Testo
“If Il Passatore is a neighborhood trattoria whose secret got out, its younger sibling testo is still on the down-low.”
“That decision was made when my g.f. gave me a bite of her Tortelli di Zucca con Olio Tartufato.”
“We particularly like the bucatini and the tiramisu, but nothing on the menu has disappointed yet.”
Testo
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Wow.
This quaint, small place on a quiet corner of East Willamsburg is a hidden gem. Italian is their specialty, and they make it simple and cheap. My favorite things to get here are the shaved brussel sprouts salad, gnocchi with tomato sauce, and the tiramisu for dessert. I can't remember exact pricing, but I'm pretty sure all 3 of those items would be under $25. They are the exact amount of food I'm looking for in an appetizer, dish, and dessert, as most places provide too much of everything and I feel like a balloon after the first dish. They've got outdoor seating as well, and I've never had to wait to be seated. This is a perfect date night spot as it's quiet and off the beaten path!
Cash only.
I wanted to love you Testo. I really did. And your highs were so high, but your lows, so low.
I went with my gilrfriend, and we got the Prosciutto/Arugula/Ricotta Piadina to start. I warned her it was a weird combination and (in an exciting twist on the norm) I was right. The arugula and ricotta combined strangely, and the prosciutto just couldn't balance it out. Nobody was a big fan.
My main course was the spaghetti alla carbonara – now that, I was a fan of. However, the meals being on the cheaper side are reflected in portion size. There was not a lot of food on my plate at all. It was very good though, well-balanced in flavor and something I would order again. (She got the "Tortelli Di Zucca Olio Tartufato", which she loved.)
For dessert there was chocolate mousse (very tasty, though it had an odd gritty quality – almost as if made from a powder) and tiramisu ("SO GOOD").
On a final note, service was mostly good, until it was time for the check – that took forever. Probably much better for lunch than dinner.
I think this place is really special. Delicious food, nice ambiance and above all else, incredibly reasonable prices.
A friend of mine was visiting from out of town and craving Italian food, and we decided to check this place out as it is walking distance from my apartment. WOW! My expectations were far exceeded.
Dishes ordered:
Fritto di Calamari e Zucchine ($9.50) — we absolutely loved this as a starter and I thought having pieces of zucchini mixed in with the calamari was a nice addition. We asked for extra lemon with ours, and the sauce that came with it was flavorful as well.
Tortelli di Zucca e Olio Tartufato ($12) — this was a butternut squash ravioli in a butter sauce with truffle oil. AMAZING! I can't wait to eat this dish again. The portion sizes were generous and I loved every bite of this.
Ravioli di Funghi al Gorgonzola ($11) — this is the dish my friend ordered, I didn't try it because I'm not a fan of blue cheese or any of its relatives. She absolutely loved it though!
The place has a small, intimate setting which was nice because it allowed the waiter to be very attentive. I think this would be a really cute date spot.
Extra points for having more than one remarkable vegetarian option. I will definitely be back!
Outdoor seating and gluten free options! It's also very cheap.
We got there and had a different dish each. Of note is their ability to make almost anything on their menu gluten-free. I was the only person who needed a gluten free dish, the Spaghetti a la Carbonara, and my company had gnocchi, Ragu, and another saucy pasta. I forgot what it was. They also ordered an appetizer– octopus, and they loved it.
The meal left much to be desired. My friends all tried a bit of my pasta, as well as each of their plates, and there was little to no difference. The food was very, very, very bland. My meal was heavy on the dairy, which I knew, but even I was surprised by how much they soaked my poor gluten free penne in dairy. I felt like I was a 1 year old having my morning bottle and not dinner at 8 PM on a Friday night.
There appeared to be two servers when we were there, both of them doubling as bartenders throughout the night. The restaurant was not at all crowded, but they asked all people who entered if they had reservations. I found this comical because it implied that they were very busy (at 8 PM), when they were very obviously not.
They had an extensive wine menu, but we had none of it. I think we might have enjoyed it more if we had considered either the wine or the desserts (five options, I think… tiramisu among them).
In short, it's not a very extensive menu, but it's relatively inexpensive and there are options for the gluten-free world. It would definitely not be my first choice in the future.
Really great time on Valentine's Day.
Even better – it was a quality, affordable meal. Why is this so hard for other restaurants to replicate?
The brussels sprouts salad appetizer ($7) was a mound of shredded greens. A crinkly/craggily mound with sprinkles of hard cheese. A light start to a great meal. The polenta with mushrooms was also enjoyable if you're looking for something a little heartier.
Our entrees – ravioli and pasta with ragu were traditional meals, but done very well, and at an average cost of about $11 for an entree, made it especially enjoyable. Warm, filling, well seasoned. Yes.
We split a bottle of red wine that came out to $30, and all told spent $90 (food + beverage + tax + tip) for a meal that got us 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and a bottle of wine.
The service was very friendly, and especially welcoming. This is an affordable place, with a romantic edge, and I will for sure be back.
My only qualm is that it is SUPER cold by the windows, but, hey, that's life.
I've already told two friends about this place, and suggest you come RIGHT NOW.
Came with my boyfriend late one night and had a really wonderful meal.
We started with the Polpette di Melanzane which were balls of eggplant in a red sauce with arugula on the side. Tasty, but nothing too exciting. Tasted very similar to eggplant parmesan.
I had one of the specials which was Lamb tagliatelle which was absolutely delicious! Good portion size as well.
My boyfriend had the Ravioli ai Formaggi Misti and was very happy. He said it was cheesy without being too heavy.
We shared a carafe of house wine which was very affordable, and pretty good wine for the price.
For dessert, we had the tiramisu which was lovely. Rich without being too heavy.
To finish, we were brought limoncello complements of the house. It was a wonderful way to end our meal.
Cash only! There is an ATM right outside though.
After reading the review I decided to place an order for pickup. My love and I decide to try the pappardelle salsiccia e spinaci which is flat noodle with sausage and spinach in light tomato sauce. The fresh homemade pasta sealed the deal as far as freshness the sauce and sausage with spinach was a perfect marriage in taste. It's been a long time I had a good Italian meal. Kudus to the chef, your meal took me back to my trip in Florence.
We order/dine in regularly. The takeout portions are significantly smaller than the dine in portions, but the food is very good!