Four stars for Trattoria Stella

One of the most noticeable things when first entering Trattoria Stella East is a giant chalkboard scribbled with the day's specials and smudged with several months' worth of erasing. 

This is a good sign. It indicates that the chef at Stella's is passionate enough about food to change the menu according to what's inspiring him or her at that moment. 

Yet, disappointment is the first bite you get out of Stella. Before the appetizers are served, there is that familiar gift of bread, balsamic, olive oil, and cracked pepper. Unfortunately, the bread had that unmistakable supermarket taste, and the oil and vinegar for the dipping sauce was available at the table, but I had to make it myself, leaving me with the feeling that, if I was not in-the-know about this dip, I would be left eating store-bought bread while crying into my lap. 

Thankfully, that was the last disappointment of the night. When the clams reached the table—alongside a glass of fruity, sparkly rosé—the eating was on. It's easy to mess up clams. Clams are rubbery and practically flavorless (with a penchant to remain flavorless no matter what you do to them). But that night, the clams at Stella's were small—perhaps they were littleneck—and they imitated the sweet meat of a mussel, soaking up a spicy, garlicky broth and making for a great beginning.

Next was 32nd Street Pasta: a mix of tiger shrimp, pecans, and sun-dried cherries mixed in a bed of thin spinach spaghettis all tossed in a spicy lemon garlic sauce and completed with a dollop of goat cheese. The best part of this dish was biting into a forkful of pasta combined with sweet yet tart cherries while getting a creamy sweep of tangy goat cheese over my tongue. The combination of these flavors and textures alongside the occasional crunch of a salty shrimp or sugary pecan was rewarding.

The other entree for the night was a special of creamy asparagus risotto with lamb. The risotto was cooked knowledgably, but the star of the dish was thinly sliced, crispy-on-the-outside, bloody-on-the-inside grilled lamb that crunched and then melted with every chew.  Dessert was a spicy, chocolaty chili pot de crème. A dark chocolate mousse infused with peppers was a unique end to this creative twist on classic dishes like pasta and risotto.

In the end, despite the initial bread disappointment, a dinner at Stella's will leave you a little more knowledgeable about food combinations, full, and starry-eyed,  which is exactly what diners ask for when they decide to take their stomachs and their wallets out to dinner.  

Trattoria Stella East
3201 East Colfax
www.trattoriastella.com