PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAEverything about Il Tratto Ra Ro suggests a restaurant beholden by the local community. There’s the plaque announcing its opening in 1999 by the Mayor of Concord; its location in the cosmopolitan hub of Majors Bay Road; the permanently festive atmosphere brought on by hordes of happy diners packing the room out nightly; and the queues of hopefuls loitering outside, lured by the legendary status of Il Tratto’s thin crust pizza.
If you’re not a local, a visit to Il Tratto might leave you wishing that you were. Run by the Viscontini family, it’s a vastly welcoming place where good-natured gluttony is celebrated, and wood-fired pizza is king. Housed in a brightly converted shopfront, the split-level space buzzes with activity, as staff deftly meet the demand for authentic Italian fare: ricotta and spinach croquettes topped with gooey gorgonzola, finger-licking garlic, tomato and chilli mussels, and baskets of house-made bread to mop up the sauces. Of course, it’s the pizza that shines brightest, with toppings ranging from the brilliantly simple bianco (oregano, rosemary, garlic and olive oil) to meatier options like the casareccia (tomato, bocconcini, marinated field mushrooms and Italian sausage). A great value BYO, pizza lovers will agree that Il Tratto is well worth the journey from just about anywhere (south of Naples, at least!).
Fiona Davies, November 2007