The wine list is all-Italian and substantially red, especially the older bottles, which are basically Barbarescos and Barolos from $225 to $9000. You know you’re not in Kansas anymore when the bottle on the table is described as a house special, at $55. But I felt fine with one of the cheapest wines on the list, the 2003 Barbera d’Alba from Filippo Gallino ($29). The overheated vintage made for a too-soft barbera, but one rich with fruit and only a little alcohol showing. A glass of white 2003 sauvignon blanc ($10), made by Torre Rosazza in the northern province of Friulli, had a faint but clean flowery nose and a dry, easy palate. Go for the hot vintages in the cooler places. Decaf coffee ($3.50) was weak but clean; tea ($3.50) is a selection of bags served in a cup of hot water — not classy at these prices.
Dessert was not a strong course, but the cheese platter ($14) was excellent, with a creamy, rich Gorgonzola; a ripe taleggio almost as rich as French double-cream cheeses; and a fine, sharper pecorino Toscana. Although the garnish was just-sliced Granny Smith apples, grapes, breadsticks, and candied figs, the vivid flavors of the cheeses were all we needed.
On a dolci tasting ($35), I liked the zabaglione ($8/à la carte) served in a martini glass: creamy custard sauce with blueberries and a hint of mint. Sogno del ciocolato ($9) assumes that one dreams of chocolate in the form of a slice of mousse-layered cake and a scoop of rich chocolate ice cream. Could be. Crostata di fragola ($9) had a rich cookie crust, a bit of pastry cream, and decently ripe strawberries. It was garnished with a sharp gelato that might have had some balsamic vinegar in it. The “North End classic” ($9), three types of cannoli, had one kind with classic ricotta filling, one with a mousse-like chocolate filling, and one with a green mousse-like filling that had no discernable flavor but was supposed to be pistachio. It did have an intriguing scoop of ice cream, which might have been buttermilk flavored. In the authentic version of this dessert, all cannolis are served with ricotta-based fillings, and they all have good taste. Ordering à la carte, you might go for the assorted gelati ($7).
If the first three courses almost justify the price points, the desserts, wines, atmosphere, and service fall short. The clientele that pays these prices does not want their conversations repeatedly interrupted to be asked how everything is, and they will not respond well to a vulgar clear-the-table-faster gambit like “Are you still working on that?” The servers are the only people in the room who are supposed to be working, and they should be unobtrusive about it. If they need to talk, they can engage the overly loud table where too much wine led to them singing old songs.
The upstairs dining room is too loud to begin with, and a too-loud “background” track of jazz and British rock doesn’t help. Tresca looks nice but not outstanding, with gray ragged-paint walls, beams in the ceiling, and pretty torch lights, albeit on tracks.
Tresca, 233 Hanover St, Boston | Sun-wed, 5:30-10 pm; and thurs-sat, 5:30-11 pm | AE, DI, MC, VI | full bar | no valet parking | sidewalk-level access to some tables; most upstairs |617.742.8240
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Robert Nadeau: RobtNadeau@aol.com
