The Undercover Vegetarian: Trattoria Neapolis

By Besha Rodell Fri., Oct. 12 2012 at 11:12 AM

Categories: The Undercover Vegetarian

Anne Fishbein

Sauteed broccolini with garlic, Calabrian chile and lemon vinaigrette at Trattoria Neapolis

Italian restaurants with big, crowd-pleasing menus are generally safe territory for vegetarians, and Trattoria Neapolis, the subject of this week's restaurant review, is no different.

The wide-ranging menu offers staples like caprese and beet salad, as well as a strangely re-imagined panzanella with avocado. There's pizza, of course, always a welcome safe zone for vegetarians, and the good news is that the pizza is very good -- thin, crisp and satisfying.

One of most enjoyable dishes I had at Trattoria Neapolis was a bagna cauda, a salad of grilled summer vegetables with romaine hearts and Parmigiano. Of course, part of its appeal was the salty funk of an anchovy dressing -- they'll give you another dressing if you ask, but I can't guarantee the salad will be as good.

Vegetarian pasta dishes are available, although I might be tempted to make an entree of sides. Oven-roasted fennel with toasted pistachios; and grilled baby broccoli with Calabrian chile and lemon, for instance. Watch out for the pancetta on the spinach, and be sure to ask if the polenta is cooked with chicken stock -- I asked. My server didn't know the answer.

See also: The Undercover Vegetarian archives.

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