Prego’s Trattoria a Burlington treat

“Eating is not a simple act,” commented my new friends at Prego’s Trattoria in Burlington, N.C. “It has a greater meaning.”

Your assignment this week, dear market-goers, is to discover the greater meaning in the art of fine dining. Let’s face it: No matter how shaky business may be, or how rough your day has been, life seems to look a little better when you are savoring, say, a perfectly cooked filet mignon with garlic-mashed potatoes, and some grilled onions and mushrooms on the side.

Dining and market go together hand-in-glove. Wherever and whenever we all get together, one of the big topics is the restaurant scene. Our industry does a great job of ferreting out promising new restaurants. And thanks to our great bosses (or vendors) who pick up the tab for our gastronomic adventures.

It is in this spirit that I urge you, if you happen to be on the eastern fringes of market, to make a trip to The Original Prego’s Trattoria, at 2740 South Church St. in Burlington. One of my industry friends hosted me there the other day, and it was a fine meal, indeed.

Trattorias, in case you don’t know, are the casual, informal cafes found throughout Italy. They serve up fresh, straightforward fare, straight from the kitchen. That’s what I found  at this jewel of a restaurant.

My friend and I began with a plate of fried polenta, served in tasty little cubes. I could have eaten the whole plate, but I limited myself to just half.

For our main course, we both went with Talapia Oreganato, in which tender fillets of fresh talapia were sautéed simply, but elegantly, in garlic, olive oil and wine. We paired that with a nice spinach dish. It was a sublime combination.

We passed a few pleasant hours at the restaurant, savoring our talapia and talking about issues large and small. The service was attentive throughout the meal, but not cloying,

We ended our meal with Zabaglione, the rich egg and Marsala-flavored cream whipped up tableside just for us and spooned over a plate of fresh strawberries. That is another combination concocted by the food gods for our enjoyment.

My friend is a regular at Prego’s and says it has never failed to please him. He is a well-traveled executive, so this is no light praise.

Give Prego’s a try. The phone number is 336-586-0292. And I hope you have a great market this week.