We heard from locals that La Tratt was an enjoyable Italian restaurant, located in South-West Sydney in Fairfield RSL. Unfortunately, our experience was not as amazing as expected and we felt jipped, especially considering the hefty price tag. We picked this restaurant for my family dinner because they’re not the type of people to travel more than 10 km for food đ.
Entrée
To start the meal, we were given a complementary chicken soup however the presentation and taste were very confusing. The soup was moderately viscous, almost like consomme but also not quite there. It had a very strong mushroom flavour, leading us to believe it was a cracker with mushroom sauce however a second waitress clarified the “chicken soup”. There was no spoon so we weren’t sure if we were supposed to drink the sauce or dip it with the complementary sourdough or drench our thin cracker into it. Overall it was just a small mess.
We ordered the amalfi gamberi for $22. This was pan-fried Yamba prawns with white wine, tomato, garlic and olive oil. The prawns were medium-sized and slightly overcooked, based on the chewiness of its flesh. The accompanying crusty bread was too big to be enjoyed completely with the olive oil sauce so we had it with our remaining “chicken soup”.
The arancini were rice balls filled with provolone cheese, served with black garlic aioli and parmesan for $14. These were decent, with the right ratio of rice to cheese. The batter was moderate in thickness and not too overwhelming.
The tartara di tonno was yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado lime crema, radish, puffed rice and blood orange dressing for $22. This was slightly too acidic, with the lime zest and tart blood orange masking the sweetness of the tuna. The avocado squirts mellowed out the acidity but it was not enough to balance everything. The portion of the tartare was also not enough for 4 people, considering the price was equivalent to other restaurants. We had about half a slice each.
Our last entrée was the fiori di zucchini ripieni for $20. This was ricotta & fior di latte filled zucchini flowers with charred roast peppers, tomato passata and parsley oil. It was well done, compared to the other entrées, with a lightly fried batter, juicy vegetables and tangy sauce. Again, it was another good dish but there was nothing gastronomically unique and amazing about it.
Main Course
On to our mains, we added on this tagliata di manzo because we realised the portions were tiny, despite the big price tag. This was a black Angus signature tenderloin steak, grain-fed for 300 days, served with crushed potato, enoki, porcini & horseradish butter for $42. We asked for the steak to be medium rare however half of it arrived medium done. It was good for what it was but overall we rated it average, especially considering we could get an amazing steak for the same price tag at Hurricanes or Rock Pool đ.
We had the ravioli di patate con ragĂč; a fresh ravioli filled with Persian feta and potato, served with slow-cooked pork and veal tomato ragu for $17. This was simple and delicious, with tenderised meat and savoury, well-seasoned sauce. We saw a Kitchenaid pasta maker in use and the pasta was indeed light and soft.
The filetto di Pesce arrosto was one of the most enjoyed dishes but it’s hard to wrong a classic fish. This was a crispy skin Cone Bay barramundi fillet with herb puree, garlic chive, green olives & lemon salmoriglio for $40. It was quite tender with a sweet aroma and an enjoyable crispy crunch. This was accompanied by a creamy, buttery sauce and mellowed out by the potato starch.
This was a side of roasted vegetables for $10. It was simple and good.
The pollo e pancetta arrosto was a roasted spatchcock, wrapped in pancetta, charred sweetcorn, witlof and sweet wine sauce for $38. It was a little on the dry side and a bit tough to eat. The skin was shrivelled up. It needed a bit of sauce braising and seasoning to enhance the bird. I’d say it was still decent, delicious enough if you didn’t know food but definitely not up to the standards of a $38 bird.
I cannot see this on their online menu but this was breadcrumbed fried chicken with dill, cucumber, avocado and vinegarette dressing. The veggies were drenched in acidic flavours so it was hard to appreciate the earthiness of the dill or the freshness of the cucumber. The chicken was fairly juicy, contrasted by its dry, crumbly skin. It was another good dish but there was nothing outstanding about it. The price range was between $35-$40.
Service
The service was messy. We wanted to order the rosĂ© but the waiter kept pointing to the white wines and it took us 3 attempts before he finally wrote the bottle we wanted. Even when we were ordering our dishes, he seemed confused, as if he didn’t know the menu. His intentions were genuine but he appeared lost.
The rest of the staff ignored us, even when we asked for help. No one cleared our plates until they brought out our next dishes, which led to a clusterfuck of organising and messy hands.
We were expecting a bit more service, especially because this restaurant was charging premium price on par to Sydney Michelin star restaurants but alas, we also were not surprised because this is what “the hood” is đ€·đ»ââïž.
The rest of the staff ignored us, even when we asked for help. No one cleared our plates until they brought out our next dishes, which led to a clusterfuck of organising and messy hands.
We were expecting a bit more service, especially because this restaurant was charging premium price on par to Sydney Michelin star restaurants but alas, we also were not surprised because this is what “the hood” is đ€·đ»ââïž.
Review
The ambience of the restaurant was nice however the service and food were mediocre. We spoke to our friends who recommended it and they said they ate at La Tratt pre-Covid so maybe management has changed since March 2020. This was a disappointing dinner so unfortunately, we’ll never return.
We wouldn’t really call this ‘fine dining’ because that would be an insult to the pros however we’ve categorised it in the ‘fancy’ section because it is one of few restaurants offering this classy vibe to those living in the area and are unable to travel for food.
Thanks for reading and happy eating.
We wouldn’t really call this ‘fine dining’ because that would be an insult to the pros however we’ve categorised it in the ‘fancy’ section because it is one of few restaurants offering this classy vibe to those living in the area and are unable to travel for food.
Thanks for reading and happy eating.
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