Beijing Restaurant Review: Della Bocca Trattoria
By Noelle Mateer
Images by Holly Li
Della Bocca Trattoria is the most low-profile Italian opening of 2015.
And by that we mean we honestly had no idea it was even there. Sure, we saw a rogue pizza stand on Yonghegong Dajie and wondered briefly: What’s that all about?
Another time, we noticed a tiny plaster Italian man bedecked in white and red in the shared stairwell between the pizza stand and 7-Eleven. Again, we wondered as we slipped in and out for some Oreos and a soda: What’s that all about?
So we investigated. Let us now tell you what it is all about: There is an Italian chef making Italian food at Beixinqiao.
Up the hall from 7-Eleven is Della Bocca Trattoria, an Italian restaurant that possesses not only myriad syllables in its name, but also a chef from Rome.
Sure, the location on the fringes of Gui Jie is undeniably bizarre. But we’re delighted to report that Della Bocca does not serve opium-laced hot pot. Instead, it serves what is likely the cheapest authentic Italian fare you can get in Beijing.
A meaty lasagna alla Bolognese is RMB48. A shareable thin crust pizza margherita is RMB48. A plate of prosciutto with melon is RMB45. Our point is: You could come here with one green Mao and leave pretty full.
Either way, go for the classics. Chef Simone Marotti is fresh off the boat from Italy, and his authentic cooking is best reflected in the Italian classics we know and love. This is home-style food, after all, and it’s hard to go wrong with simple dishes like spaghetti – plus the filling meat sauce will get you major caloric intake for your buck.
Downstairs, of course, is the pizza stand, which we like to think is a solid choice for anyone stumbling out of Café de la Poste or any of the bars nearby.
So next time you’re running to 7-Eleven and hankering for some carbs, walk a bit further. Follow the statue of an Italian dude. Only then will you find the hidden Italian chef of Beixinqiao.
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