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Trattoria Kitchen
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
1850 W 4th AveVancouver, BC V6J 1M3
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 732-1441
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 1 am
Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat 10:30 am - 2 am
Sun 10:30 am - 1:30 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
71 reviews for Trattoria Kitchen
Review Highlights
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"...is the shared 'Signature Pasta Platter" @ $18.95/person." In 7 reviews -
"Started with the beef carpaccio, then shared the..." In 7 reviews -
"I went last week and enjoyed the Gorgonzola pizza." In 4 reviews
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71 reviews in English
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Review from Ying Ying L.
Vancouver, BC
5/19/2012
This is the last of the Glowbal Group restaurants that I haven't been to so I was looking forward to checking it out. I have to say though, even though the food and service was good, it was nothing exceptional, as I've come to expect from Glowbal restaurants. Maybe it's because I went for lunch and it was more of a business/serious vibe so I should go back during dinner and see what it's like.
Update: I've been back to Trattoria recently and they have a nice executive chef so it's much better than my other visit. I've been to their $11 pasta on Tuesdays nights and it's crazy busy but oh so good! Go early or late to avoid the long wait times. -
Review from Florence C.
Vancouver, BC
3/27/2012
The only Glowbal chain restaurant I frequent. They make good Italian food: good ingredients, good menu and portions. Their pizza are "almost" comparable with Campagnolo, and they have very good pasta. Here are my favorites:
- Margherita - Tomatoes, basil, mozzarella.
- Soppresatta - Quite special because they use "smoked" cheese scamorza.
- Linguine Gamberini - Jumbo tiger prawns, capers, olives, full of goodness!
- Spaghetti Carbonara - Quite authentic.
- Spaghetti & Kobe Meatballs
I highly recommend the pasta platter to share, everything is good, colourful, and presented so elegantly.
I didn't find anything special with the various burrata plates. So much bread and so little burrata, quite overpriced.
And must give credit to their excellent and consistent service. They serve small antipasto to customers waiting for a table. What a nice gesture! -
Review from Veronica D.
Vancouver, BC
3/21/2012
We live near by and this place is packed every night. We finally decided to try it (we're vegan) as we love Italian food and so called ahead to ask if there are vegan options and what they were.
The head chef said they could accommodate but would not be there on Friday, which was the day we went. My husband insisted it'd be fine and wouldn't matter. I was doubtful as it was a busy night and regular staff aren't likely to take care in making something vegan that tastes good.
We ordered their special minestrone soup to start and what we got was awful. It was half cooked GIANT chunks of potatoes, and carrots and cabbage in water with salt and some olive oil. It was really bad. I was shocked anyone would call that a soup, let alone have it on their feature menu. We had to send it back. The manager was surprised at first and then had to double check the potatoes were in fact not cooked, and then came back and apologized.
My husband got a spicy aribiatta sauce on penne and I got a vegan risotto.
His pasta was pretty good, very plain obviously as it's just sauce and pasta (which I can make at home better anyway).
The mushroom risotto that I got had lots of big mushrooms in it, which was nice, and it tasted good, BUT it was literally soup like and swimming in oil. They had actually added even more oil to the risotto at the end instead of cheese. This made me upset as it was so greasy and heavy.
I had to stop eating it as I got a stomach ache from it.
Actually for the next 3 days I had this really painful brick in what felt like the top of my ribcage. Everything I ate hurt me and I felt really sick.
I make risotto all the time at home and don't add extra oil or cheese at the end, I just add a little more vegetable broth and some nutritional yeast. I don't mind if it's not creamy as hell. I just like risotto.
Oil is 100% fat, and when you add like 1/4 cup of it at the end to make risotto that's 477 calories and 52 GRAMS OF FAT. There's less fat in a big mac with cheese. My stomach hurts just thinking about this.
So I am really hesitant to ever go back here again. There's very few items we could eat on the menu and I just felt so sick after having my dish severely drowned in oil. -
Review from Diana L.
5/5/2012
This restaurant was my first experience with the Glowbal Group, which is partially why I'm so in love with it. I love their beef carpaccio pizza and their spaghetti with kobe meatballs. My fav dish there is their buffalo mozzarella tomato salad. If you go on a Tuesday, all of their pastas are $12 (I believe). It makes it all the more worth it.
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Review from Monti S.
Vancouver, BC
1/28/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Another Glowbal Group restaurant. Essentially the Italian Kitchen of Kits renamed The Trattoria.
Yes, I come here often, not because the food is amazing because its a 10minute walk from my house, I like wine and they're open late for those of us that dont want to be hip grinding and locking sweaty lips while drunk and drinking expensive cheap beer at a club.
I'd rather be drunk, drinking good wine and eating meatballs.
