From Tuscany to Texas

by Dr. Jack Shock
photos by Jeff Montgomery

Headed to Dallas to watch the Bisons play in the national championship game? You’ll need to eat, and we’re here to help you find your way to Via Triozzi, a Dallas Top Ten Italian restaurant owned and managed by Leigh Hutchinson (’09). Via Triozzi has been the talk of the Dallas dining scene since its debut two years ago.

If the name Via Triozzi sounds familiar, you might remember the Harding villa address: 57 Via Triozzi in Scandicci, Italy. Hundreds of HUF students, including Hutchinson, have lived and learned on Via Triozzi since 1984. No stranger to Italian cooking, Hutchinson grew up watching her Nani Angie cook for their Sicilian-American family. After graduation, she returned to Florence to study the culinary secrets and traditions of Tuscany. 

When you visit Via Triozzi in Dallas, you’ll see Robbie Shackelford’s paintings showcasing the HUF villa in his distinctive style. He and his wife, Mona, were HUF directors for 30 years. You’ll spot recipe references to Nani Angie on the menu along with Hutchinson’s interpretation of classic Italian food. The restaurant is her love letter to her family and life in Tuscany.

Hutchinson has recently begun serving brunch to locals and visitors who crave a Sunday pasta fix. The Terraza, an outside dining area, is open seasonally. 

You’re going to need a reservation, so plan ahead. A Via Triozzi table is a Dallas hot ticket. Visit viatriozzi.com for the menus, reservations and driving instructions. Don’t forget to take advantage of the free valet parking in front of the restaurant!

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s waiting for you at Via Triozzi. 

Via Triozzi is a familiar presence on Greenville Avenue in Dallas. Free valet parking is always available.

You’ll need a reservation to eat at Via Triozzi, so don’t forget to book early at viatriozzi.com. Did you spot Robbie Shackleford’s painting of the HUF villa? You’ll find it on the back wall just to the right of the window.

Del giorno is Italian for “of the day,” you’ll find several appetizers in this section of the menu. The arancini are loaded with saffron risotto and house-pulled mozzarella.

Hutchinson’s lasagna al forno is the specialty of the house, and the layers are filled with bolognese, besciamella and pecorino romano. You’ll have to decide between Leigh’s lasagna and Nani Angie’s chicken cacciatore. Or you could order both!

You’ve probably heard of tiramisu, a popular favorite, but we also like budino al cioccolato, which features olive oil caramel, whipped cream. And lots of chocolate. The cannolo sbagliato is a nod to Hutchinson’s southern Italian heritage. You should just say “yes” to all three and ask for a take-home box. 

Hutchinson supervises the daily in-house preparation of pasta. Peek in the front window to see the day’s pasta that’s waiting to jump on your plate.

Hutchinson is at the restaurant every day, so brush up on your HUF Italian vocabulary and don’t forget to say buonasera and give her a Harding high five. Just like Nani Angie, she will say “mangia, mangia!” You’re family. Sit and eat!