Mount Lawley’s Trio Café and Wine Bar deserves to be jumping day and night

My dinner date is spot on with her comments about Trio, a new Italian trattoria down the quiet northern end of Beaufort Street in Mount Lawley.

“If this was in Melbourne, it would be absolutely jumping.”

Trio is quite the find. Lowly lit and rustic with unpolished timber floors, brick walls and classic bentwood chairs, by night it’s a welcoming island surrounded by the tools of everyday life — a chiropractor, op shop and supermarket.

Notably, it doesn’t do pizza and pasta. Instead, the focus is on Italian street food. Yet some traditions persist. Mamma is in the kitchen and our affable waiter jokes that if we send anything back, she’ll come out with a wooden spoon.

Trio is run by the same bunch who brought us the excellent Three Coins, just down the road.

The family at the helm hail from Umbria, so it’s no surprise cold-shaved meats and plenty of pork feature. Zucchini tempura aside, greens are missing in action.

“We don’t make friends with salad,” chuckles our waiter.

They’ve nailed the little details, such as fresh herbs in a vase on each table, ingredient illustrations on the menus and stories in the wine book. Our waiter not only knows his vino, he could inspire a teetotaller with his passion. The list is interesting, with boutique offerings and rare, single-barrel editions to excite true connoisseurs.

The food rises to the occasion. Served on a marble cheese board, thin slivers of beef carpaccio ($24) are as soft as Cupid’s kiss, scattered with peppery rocket, fat caper berries and real-deal parmesan with bite and crunch. Subtle anchovy aioli pulls it all together.

Hot prawns ($19), encased in crisp, thin tempura and topped with gentle chilli just love being dragged through sublime lemon mayo. We leave one, saving space for the next course, but our waitress suggests Mamma won’t be happy and leaves it on the table.

There’s a rather pregnant pause between courses, before the Italians’ answer to cheese fondue, scamorza ($23), arrives with fingers of rustic bread poking from the stretchy goo. Despite being served in a heavy iron pan, the milk-flavoured cheese hardens before we’ve dented it, like a toasted sandwich gone cold, and its splash of truffle oil is too subtle. It’s saved by wet, contrasting mushrooms, ribbons of salty prosciutto and a pool of salty-sweet liquid that’s nicely soaked up with the bread.

The meatballs ($21) are light, herby and easy to wolf down, with medium-textured mince — not too fine and not too rugged — couched in a distinctive yet light tomato sugo. We squeeze in a thick, creamy, lemon ricotta pannacotta ($13), wafting citrusy tones. Topped with fresh pear and a curled cat’s tongue biscuit, it’s a stellar ending.

Despite being new, Trio feels like a well-worn leather jacket — cool but comfy — and delivers exactly what it promises. Bravo.

Trio Café and Wine Bar

12/760 Beaufort St, Mount Lawley

9271 4089

Open Mon-Tue, 6am-2pm; Wed-Thur, 6am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 6am-midnight; Sun, 6am-10pm

15/20