The Trattoria has almost the exact same menu as Italian Kitchen, down to the Kobe meatballs on the truffle sauce pasta (that Glowbal in Yaletown has as well FYI).
The meatballs aint nothing to write to mama in Italy about it. Truth be told they're kinda of plain, Kobe beef and all, but they taste good swallowed down with a hearty red and some salt and pepper sprinkled on them. I think people are just brain washed to salivate at the word Kobe. Pavlov would be proud.
Nothing is extraordinary but its got a nice room, you have decent service and the food is decent. Some days are better than others. Had a carbonara late at night one day, was so good, craving for more, went back two days later and it was horrible. Same with the prawn pasta, at Italian Kitchen its good at the Tratt I will never order it. They have an issue with consistency. They also have the same issue with the staff.
Brunch one week, waiter was Quebecois, if his jeans were any tighter he would have been Mark Wahlberg on the billboard in Times Square. Another chuckle, he thought he was so hot giving us his lidded, let me sex you out baby so you tip me look. I give him kudos for entertainment but not into his package at all. Asked him what bacon they had on the menu and he did a Homer Simpson on us "doh!" BTW, their brunch bacon is delicious, fatty and thick (if youre a chicken breast broiling, veggie steaming, turkey bacon eating fool, stay away)
Lunch another week, waitress was blonde as blonde could be, extra highlights just to cap it off. Didn't ask me if I wanted a glass of wine, I asked for the menu, then had to flag her down to order the wine, then flag her down to get another glass. Ive been in the restaurant business, booze is your money. I shouldn't have to beg for my wine. If she'd had her hair dyed brown halfway through my meal she would have realized there was some good money if she'd been on the wine ball.
Late night dinner, waiter was excellent. We were the only people there, the service was spot in though we knew they wanted to close and clean up. The late staff was tired but they stayed open, kept bringing the bottles and even made us pasta when the kitchen was closed. This was the delicious carbonara.
Moral of the story, only eat at the Trattoria past 10pm and avoid the blondes, cute as they may be? -
Review from Ron P.
Vancouver, BC
2/20/2012
One of my favourite restaurants in Kits, haven't been there since last fall. Actually dined there the night of the infamous Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot of 2011!
My kind of Italian cuisine: good antipasto, some tasty sauces, risotto done right. Had a wonderful veal marsala dish that I haven't seen on the menu recently. Good wine list. I've been lucky that the amazing staff have always recommended the perfect food/wine combo so I rarely look at the menu anymore.
Doesn't take reservations so there are long waits Friday/Saturday evenings. I can eat later so can avoid the crowds. Looking forward to returning soon. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I remember when Italian Kitchen opened as the "cool" place, dt. Those were the days.
Then I came here on a date and they "accidentally" threw away my pasta since I'd barely touched it.
They were really apologetic about is so they gave me a card for a free pasta.
Well, I was so underwhelmed that day, that I didn't return until recently. Now I know why.
So, they wouldn't honour my "free" pasta card, even if I had paid the $18 price the last time I was here. Interestingly enough, I could have sworn that it was the same manager. Whatever.
The meatballs were a safe bet but average. The clam pasta was a bit too clammy. The dish itself was almost ok, but did I detect a taste of Catelli?
The tiramisu was average. Luckily, it was "complimentary" in lieu of my pasta.
The service was sweet and exceptional, but it just couldn't redeem this place.
We all know that this is part of the "Glowbal" group, but just how many Italians have visited this kitchen?
And so, I left, paying $20 more than I would have at Campagnolo Roma, Campagnolo, Marcellos, and let's see...every other authentic Italian place in the city, vowing never to return.
And I won't. -
Review from Quan H.
12/20/2011
Apparently, you should make reservations on a week day, even if it's for lunch for two. I never imagined the place to be so full. Also, apparently it's not a place you'd feel comfortable wearing sweats in (:
My friend and I, thus, sat outside with the blankets and outdoor heating. It started to rain. I digress.
First impressions: Waiters were nice and thoughtful, menu was one page (good) but full of culinary terms and Italian words that I didn't understand (bad). I got a kick out of the place mats: one teaches you how to eat in an Italian restaurant, and one's about Italian cheeses. As a loyal Food Network watcher, I'm proud to say I've at least heard of them all.
I ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara, upon the waiter's recommendations, and my friend ordered the Cannelloni. The carbonara was really tooooo salty for me, and so I ended up picking out the pancetta. Friend didn't mind the heart attack, so she ate most of it. Even after picking out the meat, the sauce was still too salty for my taste, so I gave up. The cannelloni was, in contrast, a bit on the sweet and buttery side. I guess I preferred that over the salty pasta.
