Frisco | October 2025

Dining

BY KAREN CHANEY

Nik Vllasaliu co-owns Dua Trattoria with his brothers Billy and Louie Vllasaliu.

KAREN CHANEYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Branzino ($38) features roasted Mediterranean sea bass, lemon caper sauce, tomatoes and potatoes.

Lobster Fra Diavolo ($34) features lobster tail, capellini pasta with Fra Diavolo sauce, garlic and cherry tomatoes.

KAREN CHANEYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Dua Trattoria oers Italian, Mediterranean fare in Frisco

Whether customers choose a classic Italian lasagna or a Balkan staple like ćevapi, Dua Trat- toria co-owner Nik Vllasaliu said they can expect high-quality ingredients at a very reasonable price. Vllasaliu opened the Frisco restaurant in 2023 with his brothers and co-owners, Billy and Louie Vllasaliu. On the menu Nik Vllasaliu said their Italian dishes like lasagna and chicken parmesan are popular dishes however some unexpected options have made it into the top seller list. Ćevapi is the top selling appetizer. “Everybody says, ‘We’ve never had a sausage like this before.’ It is unmatched,’” Nik Vllasaliu said. “It’s a family recipe of beef, veal and Mediter- ranean seasoning.” Short rib ravioli, which is sautéed in Bernese, provincial and Marsala wine sauce, is a popular main dish. “It’s homemade and is not your normal ravioli where it’s kind of at—it’s nice and chunky, almost like a 1940s top hat,” Nik Vllasaliu said. Rounding out the top three best selling items is Dua Trattoria’s branzino featuring roasted Mediterranean sea bass, lemon caper sauce, cherry tomatoes and potatoes. “Branzino ... is very aky and light—just the right dish that we need in this area where eight months out of the year it’s 144 [degrees],” he said.

What else? Nik Vllasaliu described the ambiance as being “elegant without pretentiousness.” Live music is oered most Wednesday and Saturday evenings. Nik Vllasaliu encourages guests to follow Dua Trattoria’s social media pages for the latest updates on upcoming performances. “I tend to have three to ve artists in rotation and they all have their own style,” Nik Vllasaliu said. “The majority of the time it’s a guitarist that’s also singing multiple genres.” Diving deeper Nik Vllasaliu said prior to opening the restau- rant, he and Louie Vllasaliu chose the business name because Dua means ‘to love’ in Albanian and one of the meanings of ‘trattoria’ in Italian is ‘simple food.’ “Dua Trattoria means to love simple food,” Nik Vllasaliu said. The consistency of inconsistency is what Nik Vllasaliu claims as his favorite element of being a restaurateur. “Certain jobs become very robotic and you just go through the motions, but in this industry, there’s always so much going on that consistently keeps you on your toes,” Vllasaliu said. “The joys of not knowing what tomorrow is going to bring or who you’re going to meet—it’s interesting.”

Ćevapi (4 pcs. $14; 8 pcs. $20) features beef and veal sausage, Ajvar, feta cheese and bread.

KAREN CHANEYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Melanzane Parmigiana ($21) features eggplant, capellini pomodoro, mozzarella and balsamic glaze.

COURTESY DUA TRATTORIA

DNT TOLL

W A R R E N P K W Y .

5225 Warren Parkway, Frisco www.duafrisco.com

FRISCO EDITION