Trattoria Mediterranea

This lively Italian restaurant in Newtown, Pa., shines with crusty bread and fresh pasta dishes.

By: Sally Silverman

   WALKING down the street in Newtown at night always gives me the feeling of having discovered a special secret. Shop windows are crammed full of enticing, out-of-the-ordinary merchandise, trees twinkle with little white lights and park benches beckon.
   The storefront window of Trattoria Mediterranea is in keeping with this spirit. The restaurant’s warm, wooden frame is softened with swags of airy muslin, the glow within coming from candles on every table and a crowd that seems to be eating and drinking with gusto.
   The atmosphere inside has a European accent. High-backed banquettes covered with sophisticated fabric line each wall of the narrow room, the single row of tables on either side topped by linens and chic blue water glasses. Space is tight, but the noise level in the crowded room is not unpleasant — until the keyboard musician starts to play, as he did the Friday night we were there.
   Our servers were patient. Conversation was the priority as we hurried to catch up with old friends. The wine we brought with us was promptly opened and poured, the impressive list of the day’s specials recited, and a basket of crusty rustic bread was delivered to dunk into a dish of quality olive oil aromatic with garlic and pepper. We were then left to chat and peruse the menu at our leisure.
   We started our meal with a selection of salads. The classic mozzarella caprese ($8) was a winner. A generous platter came heaped with five slices of fresh and creamy light mozzarella, mixed greens, sliced plum tomatoes and sliced roasted red peppers, all drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with parsley. The mixed green salad ($6) was simple but good, lightly dressed with a flavorful, Italian-style vinaigrette. One of the special salads of the day, shrimp with white beans and arugula ($13), was our first glimpse of the kitchen’s capacity for unevenness. The five shrimp were big and nicely grilled, the Tuscan-style beans full of flavor. Unfortunately, a generous hand had drenched the arugula, and it was swimming in too much lemony vinaigrette.
   The restaurant owners are from the South of Italy, and the cuisine reflects their heritage, with an abundance of fish, seafood and red-sauced pastas predominating. Pastas are clearly favored, with many coming fresh from South Philadelphia. There are ravioli stuffed with spinach in a tomato sauce and ravioli filled with lobster in a lobster-cream sauce. Cappelli comes with crabmeat, linguini with shrimp, and risotto with shrimp or porcini mushrooms.
   The lasagna ($14) is a more delicate version than is usually found. Filling is all ground beef, with the light tomato sauce, vegetables and Parmesan and Provolone cheeses applied with a light, careful hand. It melts in the mouth. The ravioli stuffed with spinach ($15) were equally tender and tasty, though they arrived far from piping hot. Each big ravioli was plumped with a creamy filling of spinach, Ricotta cheese and a hint of herbs. The tomato sauce in which they were dressed was subtle enough not to mask their delicate flavor.
   A special of the evening, the black linguine, was the fiery counterpart. Smothered in a chunky marinara that packed a potent, peppery kick, the dish was topped with a pair of jumbo shrimp and a hefty in-shell lobster tail that, disappointingly, was a little on the tough side. With such abundant and tempting pasta offerings, only one of us chose to eat meat.
   The rack of lamb ($27), another special for the evening, was highly touted by our server. A good cut of meat, the lamb was well-flavored but arrived only slightly pink — more well-done than the medium rare my husband had requested. Nicely seasoned with herbs and a hint of breadcrumbs on the bone side, the meat didn’t benefit at all from the sweet and syrupy red wine sauce. The roasted potatoes and steamed zucchini were simple and good, but not until they had been sent back to the kitchen to be heated through.
   After dinner, the dessert cart was wheeled to the table to tempt us with a beautiful selection of cakes and tarts. The napoleon ($6) we chose was well-executed: the pastry flaky throughout, the cream delicate and not overly sweet. The Italian rum cake ($6), with its layers of cake, cream and chocolate buttercream, had almost no taste. It’s a mystery why the management chose to use an equally tasteless cream sauce and sprinkle an abundance of powdered sugar on both desserts.
   Dinner at Trattoria Mediterranea can be a delicious event, worth a visit for the crusty bread and oil, the salad and the fresh pasta dishes. It can also be a lively one — especially if the Italian staff breaks out into song, as they did the night we were there.
For directions to Trattoria Mediterranea, click here.