I may come back to try other things on the menu, if I've the extra money to splurge. At least the waiters were nice. -
Review from Meana k.
12/18/2011
My friend suggested we eat here and I immediately jumped on Yelp to check reviews. Uh oh. Mixed bag on here. Lots of poor reviews about overpriced meals, not so great service, and mediochre food. Hmmm. I was a little nervous about eating here considering I'm currently working toward a weight loss goal and an Italian place chock full of carbs isn't exactly going to help me reach it. Further, seeing that the place wasn't unanimously well-liked made me worry I'd waste a splurge meal.
Nonetheless, I studied the menu and the photos, and picked up on the repeated positive notes regarding the spaghetti carbonara. I've only ever had carbonara with really thick creamy sauce that was too rich to enjoy, so I was intrigued by the reviewers who claimed this carbonara was excellent, not too heavy, and definitely authentic without the nasty cream sauce.
That was it. I had to have it. I obsessed over it in my head for two days until our dinner plans finally arrived.
There was a super long wait for an inside table, but their outside patio was covered and heated and there were plenty of empty tables when we arrived at 7:30. We were seated immediately, and the best part of sitting outside was that we weren't surrounded by all the families with children. I don't enjoy screaming children on a Saturday night. Do you? Ugh. No thank you.
Our server was pretty nice but not really great at listening to my soft spoken friend when she was ordering or asking questions. She seemed a little rushed and her attention was focused elsewhere. However, she did ask how we were on wine every time she came to the table, and she did fill up my water when needed.
Our food didn't take too long. We had the burratta with leeks vinaigrette and mustard seed breading and calamari to begin with. Both were nice, although neither was something I'd want to order again if I return. Next time I'll probably get something off the salumi list.
I enjoyed the spaghetti carbonara. It was indeed a much lighter dish than I was expecting based on previous experience. Considering I normally put salt on everything, I needed nothing added to the carbonara. My dining partner was constantly adding salt to her linguine vognole. I was happy with my dish, and in fact am looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow. There was no way I could eat it all in one sitting.
After dinner, I ordered the panna cotta with citrus and a limoncello. The drink was lovely, but the panna cotta was simply scrumptious. I have a soft spot for panna cotta done well, and the citrus flavor added just the right amount of zest. This dessert is worth coming back for. I would have the carbonara again, but I don't think it's a dish I'll be craving anytime soon.
Why 3 stars? Only the dessert warranted more. The service seemed a little lackluster. Ambiance was cool, but packed inside. Overall, this place is good and I'd eat there again but I likely won't seek it out. Then again, based on my first paragraph, maybe I'm not their prime target customer anymore either. I'm okay with that. -
Review from Herman E.
11/25/2011
The sister shop to Italian Kitchen DT.
I prefer the DT location to this one.
Reasons:
I prefer the pasta platter choices DT over the one here
DT crowd is a bit more professional
They don't take dinner reservations...HUH???? Not sure why they would do something like that.
Noisier than DT location.
The food is roughly on par with DT. I know the DT location uses DeCecco Pasta because I asked, and was hoping that they used Pagani, but that is another entirely different conversation.
Not a bad place to come. -
Review from beki L.
Vancouver, BC
8/31/2011
It makes me very sad to give this place ONE yelp star....so why don't I start with the good stuff?
I had come here last year for the first time, for a friends bday dinner and it was GREAT! Food was delicious, atmosphere nice, good server, I had an awesome time!
Lets fast forward to yesterday, my most recent visit...
My roomie mentioned they have pasta tuesdays, where all pastas on the menu are $10!!! This in itself gets 5 yelp stars cause that is just unbelievable!
Me, my boyfriend & roomie head out for an early supper....we decided to get seated on the patio.
Now the story starts to get UGLY.
Our server (HIS NAME IS MARC. WITH A "C". IF YOU SEE HIM WAIT YOUR TABLE, RUN FAR FAR AWAY!!!!!!) ruined what could've been a great experience.
Where do I start?!
He barely looked at us when he came to our table. He offered alcohol drinks to start (but my bf & I cannot drink--due to health reasons) which my roomie ordered and we did not. He kept pushing us to order drinks though....so FAIL #1
When we only ordered water instead, he basically rolled his eyes and ignored us for the rest of the meal...FAIL #2
He never bothered to inform us of the pasta tuesday, so we asked and he kinda grumpily nodded and said we were right. (FAIL #3) So we all had a pasta dish.
All the dishes were delicious (My bf's had a hair in it!! Which was taken away immediately and fixed) but our server hardly checked on us and never spoke to us or made an effort to do anything extraordinary...FAIL #4
By then, we were sooo unimpressed with the horrific service, we asked for the bill.
