Once a week, me and my folks make it a point to go out and eat. Some of you may call it "Family Bonding/Day", true enough, because it is the only time that my family is complete in sharing a meal.
There's something about Thursday that makes it my favorite day along with Saturday. haha okay, weird. Anyway, this week we ate at Italianni's in Trinoma. My mum wanted to eat there, no questions asked. We were supposed to go grocery shopping, but everyone, including me, was very hungry, so we opted to have dinner first.
"The More The Merrier"
Italianni's is under the Bistro Group of Restaurants (Friday's, Fish&cCo., Flapjacks, etc.) And while there are still some debates about how authentic their Italian food is, I really don't care. As long as the food is good, right? The food is great! I also understand that most international cuisines adjust the taste of their food to fit the filipino palate.
The Vanilla Company Tahitian vanilla
I was out of vanilla extract, so before I went up to the restaurant, I passed by Gourdo's to buy my favorite vanilla extract. This stuff is pricey compared to other brands, but it really is the best. Pure vanilla is always better than the imitation ones.
We were seated next to the bar. While waiting for your food you will be served with complimentary bread and you can watch TV. I love how Buddy Valastro was on the telly, one of my favorite chefs on TV.
If you've been to Italianni's, you'll notice that their walls are full of writings. The design of the place is rustic and was really made to look like an Italian bistro. The walls are covered with photos of mostly Italian families and food. I didn't get to take a picture, the place was full, I didn't want to disturb the people having dinner.
Italianni's complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping
Moving on to the food. When I got to Italianni's there wasn't any bread left. :(
The folks went ahead to the resto when I bought my stock of vanilla. So kind of them to leave one for me, one! Their complimentary bread is good, it's baked fresh daily. I don't know what that bread is called, it was okay, soft and chewy, I like their focaccia better though.
Our Food
We only ordered a salad, pizza and pasta. There was only three of us and the portions are good enough to share.
Sicilian Chicken Salad (lunch size)
I'm almost a grown woman, ALMOST, and I still can't tolerate vegetables. But their Sicilian chicken salad is an exception to my stubborn taste buds. I love this salad! It's my mum's favorite salad too. If you wanna get me to eat veggies, this is your best bet. I don't like sweet mixing with savoury, I find it unpalatable, but the flavors of this just works well with each other. I love how it's sweet and tangy, the texture of the fruits, veggies, and chicken is wonderful. The flavors compliment each other. The dressing is good too. We may change up on the pasta and pizza, but we always have this salad.
Grape Shake
Whenever we eat at Italianni's, I always have their grape shake. It's a good break from the usual mango shake and better then carbonated or sugary drinks. It's refreshing and perfect for washing down your meal.
Is it just me, or does the glass look crooked?
Shrimp Penne Mascarpone
penne pasta, succulent shrimps in light cream sauce topped with mascarpone
I don't really like tomato based pastas, I prefer cream based ones. Penne pasta was cooked perfectly, al dente, with big chunks of shrimp, and mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone, by the way, is Italian cream cheese. I wasn't expecting much flavor, but when I tasted it, I was proved wrong. It definitely had flavor, the penne alone was infused with flavor. It was light and tasty, I liked this one.
Angus Steak Pizza
minced angus beef, green bell peppers, mushroom cream sauce topped with mozzarella and caramelized onions
I love me some meat and on their menu was this new pizza, so we tried it. Not an ordinary round pizza, this one was more oblong than round. This was good, but nothing special. The crust was okay, the mushroom sauce was also tangy. I prefer their quattro formaggio pizza over this one though, I want its cheesy goodness. The flavor of the green bell pepper was dominant and I really wish there was more meat to the bite.
A bit of a close up on the pizza
This is my pops.
He's not camera shy unlike my mum. We call him Earth Angel, Congressman Ghel because he always wears those barong type polos that make him look like a congressman, and sometimes we also call him Ghel Beybeh to tease my mum.
The Bistro Circle Card
We always get one. The appetizer coupons and the discounts are really great perks. This year's card came with the complimentary appetizer vouchers so that you can try all the restaurants under the Bistro Group.
Oh and take this chance to try out their salad. I saw this one on their website.
I have a feeling my mum would love this! :D
I was so full after dinner that I didn't get to have dessert, I ate my Hello Panda at home as dessert. The food was great and I wish I could say the same about that night lol. Italianni's is one of the places you need to go to when you're craving for Italian food that isn't fast food. The staff is very nice, I forgot to take a picture of the manager, he was very accommodating.
Italianni's TriNoma
M4 Level, TriNoma Mall
North Ave. corner EDSA, Quezon City
It's at the cinema floor, outside, near Time Zone.
XXXOOO,
Les :)
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