Almost everything is homemade at Testaccio Ristorante Italiano in Long Island City.
As soon as you sit down, the staff is welcoming with a bottle of Pellegrino and a basket of bread. The rustic bread, homemade focaccia baked by the restaurant’s pizza maker, is served warm, the better to mop up fragrant olive oil.
For a good brunch dish, try the Uova Soffici al Pesto, or pesto poached eggs. The pesto sauce that pours over the perfectly cooked eggs and onto the focaccia croutons is of just the right texture and all its components have just the right flavoring. Made with fresh basil, it carries small hints of garlic and walnut. The oozing yolk from the poached eggs adds to the refreshing taste and texture.
The sliced potatoes are pan-fried and a potato-lover’s dream. They give you a cup of ketchup, but it’s an option at best. These potatoes have enough going for them as is. On the outside, they’re just crispy enough that they won’t flop on your fork. But at the center, they give almost a feeling of the home cooked potatoes that dad or mom would make on Sundays. You don’t need to put any salt on them or worry that they’re too greasy.
The last component, and a personal favorite, are thick slices of prosciutto di Parma, packed with seasoning and flavor. The best way to really enjoy this is a cut piece with a few leaves of fresh spinach that serves as the bed for the entire meal.
The large brunch menu at this Roman-style Italian restaurant also includes creative, homemade pizzas, pastas, appetizers and main courses of veal, fish, chicken and beef. For those with simpler appetites, there is also a list of panini. There are also substantial lunch and dinner menus and a number of daily specials.
Overall, Testaccio Ristorante is a great place for a weekend meal whether with friends or stopping in for a solitary dish to clear one’s head and at a reasonable price.
Testaccio Ristorante Italiano
47-30 Vernon Boulevard LIC
www.testacciony.com
Hours:
Sunday to Thursday noon to 11 p.m.
Friday & Saturday noon to midnight
Saturday and Sunday brunch
Call for reservations 718-937-2900
All major credit cards accepted
Free delivery
Weekday special: free Roman apperitivo from 4 to 8 p.m.