THIS IS THE KICKER::
My roomie paid for the bill and tipped a little under 10%. MARC, our server, saw this and does this:
He ripped the receipt from the moneris machine and THROWS IT (yes, he THREW IT) with his credit card onto the table and stomps away!!!! FAIL #5, 6, 7, 8, 9 AND 10!!!!!
WHO THE HELL DOES THAT?!?!?
I don't even think he deserved the tip that was given, I hope the chefs get it!!!!!
I'd like to come back here again.....but NOT to him.....Listed in: Mama Mia!
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Review from Jasmine T.
Burnaby, BC
11/11/2011
So an article came out that the most overpriced dish you can buy at a restaurant is pasta. I agree. But my husband wanted pasta. Whaddaya gonna do?
This is the old Chianti. I used to get delivery from them all the time (I worked for a company that delivered for them), but then they disappeared. I regretted not going more, but then this place appeared. Since I was so in love with the other Glowbal restaurants, I thought "Why not?"
We went on a Friday night and the place was full up. We thought we would have to wait forever, but they offered us a high table near the kitchen. Sure. Never again. The table seats six and four seats were already occupied by four people on a double date. It's weird being on a stranger's date... now I am on a stranger's double date.
Also, I am not small--- oh wait, I am like a teapot, short and stout. It's hard to try to get onto this high chair when people are passing by behind you with hot food. I had to wait for a break in the traffic every time I wanted to move lest I hit someone running by with oil and vinegar. I imagined bottles flying, the guy calling out the dishes doubled over in pain and me having to slink out in the mele.
I like the placemats... mine had the different cheeses of Italy while my husband's had phrases. They came in handy while waiting for our food and trying to ignore our dinner companions. Our server was really nice. We had to wait a little for service because I think he thought we were with the other people and already ordered. We ordered a caesar salad and the bruschetta sampler, my husband had the lasagna and I tempted fate with spaghetti carbonara.
The salad was okay. Nothing really that special. Lettuce, dressing, croutons... meh. The sampler was really good. I love different coloured tomatoes. The cheese was soft... the chickpeas were good. Everything worked on the crunchy pieces of bread.
Oh, I love me a cream sauce. My intestines disagree. This is good... all pancetta-y and egg-y and wunnerful. The serving was a good size. I ate the whole thing. I ate the whole thing and then got out of there as fast as I could waiting for the aversion to dairy to kick in. -
Review from Purdy J.
8/6/2011 1 photo
Trattoria Kitchen is a solid place for fresh, delicious and quality pasta. I've been many times and have not been disappointed.
Our favourite is the shared 'Signature Pasta Platter" @ $18.95/person. It includes 4 different pastas: Linguine Gamberini, Garbanelli Pollo, Spaghetti Bolognese and the gnocchi aglio e olio. The gnocchi is the best and is just cooked to perfection. The food is flavourful and hot. The portion sizes are also very good.
Vibrant atmosphere with inside and outdoor patio seating. It can get quite loud when it's busy and the tables and chairs are set quite close together but it a great place to bring the kids as well. If you're looking for a quite, intimate place, I would suggest having a mean during non-peak meal times.
Service is generally friendly and efficient. Our last experience, we had a waitress who was being 'shadowed' by a new server. Not sure if this affected her service but we felt that she had a bit of an attitude which we didn't appreciate. -
Review from Ed S.
New Westminster, BC
10/12/2011
I have been here three times and have thought it was great every time. Food was fantastic, atmosphere was great, wine selection was impressive and service has been consistently good. Less one star because it is a bit expensive for what you get. Watching the cooks in action is a novel experience.
One of my friends did mention she had totally uncooked chicken across the board (3 people at the table) and the server argued with her for 5 minutes before having it redone. That is second hand, my experience has always been good. -
Review from Paul R.
Vancouver, BC
12/21/2011
I ate here the other night after a long break from visiting.
With this mild winter I thought patio seating would be nice
but their speakers were playing sports or news radio out there, so I opted for inside. Super noisy space.
Table next to me arrived after me and got served before me.
Couldn't even hear/communicate with my server over the noise once she arrived.
Ordered a glass of red around $10, and the kobe lasagne.
The entree arrived before the glass of wine!
The meal was $14 and I doubt it was really kobe beef, but it was acceptable.
No apologies for the poor service or food/delivery fiasco at any point.
I over tipped as I didn't want to wait for my change.
Had my dessert etc elsewhere.
Glowbal Group = inconsistent as usual. -
Review from Ken T.
Vancouver, BC
8/27/2011
Wonderful place! 2nd time back here and it was well worth it!
Naturally, they don't take reservations but we decided to take a gamble and head down anyways. We put our names down and they said it was about 20 mins for 2. We walked around, came back, they remembered us and instantly were seated.
