Trattoria Toscana

[Rosie]

After living in the area for six years we finally got to try Trattoria Toscana, 554 Rt 10 West, Whippany (BYO) and were very pleased with the food. When seated bruschetta topped with tomatoes, onions and beans were brought to the table along with warm Italian bread. Herbed olive oil was on the table. There were specials listed on a blackboard without the prices and the waiter also verbally explained them without the prices.

We shared mussels in a delicious hot sauce for an appetizer. Entrees were a grilled salmon with escarole and beans and two pork chops with crunchy roasted potatoes and broccoli. Both were very good and the portions were quite large. The only dessert made in house was the cannoli so we opted for chocolate gelato. What we found to be "interesting" is that the list of specials changed twice during the night within a fifteen minute period. As it was the same waiter reciting them we couldn't figure out if the list changed with the customer or if the waiter didn't remember all of the specials. Also, the owner told a table near us about another special that the waiter didn't recite to anyone. In any case, we liked this place and will try it again. The restaurant is small and gets busy even on weekdays. Phone: 973-386-0303.

[Lreda]

Rosie, I worked with the owner Rudy years ago. I eaten here on a couple of occasions and found everything to done well. Well crafted Northern Italian cusine and being brought up learning the business in a Italian restaurant I appriciate the quality they put in the food. I believe Rudy's son is the chef there. I only live a few miles away and it's a great place to go in the afternoon with a good bottle of wine and Rudy always has a good story to tell with his familiar raspy voice.

[Rachel Perlow]

Jay and I dined there several times when we lived in the area, and my parents continue to go there. Always enjoyable, as long as you remember to make a reservation, it is small so even on weekdays it can be hard to get a table and there's not much room to wait for one. Although BYOB, should you express interest, they do have some sambucca and other liqueur to offer as a complimentary after dinner drink (we usually tip bigger in return).

[Lreda]

Be careful Rachel, that's illegal Some of us in Morris Co do that whether or not we have a liquor license or not. I always served Sambuca or Marie Brizzard anisette with espresso or Creme deCocoa( Sic) with capuchinos .

Always remember a good coffee leaves a good memory of a great meal.

Lou

[Rosie]

Always remember a good coffee leaves a good memory of a great meal.

Lou--I have always said that a restaurant should have good bread because it sets the mood for the rest of the meal and "good coffee leaves a good memory of a great meal."

Didn't know that Trattoria Toscana was open for lunch.

[Rail Paul]

Dee and I stopped there for dinner Monday night. Nice place on route 10 west, just past whippany road. Pleasant greeting, immediately seated, place was about half full. A plate of white bean bruschetta on toast showed up. Prices are from memory.

BYO. Most entrees are $15-22, appy under $11. Abundance of pasta, willingness to mix and match. Dee ordered the ziti and eggplant appy (10), which was huge. Enough to feed two people.

I had the lemon sole (18), Dee had the shrimp in garlic sauce. Two big pieces of broiled sole, moist, set on a small piping of mashed potatoes. A few pieces of slightly overcooked broc on the side. Fish and sauce were superb.

Dee's shrimp (19) consisted of five good sized specimens, tails on, light brown wine and garlic sauce. Garlic was lightly browned and added to the reduced sauce. We both liked it, although some people may prefer garlic with less bite.

No dessert, Dee had a cappucino (7), which was very chocolaty. Bill for the whole thing, with tip, $60.

Service was excellent, very watchful. Place filled and emptied and filled again while we were there. Crowd was a nice mix of young tech types with bottles of amarone ("We'll get cognos up and then link the SQL, etc") and friends of the owners.

I would definitely go back.

[Jason Perlow]

Very nice little place but can be EXTREMELY difficult to get into on the weekends. Rachel and I ate there I think twice when we were living in the Cedar Knolls area.

[Rail Paul]

Very nice little place but can be EXTREMELY difficult to get into on the weekends. Rachel and I ate there I think twice when we were living in the Cedar Knolls area.

I can understand that.

Parking is also tight, the lot was nearly full when the restaurant was only half filled.

[Rachel Perlow]

We ate there more than twice, and my parents enjoy going there with friends too. Try their osso bucco, it's excellent. Rosie: It's BYOB and they tend to comp some afterdinner drinks if you are so inclined.

[dodge621]

[Fish and sauce were superb.]

This dispels the prior statements on egullet to Never order fish on Mondays.

I understood to use caution ordering fish on Sundays, but any restaurant

that is worth its weight should be getting fresh fish on Mondays as well.

[Rail Paul]

[Fish and sauce were superb.]

This dispels the prior statements on egullet to Never order fish on Mondays.

I understood to use caution ordering fish on Sundays, but any restaurant

that is worth its weight should be getting fresh fish on Mondays as well.

