Trattoria Pulcinella

After a recent visit to Trattoria Pulcinella, my wife and I, in unison, said we’ve eaten there for the last time. Pulcinella used to be a delightful restaurant. The food was superb. The cooks were brought over from Naples. The room had buzz and pizazz. Now the food is embarrassing. For example, an appetizer of prosciutto and melon arrived with good prosciutto but wrapped around hard, unripe, tasteless melon wedges. I am a sucker for pasta so I ordered the, according to the menu, “hand-made” fusilli with shrimp and a sauce that supposedly included mascarpone. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the waiter set the plate in front of me. There was an ample pile of factory-made tri-color rotini pasta that one would buy in the supermarket, surrounded by five small (but nicely cooked) shrimp. None of the “sauce” clung to the pasta. Instead, there was a small puddle of thin, tasteless, reddish liquid underneath the sorry mound. Painful to see one of our old favorite bistros become such a sad, neglected travesty of its former self.

A little out of the wy of the Harvard Square frenzy, this quiet and very atmospheric Trattoria is a neighborhood delight. The menu changes seasonally but offers a broad range of ambitious culinary delights. Very fine food, warm and welcoming service, very good wine list as well. Some favorites include the wine poached pear with proscuitto, gorganzola and a sprinkling of walnuts the fra diavolo with fresh pasta is exceptional rack of lamb grilled to perfection with a bit of balsamico sweet/tart. Love the room with the rustic wood beams, another world.

I'm giving up on them, in spite of good food. First they ruined my Valentine Day, by giving us an 8:30 PM reservation three days before Valentine's Day, and continuing to give 8:30 reservations to everyone who called, right up until 2 hours before dinner time, and making no effort to get us seated before 9:15, when we gave up. Focused on making their money, not on any notion of service I respect. They also gave us a tongue lashing when I brought a friend there for her birthday. She arrived somewhat later, not much, than our 6 PM reservation, all apologies to me about unexpected traffic. The restaurant was mostly empty. The owner/host came to our table and loudly criticized us for being late, enough that the few other diners were also aware of our lecture. I will never bother with them again. There's good food other places than treat you better.

So delish! North End Italian in West Cambridge. Cash only.