Our waitress was very nice, knowledgable, and attentive. She suggested thier Tratoritto, which was thier version of a summery mojito made with fresh juices and it was VERY refreshing! Quite enjoyed it!
We shared our dinner as my girlfriend tends to order better than me. Started with the beef carpaccio, then shared the Soppresatta pizza, and the Lasagna. We asked to hold the olives and she offered to replace them with capers instead. Very nice of her!
The Carpaccio was different than what I was used to, it is served on a bed of gorgonzola polenta which we didn't know at first what it was.... I'm still torn weither or not I liked the mix of flavours but my girlfriend liked it. The pizza was pretty good, middle was a tad soggy but at least not undercooked. Loved the salami though!. Lasagne was awesome! can't go wrong with kobe beef!!! We finished of with the Zeppole with a couple coffees for dessert. It was a very light dessert with just enough chocolate inside to make it way tasty. Perfect dinner I would say!
Only complaint would be its very loud there and super hot but that was mainly since it's summer. Would definetely not let those things hold you back though! We switched to a corner table so we could sit closer to each other and have a conversation =) -
Review from Stephanie S.
Vancouver, BC
4/28/2011
I recently ate here and felt the need to try a little of everything. Started out with the Burrata proscuitto and loved loved loved it. Really, you can never go wrong with meat and cheese when you're a carnivore like myself. I next tried the Signature Pasta Platter which tunred out to be a bit of a bust for me. The gnocchi was so garlicly is made my eyes water. Also made me unavailable for any loving later on since it was seeping out of my pores at a ridiculous rate. I was also unimpressed with the garganelli pollo. The pasta didn't seem cooked enough. Oh well.
The gem of the night came in the form of an almond and honey cream puff. Holy bejeezus... these little balls of creaminess blew my mind. -
Review from Cathy S.
1/1/2011
I really like this place. Yes, it is noisy and crowded but the food and service makeup for it.
I LOVE their Panzanella salad, it is definately enough for 2 and makes a fantastic starter before one of their massive signature pasta platters. This platter consists of linguine gamberini, garganelli pollo, paesani bolognese and gnocchi aglio e olio. The standout on the platter was the garganelli pollo, loaded up with a generous portion of chicken.
Yes, there are far better Italian restaurants in the vicinity, LaBuca comes immediately to mind, but in terms of value for money you can't really beat this place. I am also consistently impressed with the level of service I have received, extremely attentive without being intrusive and very pleasant. I am a fan and will return often. -
Review from K. N.
7/16/2011 3 photos
Incredible pasta for a decent price (especially on pasta tuesdays) in an eclectic setting. An added bonus, great appetizers / sides, and truly decadent desserts.
While I don't eat meat, I still found there to be a great selection of pastas to choose from - I went with the Puttanesca, which was a perfect blend of flavours with the zingy aspect you hope for with this dish. The brussel sprouts with lemon, capers, and parmigiano reggiano are a really great treat - kind of crispy in the perfect way. Now for the desserts, they really seem to forefront their Zeppole al Cioccolato (homemade chocolate stuffed fritters and vanilla anglaise) but I think the true winner is the Cannoli al Limone with mascarpone frullato & amereni cherry - omg amazing!!! (these now rival my ultimate favourite dessert, Il Giardino's Cheesecake). -
Review from Kristin H.
Vancouver, BC
12/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here a few days ago for a work lunch, and unfortunately did not, for the most part, meet my expectations. It's a 2.5 star review, but I'll bump it up to 3.
The four of us ordered the mozzarella tasting plate to start, which was delicious, but didn't come with nearly enough bread. Luckily that was easily remedied.
We had ordered a bottle of sauvignon blanc. When the server brought it, he brought the pinot gris, and when we explained that we had ordered the sauvignon blanc, he tried to tell us that that it was a sauvignon blanc pinot gris, a blend of the two different kinds of wine. We insisted that this wasn't the case, so exasperated, he went back, and sure enough, came back with the correct wine. I am by no means an expert in wine, but do know that sauvignon blanc and pinot gris are two very different wines, and if they are blended together, then it's a blend and labeled as such. The server apologized and was clearly embarrassed, but still.
After we had ordered our main courses, they took at least 45 minutes to arrive. I ordered the honey mussels, which was clearly a terrible choice. The broth was flavourless, and the mussels were tough and overcooked. Definitely the worst mussels I have eaten in Vancouver. Two of my colleagues ordered the gnocchi, which smelled delicious and apparently was quite good. Everyone else was pleased with their food, so hence the 3 star rating.
I might come here again and order pasta as the prices are reasonable and the ambiance is good, but I would definitely advise to stay away from the seafood. -
Review from Niko D.
