How an uncomplicated strategy of friendly service and simple, balanced dishes has made Trimani Ristorante a jewel of Vaughan for the past 15 years

Robert De Zorzi makes it his mission to learn the name of every customer that dines at his Vaughan restaurant, Trimani Ristorante. He greets them when they enter, he takes their orders and he makes sure to thank them when they leave. It’s all part of the personable service he believes is at the heart of a great restaurant experience.

“This is like my house,” says De Zorzi, owner of Trimani, who started in the business when he was 14. “So if somebody’s coming in to spend their hard-earned money in my place I have to treat them with respect.”

De Zorzi knows that in a restaurant-rich city like Vaughan a successful establishment needs to be different and consistent. Whether it’s the live music, the perfectly chilled wine from their newly installed wine fridge or the menu that changes with the season, it must be a unique and welcoming experience. And that attitude has helped make Trimani a go-to for lunch, dinner and event catering for over 15 years.

Last October, De Zorzi brought in certified chef de cuisine Domenic Colacci to help elevate Trimani’s offerings. Trained in Germany and Switzerland, Colacci has a globe-trotting pedigree that’s exposed his palate to the flavours of Australia, Italy, Thailand, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, and developed an understanding of what makes a great dish. De Zorzi explains that “I can give Dom anything and he’ll make it work.”

Colacci cooks European-style, applying old-world influences to the top-quality North American ingredients that are brought in fresh daily. Recipes, he says, should be simple, allowing the flavours to blossom through a balanced combination. He recalls when he learned how to make true Neapolitan-style pizza in New York. The pizza chef used a volcanic-stone stove from the 1920s and very few ingredients — dough, sauce, olive oil, a bit of buffalo mozzarella. It was minimal, but outstanding. And that’s the same philosophy Colacci applies to Trimani.

“We like to keep things simply prepared, but executed properly. That’s what creates, I would say, a full-rounded, perfect dish,” he says. “It’s the balance of flavours that makes it exceptional.”

Unique and Welcoming
While Trimani is open daily for lunch and Friday and Saturday evenings for dinner, its spacious dining room can comfortably seat up to 70 guests for private functions. A recently installed wine fridge also keeps bottles from an extensive wine list perfectly chilled for pairing with meals. If there’s a special bottle or vintage you like, call ahead and De Zorzi will bring it in


Peroni-Marinated Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients
1 piece 12-oz. beef tenderloin
½ bottle Peroni beer
1  tsp. chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley)
½  tsp. cracked black peppercorns
Kosher salt
1 clove chopped garlic
1 slice of each type of heirloom tomato (your favourites)
1 oz. baby arugula
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Method
1 Marinate tenderloin with beer, garlic, herbs and black pepper for about 2 hours.
2 Remove from marinade.
3 Season with salt while searing all over on high heat on BBQ.
4 Turn down BBQ to medium and brush meat with BBQ sauce occasionally. Cook to desired doneness, about 12-15 minutes.
5 Allow to rest, 7-8 minutes.
6 Slice tomatoes, season with salt and olive oil, and grill.
7 Make arugula salad.
8 Arrange on platter.

BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
½ bottle Peroni beer reduced by ⅔
2 tbsp. brown sugar
⅓ cup ketchup
½ tsp. Tabasco chipotle sauce
½ tsp. tomato paste

Method
Place all ingredients in pot, reduce by ⅓, allow to cool.