On the north side of Martinsburg, tucked amongst various nondescript buildings, lies a not-so-nondescript haven of culinary delights. At first glance, it may appear that nothing special is there—a hotel, a few office buildings, and a couple of parking lots. But step inside La Trattoria, and find yourself the subject of a warm greeting and a genuine smile, and you may quickly change your opinion.
I was first encouraged to try the cuisine by a dear family member who promised me that the "delicious Italian food made by wonderful people" would be well worth a visit. Although I was highly skeptical at first (good Italian food in Martinsburg?), it is never nice to disappoint your grandmother. Off I went, and was pleasantly surprised. And so, deciding it was worth another sampling, I returned with a companion on a crisp October evening for a second helping.
Upon stepping inside, the polite host greeted us with a smile and ushered us immediately to a table. The dining area was cozy, touched by the muted glow of lamplight. Our server brought us menus and another friendly greeting, and we began perusing our options. As it turns out, this was the one daunting task of the evening—so many choices, only one meal! Buying ourselves some time, we opted to begin with calamari, accompanied by marinara sauce. It arrived in short order, and splashing it with a zip of lemon juice, it disappeared pretty quickly from the plate. Nothing left to do now but order our entrees, and unless we planned on washing our own dishes after everyone else went home, we needed to quickly make up our minds!
I chose the Gnocchi Florentine, and opted for the blush sauce instead of the marinara (though any wish to swap out a sauce is easily accommodated). My companion chose the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, and we settled in to wait. A fresh salad and fluffy garlic rolls arrived, and this simple fare proved a worthy precursor to the entrée ahead.
The gnocchi and blush sauce were a harmonious blend of savory and hearty. Each potato dumpling was the perfect melt-in-your-mouth consistency and the sauce didn't overpower, but only enhanced, the flavor. My dinner partner pronounced her fettuccine "flavorful and delicious." Both plates were heaping portions, and within minutes, I knew that I'd be enjoying the remainder of mine for lunch the next day. Unfortunately, dessert would not be in the cards that evening; there was not even a little bit of room for another bite. No matter—we'd tasted enough to know that this was a place worth returning to, again and again.
The true delight in this story, however, is the La Trattoria family. Yes, the food is delicious, or I wouldn't be encouraging readers to take the time to sample it. But there is more to this eatery than its food, its décor, or its clientele. The "wonderful people" my grandmother mentioned? They are the Romo family—Carlos and Sonia, and children Sebastian and Sophia. In January, they will celebrate five years of ownership and operation of La Trattoria.
Both hail from rich cultural backgrounds. Sonia was born in Ecuador to a family of Italian immigrants; Carlos was born in Mexico, near Guadalajara. Her grandparents hailed from Florence, Italy, and in the 1940s, they emigrated to Ecuador, where they began working in the wine business. The business took them from Ecuador to Columbia, and finally to Chile. Her Latin American birthplace notwithstanding, Sonia's heritage is Italian, and it is from these roots that the restaurant has blossomed.
Carlos arrived in the United States in 1979 to pursue a career in management. Sonia came to the United States for family reasons, and the two crossed paths twenty years ago at a Maryland restaurant. He was a manager, she was a hostess, and soon after, the couple was married. They moved to Martinsburg from Northern Virginia almost nine years ago, after discovering the Panhandle and its moderate cost of living. The Romos still made the long commute to Northern Virginia, though, where they both had jobs in restaurant and property management. In their downtime, they would often dine together at home in Martinsburg, at a little restaurant known as "La Trattoria." On one particular occasion, as they were finishing their meal and chatting with the owner, Sonia asked if he was planning on selling the business. "Everything in life is for sale," he replied. A month later, on a return visit, the owner declared, "I have been waiting for you; do you want to talk business?" Carlos and Sonia did want to talk business, and after weighing the pros and cons, decided to take the plunge and buy it. Sonia took over completely and Carlos continued the commute. However, when the economy took a turn for the worse a few years after the purchase, the family felt it was necessary for Carlos to be more present at the restaurant. He left his job and his long commute, and La Trattoria became a true family affair.
Together with their teenage children— Sebastian, 19, and Sophia, 16—they have turned the business into an award-winning establishment. They earned The Journal Readers Choice award for Best Italian Food from 2007-2010, consecutively. Sonia is the head chef, and after training for six months, infused her style with the recipes of her grandparents—and even combined the flavors of Tuscany with those of Naples. "She is the heart of the restaurant," emphasizes Carlos. He cooks when his wife is off, but normally he can be found greeting customers and assisting with front of the house duties. Sebastian serves as a head waiter/assistant manager and Sophia works as a server. "The kids play a big role in the restaurant; we are blessed that they've been involved," shares Sonia. "We wanted to give them a future; we know they have their own desires, but we want to provide skills for them."
So what does it take to run a successful restaurant, besides a loving and supportive family unit? "Love, passion, and chemistry," declares Carlos, with a chuckle. "You have to have love for what you do, and people. If you don't have love, nothing works. You have to have passion to put the recipe together. Then chemistry! You have to know how to cook onions, or the alfredo sauce, and put them together perfectly."
Their advice for anyone considering the restaurant industry? "If you don't love it, don't do it," asserts Carlos. Sophia agrees, "It's hard work and it's time consuming. But at the same time, it gives you a nice feeling. Even though you are tired because you worked all day, you are just thinking about the people who left happy, because they had a great meal."
Judging by the comment book that I took a few moments to glance through, there are plenty of happy customers. The comments come from Colorado and Oregon, Georgia and Delaware, and even Florida. A family from Pittsburgh wrote in September: "Such a wonderful experience! Love the food. Delicious! And the Romo family was wonderful. Our third visit and we look forward to visiting again." There were even notes jotted in Spanish and German. La Trattoria may be a gem in Martinsburg, but its close proximity to the I-81 corridor has delighted many hungry and weary travelers, from near and far.
When asked about their vision for the future, both Romos alluded to grand plans: "We would love to have three or four restaurants in the tri-state area. Let's dream a little!" Including themselves, there are seventeen employees at the restaurant. "It took us five years to get there, but we have a great crew," Carlos boasts. Any expansion would likely require another hands-on investor—an idea to which the Romos are open, but that person would need to have the love, the passion, and the chemistry, of course.
The family is proud of every aspect of their endeavor—from the food they serve to their community involvement; from their continuing recycling efforts to the fact that they get to work with the ones they love.
Currently, the restaurant is open for dinner seven days a week, and lunch is served Monday through Friday. Customers come to celebrate birthdays, family reunions, rehearsal dinners, or just because. Reservations are required for larger parties, but otherwise, just stop in, and Sophia can whip up one of her favorites— Risotto Paella. Or try some of the customer favorites: Chicken Maximo with sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus. Or any of the fettuccini dishes. If interested in bringing a little bit of goodness to a family or work event, catering is done on a small scale, as well. You can browse the menu and read customer comments at www.latrattoriawv.com or give them a call at 304-262-6925.