6/8/2011
I have visited this place twice and have had slightly mixed reviews.
Heres what hasn't changed.
AMAZING SERVICE
GREAT DRINKS (try the desert coffee...amazinnngggggg!)
GREAT WINE SELECTION
Now here is where it gets a bit tricky....
I ordered the Carbonara pasta with a side of handmade Kobe Meatballs. The first time, each bite was complete bliss. I think my date told me that I had a look of utter contentment while I was eating the pasta. I enjoyed it immensely. The second time I ordered it ... the pasta was cooked excellently but...the spices were a bit off. It seemed that the meatballs were made from scratch every time and the recipe differs. I was a bit disappointed but overall the food was quite good.
The appetizer as utter Ecstasy
Burricotta radicchio, spiced walnuts, honey, rosemary BUT!!!!!! Substitute the Burricota for Burrata... The layering of cheese curds, cream, walnuts and honey just Scream at you..Its crispy...then wait..sweet...oh what crunchy...nope not done tang follows and sneaks itself into your pallet. Amazingness for sure!
The server...his name was Matt, was enjoying his last day on staff before he left for West. I was extremely impressed with his professionalism and knowledge. I will go to west just to experience his excellent service.
This restaurant is a great fusion of great ingredients, good service and casual environment. -
Review from Tara B.
Vancouver, BC
12/14/2010
Go there on Tuesday night when pastas are $10. Get there early and not with a large party, as seating is tough. The best pasta is the prawn linguine!! I always order it and I always love it. It is super tasty and light and has 3 HUGE prawns that are cooked perfectly.
DO NOT ORDER THE LASAGNA! It was so DRY and boring. It was not gooey or saucy like how you want lasagna to be. I do no think their "Kobe" beef is of any high standard either. I can guarantee that "grade" of Kobe would not fly in Japan. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
9/15/2010 1 Check-in Here
$10 Pasta Tuesday's sums it all up. I'll be the first to admit it, Italian is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when I'm thinking of a meal out, but I think I just found my carb fix here.
Sitting on the heated patio, midday, I yearned for a glass of vino, but resisted (I was afterall on a working lunch). Service was friendly and very helpful. He recommended the Linguine Gamberini and I went for it - the prawns were succulent, large and tasty. The tomatoes, olives and capers were perfect companions and the pasta was al dente! Plus there was a welcome spicy kick to go along with the new hand gestures I learned - forgetaboutit :p
I'm tough on Italian places, I tend to believe my home cooked Italian trumps most, but Trattoria - you've got yourself a new fan!Listed in: Ah Oh, Oh Ah -- Italiano in…
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Review from Dee B.
Updated - 1/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came back on NYE.
My husband and I had:
- Beef Carpaccio
- Calamari
- Brussel Sprouts
- Leek Burrata
- Chocolate Torte
- and a couple of beverages.
So good. So so so so good. You must eat here!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/4/2010
Trattoria was my cheat day selection for Sunday, October 3, 2010 and what a great selection it was!
… Read more »
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Review from sara s.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2011
I went there for a casual dinner.
Food: Well prepared, you would enjoy it. But there wasn't anything special about it. I respect the fact that it wasn't oily or too creamy. They had a huge wine list but for some reason there weren't any rose or sparkling in there!
Environment: energetic. I wrote earlier nothing special about the food, but there is definitely something special about the ambiance. It's entertaining to watch the cooks prepare your food. They work in harmony so it's almost like you are watching a choreographed show. I should mention it is not quiet in there. I think they were playing music but I couldn't hear it. If you don't like crowd noise, reconsider your choice.
I had fun reading the place mates.
Lighting is just right and I liked the high stools but I can understand why some people would like it.
Very friendly staff, real good service. They are observant and attentive. One of the best points about this restaurant.
I am a fan, not because of the food , but for the environment and service. -
Review from Emma K.
Vancouver, BC
2/2/2011
Delicious Italian food in a good location.
Expect a line-up sometimes and always expect a full house! The four cheese pizza is my idea of decadent heaven. Yes, it's small but it's perfect to eat with a knife and fork, Euro style. Delicious! I never feel bad about this delightful carbohydrate-y piece of heaven. The pasta is rich and flavorful. I wanted a custom pesto pasta and the chef made a delicious concoction for me. I've been twice and plan to go again and again. It's a great spot for a date because the lighting is dim and the atmosphere is exciting. The service is very professional and the chef's are top quality. Yes, the portions are small but all the better for savoring the fine ingredients. Amour! -
Review from Vincci L.
You can never go wrong with spaghetti and meatballs. Make them Kobe beef meatballs, and it's just added an extra star.
