I was kindly invited by the General Manager of Trattoria to sample some of their new dishes earlier this month. I had the opportunity to try a variety of their classics as well as their new dishes.
Trattoria Burnaby is located across from Crystal Mall in Burnaby. They have a medium sized patio for sunny days as well as spacious indoor seating for those rainy Vancouver days.
What we ate: Tomato Bruschetta – basil, shaved parmesan, assorted tomatoes, balsamic crema (Amuse bouche)
Our meal started off with a amuse bouche. It was very fresh and light and I really appreciated this small gesture. It was a good way to start the meal and had me very excited for the upcoming dishes.
What we ate (from top left clockwise):
- Sicilian Calamari – sicilian olives, capers, spicy tomato sauce ($13.50)
- Arancini – stuffed with wild mushrooms, parmesan, smoked scamorza, roasted garlic, carrot puree ($12.50)
- Brussels Sprouts – lemon, capers, chillies, parmigiano-reggiano ($8.50)
- Tonnato Salad – seared ahi tuna, artichokes, pepperonata, fregola castelvetrano olives, pinenuts, limoncello puree ($18.95)
- Roman Power Salad – farro, quinoa, kale, charred avocado, pepperonata, cucumber, verde goddess dressing ($13.95)
My favourite from the starters was the Roman Power Salad, the Arancini and the Brussels Sprouts. The Roman Power Salad was a delicious bowl of green, and I enjoyed every component (especially the dressing!). The Arancini was not too heavy, and fried perfectly. Each ball was perfectly crisp on the outside but creamy on the inside from all the cheese. The Brussels Sprouts are deep fried perfection, and in my opinion one of the best ways to eat sprouts.
The only big miss for me was the Sicilian Calamari. The batter had no flavour and was very soggy. This would be a pass from me.
What we ate: (starting from the calamari):
- Pasta Platter (for 2) – truffled spaghetti & signature meatballs, gnocchi, crab & lobster ravioli, bucatini cacciatore ($23.95 per person)
- Cheese Bread – garlic bread, cheese blend ($6.95)
- Gamberi Genovese – mascarpone pesto, soleggiate, tomatoes, prawn, macedonian feta, red onion, arugula ($16.95)
- Funghi smoked pancetta, mushrooms, creamed leeks, sprouts, provolone ($16.95)
- Lamb Shank – sweet pea risotto, gremolata, red wine jus ($25.95)
There was no misses from this spread for me. The Pasta Platter is a great way to try some of the signature pasta offerings from Trattoria. It is a very generous portion, and can feed more than two people comfortably. My favourite pasta from the platter was the Crab & Lobster Ravioli, which is new to their menu. Each ravioli was stuffed with crab and lobster and the sauce was heavenly.
The pizzas were delicious, the crusts were thin and chewy (just the way I like it!). I appreciated the generous toppings and every bite had a perfect mix of ingredients.
The Lamb Shank was fall off the bone tender, but my favourite part of that dish was the risotto. It was perfectly creamy, but lightened with the bursts of fresh peas.
Would I come back? Yes! I really enjoyed my experience here, and I would definitely come back here for an al fresco lunch or a romantic dinner date.
