Teresa’s Café Italiano

The line to get into this Palmer Square spot in Princeton wraps around the block for good reason — excellent ingredients and lack of frou-frou combined for remarkably consistent and honest Italian fare.

By: Faith Bahadurian

   TERESA’S Café Italiano, a 10-year veteran of Palmer Square, is one of Princeton’s most popular casual dining spots. Reservations are not accepted, and there are always clusters of would-be diners in the entry and at the bar, waiting to be seated.
   Our group bypassed the wait by going early on a weeknight, but even at 5:30 many tables were filled. By 6:30, the place was bustling, its closely spaced tables full and the noise level escalating. Pale green walls and other hard surfaces bounce the sounds of conversation, the clatter of silverware and dishes on tables (no tablecloths), the bustle in the bar and open pizza kitchen. Above our table, lighting placed above an overhead fan created a distracting flicker that distressed one of my companions until the fan was turned off.
   But none of this seems to matter much in this happy establishment. Once the food starts arriving, excellent ingredients and lack of frou-frou combine for remarkably consistent and honest fare. Jeremy Bolla, who currently heads up Teresa’s kitchen, credits the rest of his crew, many of whom are longtime employees at this location, with maintaining the consistency. The restaurant is part of T2 Ventures, owned by brothers Raoul and Carlo Momo, who also operate another Palmer Square restaurant, Mediterra, and Nova Terra in New Brunswick, among others.
   I have enjoyed many a light dinner of Caesar salad and individual pizzette at Teresa’s. The selection varies throughout the year: two favorites are the Zola e Noci — gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and prosciutto cotto — and the Pizza Ricci, with goat cheese, arugula, caramelized red onion, smoked mozzarella and, again, prosciutto.
   The night of our visit we resolved to be more adventurous. A basket of excellent bread — from Witherspoon Bread Co., another T2 Venture — quickly arrived, accompanied by two dishes of good olive oil enlivened with a mix of herbs for dipping. Having two dishes is a nice touch for a small table of four — no need for the boardinghouse reach.
   We tried three of the many salads offered in very generous servings. Insalata Mista ($5.50), comprised of mixed greens, tomato, shredded carrot, extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic dressing, is basic but nonetheless delicious, due to the freshness of the greens and the quality of the oil and vinegar. Insalata Radicchio ($7) consisted of mixed greens, fresh mozzarella, tomato and almonds, with roasted yellow pepper vinaigrette. It had great visual impact, with the greens in the center, surrounded by vibrant red radicchio leaves.

Staff photo by Frank Wojciechowski

Pale green walls and other hard surfaces bounce the sounds of conversation, the clatter of silverware and dishes on tables (no tablecloths), the bustle in the bar and open pizza kitchen.

   Our favorite was Insalata Farrauto ($7.75), with baby spinach, Granny Smith apple, Gorgonzola cheese and pine nuts. We especially liked the tiny cubes of apple but would have liked a little more Gorgonzola. It came with that delicious balsamic vinaigrette, and we noted that none of the salads were overdressed.
   We also shared an order of calamari ($8), somewhat humdrum compared to the salads, but served with a nice light marinara sauce and much heavier caper aioli.
   I was pleased to find chicken lasagna on the menu ($15) that I fondly remembered from Momo’s Market in Princeton Junction, yet another T2 Venture, when that store sold prepared foods. Tender pasta was layered with chicken, pesto, braised portabella mushrooms and smoked mozzarella, then set atop a pool of light tomato marinara. Its creamy richness is addictive, the leftovers just as good several days later.
   Melanzane Parmigiana ($14) also pleased, its lightly breaded and fried eggplant layered with Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, crushed tomatoes and basil. The result was fresh-tasting and brightly flavorful, not at all the heavy, soggy eggplant Parmesan most of us remember from Italian dinners of yore.
   Salmon Livornese ($17.25) offered big flavor. The pan-seared fillet was topped with tomato, onion and black olive sauce, then served over broccoli rabe with a spear of grilled polenta. The fish was moist, its sweetness offset by the bite of the bitter but tender rabe.
   The evening’s special pasta ($14.95, in line with other menu prices) was linguine mixed with mild sausage, mushrooms and red onions, bathed in the lightest of Alfredo sauces. The pasta was cooked perfectly, the flavors melded beautifully — another winner.

Staff photo by Frank Wojciechowski

   Teresa’s carefully chosen wine and spirits list offers many by-the-glass choices, along with a selection of dessert wines, grappa, single malt scotch, cognac, brandies and port. We chose the La Braccesia 2000 Sabazio Rosso de Montepulciano ($28/bottle). The robust red wine was served properly and worked with all the entrées, including the gutsy salmon dish.
   The best dessert of those we tried was the Chocolate Oblivion ($6.25), a flourless chocolate cake with "wild berry sauce." The cake had a hard chocolate shell on top, and was dense but not too heavy, with excellent chocolate within. The smooth sauce, predominantly raspberry, nicely offset the richness of the cake.
   We also enjoyed passable cannoli ($3.75), the sweetened Ricotta filling artfully piped in and around the crisp shell. Like many versions, it contained tiny chocolate chips. Not as well liked was the Fociocolatto ($5.50), a chocolate and hazelnut "pizza" made with Nutella melted on a round of soft pizza dough. It was the essence of childish comfort food, perfect for little hands to play with but maybe a little too babyish for adults.
   Only one of us opted for coffee, an "Americana decaf" ($2.25), served with an espresso-like froth on top. I couldn’t resist trying a sip; it was piping hot, and easily the best decaf I’ve had, due to the high quality of the Lavazza beans.
   And that’s the thing about Teresa’s. A knack for consistency, simple dishes made with excellent ingredients and pleasantly served — you just can’t go wrong with that combination.
For directions to Teresa’s Café Italiano, click here.