Arrived early to beat the rush. We were seated at the high tops table. Server came immediately and got us some water.
$10 pasta Tuesdays here are the deal.
We got the Kobe Meatballs and Spaghetti, and the Linguine Vongole with manila clams, and a spicy marinara sauce.
Despite being an almost full restaurant, our food arrived promptly, with extra plates as well as tongs for us to share. Everything was brought to us without us having to ask.
The pastas were both hot and fresh, not sitting on the counter for too long so the sauce is dried up. The Kobe meatballs spaghetti came with 3 large meatballs, with a spicy tomato basil sauce, and herbed ricotta. Freshly grated parmesan was also provided upon request. The ricotta added a creamy texture to the whole dish which I enjoyed.
Linguine with clams was also good, not as flavourful, but clams were fresh and the pasta was cooked al dente. Love it!
There's a free parking lot behind the restaurant (enter the alleyway), so no complaints about that.
Service was great, quick and efficient, and just the right amount of attentiveness. -
Review from Allison F.
Updated - 2/2/2011
Mmm still delightful as ever. Came here on a Saturday night and were told there would be a ~45 min wait for a table for 3. We were able to leave our phone number so we could be called when our table was ready. The time estimation was accurate and we quickly received a phone call to return.
We had the Burrata Mozzarella with speck, peas, and mint to start. The mozza is super tender and fresh. Almost to the point of being mushy. We didn't ask what speck was and it turns out it's pork, which I don't eat. But a quick swipe of it over to one of my companion's plates and I was good to go. The peas were nice and fresh and a little sprinkle of salt made the dish delicious. I would recommend sharing these as I don't know that I could eat both pieces and still enjoy my entree. Our other dining companion had a ceasar salad and found it to be standard but good.
For entrees, we chose to go with the Classic Pasta Platter. This comes with lasagna, gnocchi in pesto, penne pomodoro, and spaghetti with kobe meatballs. And enough food for 5 people, despite it being for 3. Everything was fabulous. The kobe meatballs were tender and had quite a bit of spice to them. I'm not sure why they have to be made with kobe beef but it worked. The gnocchi were fine, though not being the biggest fan, I don't know that I can rate them fairly. The penne was the most popular choice at our table as the sauce has fresh tomatoes and is full of parsley. Watch if anything ends up in your teeth with that one. Lasagna was fine. Full of ricotta cheese but served on one large rectangle and so you have to mangle it up a bit to get your portion.
Overall, despite the restaurant being super busy, service was very attentive and speedy. The restaurant is very very loud, which makes it hard to carry out a conversation. Tables are also very close together and so you'll not only be fighting to hear your own table's conversation, but also your neighbour's. Awkward. Ask to sit on the patio if you would like a more intimate setting.Listed in: Worplace Neighborhood Haunts
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/2/2010
Mmmmm delightful!! I had heard good things about this restaurant and so when I had to make… Read more »
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Review from Joyce D.
Burnaby, BC
4/10/2010
Kobe meatballs my ass! Give me a break. I have had more tender meatballs in a can of Chef Boyardee. Tasteless, dry and seasoning definitely off. In a word revolting and I haven't even gotten to the pasta yet.
I tried to like the place I really did but I had this overshadowing feeling there was something wrong from the moment I walked in. Deafeningly loud and that's just the staff I am talking about.
Big shocker!! Last time I checked we were a quarter into 2010, have these people never heard of debit. Oh trust me they conveniently put in their own freaken debit machine so you have to get up out of your chair, walk past the washrooms to the shady back of the restaurant and pay $2.00 to use it. What kind of crap is that. Smart marketing on the part of the owners to collect additional revenue. Complete turn-off.
As for the pasta, well there is al dente or raw, guess what they serve. Pungent, basil soaked spicy sauce on uncooked spaghetti. Yum!!
Only the name is Italian because the food certainly isn't. Over-priced crap with a severe after-taste and not in a good way. There is certainly no Italian grandma in this kitchen! Once and once only, never again!!!! -
Review from K S.
Burnaby, BC
4/1/2011
Best pasta around for its inexpensive price
Been there many times, never disappointed
Good selection and serving size
Pasta al dente
Crockpot mussels quite juicy
Lively ambience -
Review from Amy E.
BC
8/25/2010
Trattoria is amazing! Truly! They could step up their service just a bit, as it is not nearly as good as the Glowbal restaurants downtown, BUT still amazing.
I went last week and enjoyed the Gorgonzola pizza. It was SO big and SO delicious. The only negative is that it is incredibly oily, so you have to cut it with a knife and fork to eat it, but because the crust is so chewy you need to ask for a steak knife to cut it!
But the taste is glorious.
