Di Trapani's On The Square — Restaurant in Rolla

Underwhelming experience. We were the first diners seated for Valentines dinner. Inexperienced waitress (Corey) obviously needs education on proper procedures especially in a restaurant this pricey . When I asked for a Bushmills black she disappeared for 5 minutes and then returned asking if Bush beer is what I wanted, after I explained that Bushmills was an Irish whiskey she disappeared again and when she finally returned she informed me that Jameson was the only Irish whiskey they had. (Oh well, I'm not a Jameson fan but..... it's an Italian restaurant). We ordered our meals, she ordered Tuscany shrimp pasta and I ordered a 16oz ribeye, medium, baked potato and dry salad and was then asked "which ribeye was that?" There's only 1 ribeye on the menu! After showing her that, I was asked what side/salad I wanted. After being served our salads (without being asked if we desired fresh ground pepper, no big deal for me but my date is another story) my date started complaining her salad was sweet, she ordered the house dressing which was described as an Italian vinaigrette (I've been down this road before so always order my salad dry). When we finally got the waitress's attention and asked what the dressing was she started making up stuff and ended up saying she thought it was raspberry vinaigrette but wasn't sure. When my date asked me to taste her salad I told her it was nothing but white sugar, she agreed that was what she tasted too but thought she was being too simplistic. (She hates sweet). During this time several other couples were seated and most were given to a waiter who was obviously a pro (wish we would have had him). Corey seemed to acquire 2 more tables which was apparently more than she could keep up with while the waiter was serving 8 tables that I could see and doing a good job of it from my perspective. He was always Johnny on the spot and I didn't ever see one of his customers looking for him or trying to get his attention. (Not so for us). When our entrees arrived at least Corey remembered that the Tuscany Shrimp Pasta was hers and the ribeye steak was mine but after serving the pasta she handed the steak across my date to me (we were 2 people seated at a table for 4) and left without even waiting for me to cut the steak or asking if it was cooked properly. After finishing our meal and watching several couples seated after us (some considerably after) finish their meals and leave (during which the chef did come out to ask how our food was) we spent 20 minutes trying to get our waitress's attention as she went in and out of the dining room never once even looking our way. I was ready to walk out but my date wanted a box to take home the pasta she hadn't finished and the fat I had cut off my steak for her dog (which by the way weighed 6+ ounces after cooking from a 16oz steak??). (The dog did love it.) Bottom line, if you're going to run a restaurant this pricey, #1 get rid of the paper covers for the tablecloths and either train your waitstaff in proper job practices or hire experienced help. I could not in good conscious recommend this as a dining...

The serving staff is very polite and accommodating. Ask questions, they may not know off the cuff, but they'll tell you and search for the answer. One gentleman continues to check-in to ensure a good experience. My experience was good, so I didn't check his services. The atmosphere is gentle and comforting. The entrees are exactly as described, and very Italian. They offer gluten free options, but may charge additional cost. My entree is delicious and pleasant. My entree had a proper amount of cheese topping and not overpowering. The cream and pepper based sauce was tangy leaning towards bright. I suggest wine with your entree to rinse the richness between bites. The wine list is short, and given an Italian style restaurant I would expect more Italian wines. However, the area defiantly influences the wine selection. Locals are not likely to select a nice Italian to go with their dish. I wouldn't hold it against them for selling what sells. The rolls are dry and I am reminded of the twelve pack of Hawaiian rolls at the store, that have baked for an extended period. The salad is good, but the amount of bagged shredded cheese topping it is overpowering. One could eat solely vegetables and still have a plate full of cheese. Some may prefer that, but it is off balance and I recommend a strong martini to wash the cheese away. Now to my favorite part of any meal, dessert! The crème brûlée is delicious. Cool custard with that sweet, sweet crunchy caramel topping. Slightly burned on one end, with a strawberry to cover it. The caramel was delicious, if not consistent. I would recommend a dessert wine, but the option I'm taking is drambuie. The only dessert wine is the vermouth used in a Manhattan. I appreciate a good vermouth, but this one is probably not kept in a cooler.

The serving staff are phenomenal, the atmosphere is nice, but the food and drinks just misses that tickle.

However, I will eat here again because I enjoyed...

Our dining experience at Di Trapani's was nothing short of amazing! We started with the calamari as an appetizer, and let me just say, it was hands down the best calamari I’ve ever had in my entire life. My wife, who has had her fair share of excellent calamari, said it rivaled the best she's ever had over a decade ago back in Alaska. Since then, nothing has come close until we had it here. Absolutely exceptional!

For our meals, my wife had the Chicken Alfredo, which was rich, creamy, and delicious. I had the Seafood Palermo, and while I may not have known what to expect, I was blown away. The seafood was perfectly cooked, and the dish was bursting with flavor. It was phenomenal.

Michelle, our server, was fantastic—she really helped us navigate the menu, offering great recommendations. To top it off, the chef personally came out to check on the diners. He was extremely friendly, engaging, and even shared the interesting story behind how their calamari has evolved over the years. He really seemed passionate about the food and customer experience, and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the owner. It was refreshing to see such personal care in a dining experience.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, making it an all-around incredible night. We will definitely be back, and I highly recommend anyone in the area to check this place out. You won’t be...