I often ask about whether's there's something available that isn't on the menu or the specials board. Or, whether there's something the chef really likes to cook, or something that looks great today.

The answer came back as the sole, with a favorable description, so I figured I'd order it. Making the waitstaff a co-conspirator creates a sort of obligation for them to give you a good steer (pun noted).

[Poots]

My only complaint about this fabulous place is that the osso bucco is so good, it makes it very hard for me to order other things. Last week i went, and only after ordering(which i did right away w/out waiting for a menu or specials, i go often) did i hear a special of stuffed calamari with scallops and something that sounded so good i came very close to changing my order...but i didn't, and the osso bucco was grand!

[Rachel Perlow]

Ah validation.

[Rosie]

We returned here recently and were so disappointed. Mussels in hot sauce were not spicy hot and the tomato sauce was watery. Sauteed spinach was served cold. T-bone steak at $28 was tough. Lamb shanks had so-so sauce and were also tough--not falling off the bone. Our last experience at this restaurant was so good but this time it was disaster. Also, specials were recited without the prices.

[Poots]

I'm sorry to say around 3 weeks ago i stopped by here to have dinner and found it 'temporarily closed due to fire'. Anybody know the story or when/if it's reopening? I've driven by and seen people doing work....

[dbrociner]

At the risk of being labeled the egullet grinch I have a story about this restaurant. Two stories actually. I was there once and we were talking to the owner or maybe it was his son and when our lunch was over he made a big deal about us ordering an expresso or a cappucino. I didn't really want one and when I said so he got so insulted that I ordered one to make him happy. I assumed that he was buying but I was wrong! When we got the check there were 3 expresso's on the bill! I thought this was wrong because he badgered us into the order but the lunch was great, I had a lamb shank with white beans, so good I still remember it 4 years later. A few weeks after that I went back, again for lunch. We (a party of 4) got there around 2:30. We were seated and served a basket of bread and water for the table. We were given menus and were ready to order when this same owner came out of the kitchen to say that lunch was over and we needed to leave. Leave we did and I've never been back. Too bad because the food was good and there's only so many places in that area worth eating in but there's only so much you can take.

[eksahlman]

Drove past the restaurant tonight( a Saturday) and the place was dark- definitely not opened although the sign was still lit so there is hope. I used to dream about their osso bucco but was quite disappointed the last time I was there last summer with the quality of the food so I haven't been back.

[Rosie]

Drove past the restaurant tonight( a Saturday) and the place was dark- definitely not opened although the sign was still lit so there is hope. I used to dream about their osso bucco but was quite disappointed the last time I was there last summer with the quality of the food so I haven't been back.

Try the osso bucco at Corso 98 in Montclair. Excellent.

[Poots]

I was sorry to hear about the experiences some of you have had, but I can't say i've ever experienced the same. The owner Rudy has always been extremely nice to myself and my family. He gave us reccomendations of where to go in Tuscany when i told him i was travelling there, and always stops by the table to say hello. Good news for those of you that love this place like i do, Trattoria Toscana has reopened. I've been there twice in the past 3 weeks, and everythings been wonderful. Had Osso Bucco one night, and it was, as always, a terrific dish alongside the risotto. Last night dishes had were: an appetizer of Sauteed Broccoli Rabe(very good), an appetizer of Seafood Risotto(this was a first here, and it was delicious with little neck clams, mussels, and shrimp); main courses were tilapia francaise(i didn't try this as i'm not a big lover of Lemon), a homemade green and yellow fettucini with seafood in a vodka sauce(they had an italian name for this but i don't remember it, but i tried it and it was delicious), and i tried to order Osso Bucco but they didn't have it last night so i settled on one of their specials of the night, half a rack of lamb with one large pork chop. This was served with 4 asparagus spears lightly grilled, 2 large squares of fried polenta, some roasted peppers, and the whole dish was in a sage brown sauce. This dish was one of the best i've had there and quite possibly the best porkchop i've ever had(although this could be because i haven't had many porkchops that Were good). There were 2 2-rib lamb chops on the plate alongside a porkchop that was almost as big as the 4 lamb chops. A little out of chronological order, but as always bruschetta was served after we sat down and hot bread and herbed olive oil were brought to the table. I could eat a whole plate of this bruschetta. It had a wonderful taste and seems a perfect combination of white beans, red onion, tomato, celery and a balsamic vinagrette. Dinner for 3 with 2 sodas(BYOB, and since we hadn't planned on going there i had brought no wine:( was $95 without tip.

[Rosie]

They were closed??? What happened?

Thanks for the report.

Always have a bottle of wine in your car just in case!!!

[Poots]

I reported it up above in this thread. They had a fire. I don't really know the details, but the room looked very similar to the way it was before. It may have been confined to the kitchen.