Star rating: *** Just this once, I’ll start with an apology, writes reviewer Andy Richardson. In recent years, diners at La Trattoria, in Shrewsbury, have been greeted by printed table mats featuring photocopies of Shropshire Star reviews.
The reviews were written some years ago by fledgling food critics who’ve long since left this parish.
They eulogised the authentic ambience and simple food on offer at the town’s long established Italian eaterie. The confident boasts of those reviewers charmed La Trattoria to such a degree that they were were immortalised as place mats.
Now, I’m pretty sure the following critique won’t be viewed in quite the same light by the proprietors of La Trattoria. While enjoying an evening dinner, I was considerably less enamoured with La Trattoria’s quasi-Mediterranean charms than my predecessors.
My review, it’s fair to say, is unlikely to be immortalised for thousands of diners to read while musing on the delights of bruschetta or cannelloni. So, before going any further, an apology to La Trattoria. Sorry, but you need to get new place mats.
La Trattoria sits at the top of Shrewsbury’s Fish Street and proclaims its Italian-ness loud and clear. It’s decked out in red, green and white bunting and the bustling staff create an air of rush-hour Rome. Unlike other, more sedate Shrewsbury eateries, there’s an energy to La Trattoria that’s somehow infectious. Staff present plates, menus and glasses with irresistible style.
My wife and I booked a table for two on a Friday evening. We arrived at 7.30pm and the place was already alive with plenty of couples, parties and other bookings.
We were greeted with great charm and offered a choice of table before being presented with our menu. It was an impressive start.
The service at La Trattoria was its obvious strength with two great waitresses and one hugely impressive maitre d’. The only weak link was a charmless waiter-cum-cashier who seemed to be auditioning for a role in Grumpy Old Men. Other staff bustled busily from table to table, refilling glasses, taking extra orders or attending to the needs of diners.
The menu was simple and straightforward, with Italian staples that mixed bread, olives, intense tomato sauces, various types of pasta, chicken, veal and bacon.
My wife and I both opted for mushrooms to start. The small button fungi arrived within minutes of us placing our order and piping hot. They were fine, but nothing to write home about.
My wife opted for chicken in a tomato sauce with a side order of sauteed new potatoes and vegetables for her main course. Again, it was fine. The chicken had been overcooked though the potatoes were pleasant and the sauce was impressive.
I went for spaghetti in a bacon and tomato sauce. The pasta was instantly forgettable. It tasted no better than boil-at-home-for-ten-minutes varieties while the sauce was three-and-a-half-out-of-five good.
There was a momentary pause before our waiters arrived with the dessert menu. My wife opted for tiramisu. The small portion that arrived, complete with dash of no-extra-charge squirty cream, was perfunctory. There are better varieties on offer in supermarkets.
I opted for the lemon tart, a choice I came to regret. The pastry had a sponge-like consistency while the lemon filling was so sharp I thought it might have been made from ground glass. Whoever made it must have a palate of asbestos. The tart arrived with a too-tart raspberry sauce and an ice cream that contained mini crystals of ice.
We were offered coffees afterwards - though our request for a cappuccino was turned down with some humility because none was available. No cappuccino in an Italian restaurant? That’s like no egg and chips in a greasy spoon, or a Michelin-starred restaurant without foie gras.
The waiters and waitresses sprang out with almost indecent haste as we finished. They were obviously keen to clear away and turn tables, ensuring space for people arriving later that evening.
There were aspects of La Trattoria that really shone. The service offered by three of its staff, particularly the maitre d’, was outstanding. We were greeted with real warmth and, as a fan of all things Italian, I delighted as they spoke to one another in their sharp, staccato language.
But if an Italian restaurant wants to secure a top-rated review, it has to offer much, much more than big smiles and even bigger platefuls of fair-to-middling grub.
Is La Trattoria the best Italian restaurant in Shropshire? No. For my money, two of its local rivals, Paolo’s and Grazia, have the edge.
Does the chef create food so marvellous and unique that it’s worth driving across the county to visit? No. La Trattoria is a ten-minute walk away but I doubt I’ll eat there again.
Were the ingredients so fresh, so beautifully cooked and presented that we’d recommend it to our friends? Again, no. The cooks clearly hadn’t spent the afternoon making batches of fresh pasta with OO flour and golden egg yolks.
Does it showcase the best food and drink, with an emphasis on seasonality, as in Italy? No. My wife was less than complimentary in likening her glass of house white wine to a less expensive liquid used by decorators when removing paint from walls.
La Trattoria is a reasonably good neighbourhood restaurant offering fairly-priced food in convivial surrounds. Our bill was a snip under £50 for three courses and two drinks each. The service was great, the food was average and we were home in time for the second episode of Coronation Street.
I may be wrong, but I don’t suppose that will find it’s way on to one of the table mats.
ADDRESS
La Trattoria, Fish Street, Shrewsbury. Tel: 01743 249490
MENU SAMPLE
Starters
Stuffed peppers (£4.95); Salmon roulade (£5.95)
Main courses
Sea bass in a butter and lemon sauce with leeks (£13.95); Fillet steak with fresh tomato, mushrooms and parsley (£16.50)
Sides
Home-made onion rings (£2.25); Bruschetta (£4.50)
Desserts
Tiramisu (£4.25); Panna cotta (£4.25)
ATMOSPHERE
Good atmosphere. There’s a real bustle and sense of excitement.
SERVICE
Friendly, brisk and efficient.
DISABLED FACILITIES
Staff help and there is easy access.
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