When a chef comes up through the ranks in Italian cooking, it makes sense that he’d reign at a place called d. carlo trattoria. But Chris Kattawar tries a bit of unusual fusion in his cooking, such as pork tenderloin with potato salad, fried okra, and peach jam; or pulled pork with sweet potato hash; or even chicken breast with candied pecan and Granny Smith jasmine rice. There’s still plenty of hard-core Italian for traditionalists, however. The fried calamari is even billed as “vecchia scuola” (old school), tossed with peppers and garlic. There’s also fried eggplant, clams zuppa, 10 pasta dishes, chicken parmesan, and grilled veal tenderloins with polenta. Add other Southern touches, be they southern Italy or the US — a warm décor, four intimate dining areas, a welcoming waitstaff — and you have a winning combination! Mangia, mangia, y’all!
d. carlo trattoria | 970 Douglas Pike, Smithfield | 401.349.4979 | dcarlotrattoria.net
