Lanzafame

LOCATION
On Crown Street, a short walk from William Street.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
There is a common misconception about “trattorias”. That is that they will be filled with chequered tables, wax-covered bottle candleholders, 1980’s pictures of Italian landmarks and authentic, punchy Italian flavours that make you forgive the daggy decor. Lanzafame Trattoria is a little different; there is nothing to forgive. In creating this restaurant, owner and chef John Lanzafame aimed to reach into his diners’ brains and flick away Lady and the Tramp associations. He has done this with sleek, modern tables and a breezy terrace that makes a fitting companion for the neighbouring Ferraris. The menu, however, is enough to pop all of those images back in your head – classic, simple trattoria.

Authentic Italian dishes featuring duck, rabbit, seafood veal and beef roll around in Italian broths, glazes and sauces, while handmade pasta and gnocchi featuring the season’s produce wink from the kitchen window. And there’s one other little thing: the pizza. John is the proud recipient of the 2005 New York “world’s best pizza” award, something he shows off in a generous pizza menu. The world’s best “margherita” (cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and parmesan) sits next to the world’s best potato pizza (featuring mozzarella, white prosciutto and rosemary) and the world’s best pork belly pizza (tomato, mozzarella, sweet and sour onion, oregano and radicchio salad). Not fancy enough? Try the “rabbit pie” pizza with rabbit ragu, mozzarella and cos salad or the “ragu” pizza which features mozzarella, rich beef sauce and shaved parmesan. The menus are accompanied by a cheeky wine list of Italian and boutique Australian wine and boisterous, hand-waving chatter. It is a trattoria after all.

Agnes Gajewska, July 2010