At the risk of sounding like a snob, I'll admit it: ever since returning from my semester in Rome, I've been avoiding Italian restaurants, fearing my standards for the cuisine would never be met on this side of the Atlantic. Armed with this skepticism, I arrived at Fellini Cafe, only to pleasantly leave my hesitations at the door when I left two hours later.
With a decor featuring stucco and brick walls, dim lighting, Botticelli prints, red vinyl seats and oddly out-of-season faux-autumn leaves, the four-month-old establishment seems somewhat in the throes of an identity crisis, torn between being a casual pizzeria and a more upscale restaurant. In truth, diners can make it whichever they prefer. But regardless, this is no Domino's, my friend. Fellini offers over 20 varieties of pizzas ($6.50-$12.00), each intended to be an entree and made to order. Selections range from traditional to inventive, featuring toppings from eggplant and sausage to lobster and crabmeat. After enjoying the complimentary bruschetta appetizer and an enormous -- if slightly sweet -- Caesar salad ($4.50), my date and I opted for the Pizza Salerno ($8.50), with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichokes, spinach and chicken. The pizza arrived piping hot, covered with toppings so copious that a knife and fork were required to keep the thin crust from caving in from their weight. The whole pie tasted of fresh basil and general goodness.
Given that Fellini boasts well over 100 options, my companion and I decided that, in order to gain a true sense of the place, we'd have to dabble in the other sections of the menu as well. And as good as the pizza was, Fellini most distinguishes itself with its other selections -- including antipasti, salads and roughly 50 varieties of pasta. The smell of the calamari fritti ($9.95) wafting over from the next table was so tantalizing that it took considerable self-control not to ask for a taste. However, our choice -- the gnocchi al pesto ($10.95) -- proved to be a wise one. Once again, the portion was more than generous, and the tender potato dumplings in their fresh basil sauce were rich, but not heavy. A slab of creamy homemade tiramisu ($5) and a trio of gelati ($5) were fairly generic but satisfying conclusions to our meal. And for those too bogged down by midterms to take advantage of Fellini's BYO dining room, take-out here is a satisfying alternative to Gi? Pronto, for only a few dollars and a few blocks more.
So no, it's not the same as my favorite trattoria by the Pantheon. But for being ten minutes -- instead of ten hours away -- Fellini is a tasty alternative.
