Battle of The 94’s

So when I want a really  good meal but don’t want to drop two Benjamins , where do I  go?

Lately it has always been one of two places: either the great  Piccola Italia ( 837  West Park,

Ocean) or my perennial favorite Trama’s Trattoria on Brighton Ave in Long Branch.

I have been arguing with myself for a while but to no avail , trying to decide which one is

better. I have finally come to the conclusion that it is a dead heat and that is a good thing.

Big drinks , check. Homemade pasta check. Great wait staff check. Consistent food check.

Beautiful digs check. Uber talented chef check. Talking about the chefs , you would have to travel long

and hard ( and scour New York) to find one with better credentials than the great Pat Trama. His

culinary journey reads like a “Who's Who “of gastronomic greatness, first working at The River Cafe 

under the auspices of International super chef Charlie Palmer. He then continued his journey working

with the renowned restaurateur  Drew Nieporent  owner of  everything including Tribeca Grill, Nobu 

etc , well you get the picture . It was his at next stint, however, working at Le Madre in NY( with 

famous restaurateur Pino Loungo)  and later as Executive Chef at Coco Pazzo in Chicago  

where  Chef Trama found his true groove (and love), authentic Tuscan Cooking. Add in service 

as the Executive Chef at David Burke's Fromagerie and Donatella and you’ve got one very

qualified dude. While just about no one could match the pedigree of Pat Trama, Executive Chef and

owner Brian Gualtieri of Piccola  Italia  is no slouch either, having trained at two of New York's finest 

Restaurants ,  Montrachet  and  Chanterelle as well as San Francisco's One Market and  Mumfords in

Long Branch. For 18 years the very talented Chef Gualtieri has been doing it and doing it well ,

bringing  customers back time and time again for his exquisite Perciatelli Carbonara  and sumptuous

seared Porcini  Encrusted  Day Boat  Scallops. Throw in a little of his super rich Breakfast in Bed

Creme Brulee with maple syrup  for dessert and it’s  pretty hard to beat. Talking about  hard to beat,

the super crusty  Brooklyn Bread at Trama’s Trattoria is so exceptional  It will long live in your  most

secret food fantasies. Guaranteed you will embarrass yourself repeatedly , begging like a small dog for

a bread basket refill. But Oh, the croutons added to Chef Tramas garlicky  mussels in tomato gravy

make it a near religious experience, Mama Mia, I devoured two dishes and I don’t even like mussels.

For something different try the shaved baby  artichoke salad with lemon dressing ,or the decadent 

Bucatini Cacio e Pepe and you are in business.  And so are they, thankfully. Now If you are not on a

first name basis with your  cardiologist ( and flush with cash ) opt to  share the very  authentic bone-in

ribeye Florentine style, you won’t be sorry. So there you go, two local super chefs from different paths

bringing consistently excellent food for your dining pleasure. Really you can’t  go wrong with either.

Maybe try then both and let me  know now what you think !   Piccola  Italia , and Trama Trattoria :

Food rating (tie) 94%.

 

Trama’s famous Mussels .