring evening, the Caffe and glassed-in porch dining areas are already starting to fill up. The menu contains all the right stuff with an appetizer list that includes such mainstays as fried calamari tossed with Itri Salsa; clams zuppa with chicken sausage and green onions in a pesto white wine broth; a "Farmer’s Special of cannelloni beans, prosciutto and red onions over foccacia.
I began with some grilled apple wedges artfully wrapped with gorgonzola and Prosciutto de Parma. What’s not to love about the subtle marriage of these three wonderfully subtle flavors?
My wife had the "La Caprese," house-made mozzarella, vine ripened tomatoes, and Prosciutto de Palma. The "mozz" was firm and mild and notably enhanced by a slick of sweet garden-y tasting basil pesto sauce. We were off to a great start.
It should be noted here that Caffe Itri owner Greg Spremulli is justly proud of his wine cellar and it has received the Wine Spectator Award for Excellence 2003-04.
In the entrée department, there were two gnocchi dishes to choose from: one with a cream, gorgonzola cheese sauce with grated Pecorino Romano, and one with a spicy arrabiata sauce. We went with the latter and were delighted with this sunny blend of soft, tender potato "pillows" with a classic tangy red sauce. I think Caffe Itri’s version of this southern Italian staple is about as close to authentic as it gets. We requested a sausage and a meatball to accompany the gnocchi and there you had it— a complete meal on one plate.
Our other main course was what was termed a grilled shrimp and scallop "spiedini." This was a terrific light spring creation with the skewered shrimp and scallops atop a nest of thin capallini pasta. The pasta had been cooked in water the usual way, and then lightly turned over on the grill to give it just a hint of crispiness. It was mixed with some tender sautéed baby spinach and dressed with a honey balsamic glaze. This combination is about as far from the more expected arrabiata sauced items as could be and an excellent change of pace from some of the heftier options.
Entrees at Itri range from about $7.95 to $20.95 and include things like Linguini with oyster, shitake, and crimini mushroom; rigatoni chicken, pan seared and served with artichoke hearts in a basil and balsamic pink sauce with ribbed tube pasta; wood grilled double thick pork chops with a brandied apple and raisin chutney served with mashed sweet potatoes; pork Marsala; veal pizziaola with fresh oregano, in a shallots-and-garlic white wine sauce; and wood-grilled beef tenderloin with a shitake mushroom and cognac sauce.
Most of the desserts are made on the premises and they taste it. We sampled several including the light, mild wine biscuits, the paper-thin pizelle, the creamy but light tira misu, the delightful tri-flavored spumoni ice cream, and some of the best soft and crunchy almond biscotti I’ve ever dipped in espresso.
When a restaurateur puts as much energy and passion into his restaurant as Greg Spremulli clearly does, it’s manifested in the food. There are no shortcuts or compromises on the Caffe Itri’s menu and the ingredients are clearly chosen for their freshness and quality.
They’re closed Sundays and open for dinner and lunch every day but Saturday when they do dinner only. For more information call 942-1970 or visit their website. Greg Spremulli is justly proud of his well-maintained little piece of Itri in the heart of downtown Knightsville
Bob Mariani is a Southeastern New England freelance author. Besides his "Table for Two" restaurant reviews found here, he also writes jazz articles on allaboutjazz.com.
