Good pizza - but location is not that great

The new Italian place Trattoria Testa Rossa opened very recently in the shopping mall of Amfi Madla. After some initial opening issues, the place finally opened. We were able to check it out on a weekday in early June. The trattoria is in the middle of the shopping mall and the first thing you will notice is the wood-fired pizza oven and the long silver chimney. But I was also surprised to see the size of the place. I guess they have gone all in as there are lots and lots of chairs and tables in three levels. I hate to be the party pooper, but will they be able to fill all these seats? When we were there, it was just after 7 pm and the mall (and trattoria) closes at 8. I guess due to this it was only us – and chess champion Magnus Carlsen with a friend/colleague. We ordered by the counter based on the menus that you can find on all the tables. The menu is a bit limited with some sandwich options, two pasta dishes and a few pizza options. Nikki went for the pasta Bolognese while I ordered the pizza Modena. Check on the menu on their website.

 

As mentioned, the trattoria is in the middle of the mall and I generally don’t think this is a great option. It does not create a cozy atmosphere. The chairs were also a bit uncomfortable if you ask me. It did not take long before the little gadget on our table started ringing to indicate that we could come to pick up the food at the counter. My pizza was covered in rocket leaves but once I started digging under that I found nice layers of mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes and sprinkles of balsamic vinegar. It was sort of like a hot caprese salad and it was very tasty, and the pizza crust was also great in my opinion. 

 

The pasta Bolognese was not that great on the other hand. The Bolognese was on the dry side and served with some meatballs. It was according to the menu description but still a bit strange – I have not come across that before. I know that the pasta should be in focus when you have pasta and ragu but usually I associate Bolognese with a bit more tomato flavored sauce. The cost for this was about 340 kroner - or about 42 USD!

Conclusion: it is great to see that there are more eating options at malls. I hope that Testa Rossa will attract enough crowds at Madla Amfi as the pizza was quite good. I would not mind going there again but it will not be a place that we will go to for a romantic dinner. If you are looking for a quick bit if you are getting hungry in the middle of your shopping, this is a good place to stop. But if you are looking for a good Italian meal it is best to head into town and go to Casa Gio or Olivia. Find more information about the trattoria on https://www.testarossa.no/ or on their facebook page.