Overall a great place and they do deliver a great meal and very good service. -
Review from Melissa K.
Vancouver, BC
10/6/2011
This place is a good if you were to grab drinks and appies, they have a nice big room and service is good. Their food isn't really authentic, but it's good for North American style Italian. Bibo across the street is much more authentic; though Trattoria has a more extensive menu. So it really depends what you are looking for. I had a couple business lunches and dinners here before, and it's a great place to take clients. Their Kobe meatballs are yummy...they are the same as what you can get at Glowbal.
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Review from Holly R.
Vancouver, BC
12/28/2010
I really enjoy Trattoria. We make it a habit to visit on Tuesday's when the pasta dishes are only $10. My favourite is the braised lamb cannelloni. Once in a while I allow myself to get the mega rich & mega bad for you spaghetti carbonara. I think it is one of the best out of all the Italian places in van city. The bruschetta is also fantastic - a $12 appy that will feed your party of 4, awesome by my standards :)
Like most of the Glowbal Restaurants, Trattoria is loud and busy. Don't go in a huge group unless you are okay with only hearing the people directly on each side of you.
Service is usually quick, portions are decent sized and the meals are priced fairly. They have a lot of similar items to their sister restaurant Italian Kitchen, the one nice difference is these are offered in a more casual environment for a lesser price.
Patio is nice in the summer as it gets hotter than hell inside the restaurant - plus people watching is always fun. -
Review from Raymond O.
Vancouver, BC
6/4/2009
THE HYPE: An 'it' spot back in June of last year with a much eagerly anticipated opening. Welcomed with rave reviews. Swarm of diners aimlessly waiting for hours to grab a table, grudging about the no reservations policy. Fast forward a year later, and Glowbal Group counts another hit, the spot still is a darling in town. Check it out 7-ish, and see the sidewalk of 4th @ Burrard jammed at every direction.
THE SCENE: Loud, lively and fun vibe. Casual and trendy. Sleek and modern with open table kitchen.
THE SERVICE: Staff's geo-print uniform dresses, servers chanting the specials as if reading from a prompter, pretty much distracts you from hearing the dinner special selection. Does not take away the fact that service was polite and professional, terrific yet unobtrusive.
THE FOOD: Caprese insalata was refreshing and a perfect summery starter. The beef carpaccio, one of my go-to items at it's sister restaurant Italian Kitchen, was strangely off. The balance of the dressing and gorgonzola polenta was perfect. Sadly, all it needed was good quality beef tenderloin. Kobe meatballs were dry and forgettable. Hand tossed pizza had amazingly cooked dough, and flavourful asiago and fontina cheese topping. Together though, pizza was average at best. Braised lamb shank was excellent, meat falling off the bone. Aaahh. Tender loving goodness! Tiramisu was creamy and delightful.
THE WINE: Not a wine snob here, however wine selection was boring and uninspired. Not what you expect from an Italian restaurant.
THE DAMAGE: Reasonably priced.
THE RATING: 3 STARS. Prefer La Buca, or better yet, my own homestyle Italian cooking.. *bringing out my Bertolli and Classico bottled sauces...Sshhh*Listed in: GENERATION K
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Review from J K.
2/8/2009
I don't understand why this place gets so packed. The food is boring, and the service is horrible.
We ordered appetizers and mains. The appies came fairly quickly. When we were done, our empty plates sat on our table for a good 10 minutes. Then a server came by to clear the plates and asked us if we wanted to order desert. "We're still waiting for our mains!"
So another 10 minutes, and no main course yet. I asked our waitress about it, and she said it should be coming right up. Another 10+ minutes and still no food. We had pretty much lost our appetite by this time. I ask again, and even ask for confirmation that our order didn't get lost in the kitchen. "It should be out any minute. We're unusually busy tonight."
It looked pretty normal to me. I drive by fairly regularly, and have seen people standing outside during dinner time on many occassions.
So finally, our mains come out, a good 30+ minutes after we were done with our appetizers. The pasta was pretty average.
I have absolutely no desire to return. -
Review from Jessica W.
Vancouver, BC
4/3/2010
Hosted a few dinner parties here and wasn't disappointed. Tasty Italian food that is meant to be shared. Kinda loud, hard to hear the person across from you.
Make like Lady and the Tramp and share the spaghetti with Kobe meatballs.Comment from Shannon B. of Trattoria Kitchen 4/6/2010
Thank you so much for your kind words. Happy you enjoyed… More » -
Review from Chuck N.
Vancouver, BC
12/20/2009
Very poor service. Unfriendly managers and staff making you stand and wait at the door without greeting you, as you watch them talk to each other avoiding eye contact with customer.
Others are correct that the room is noisy, but also too warm and stuffy. When we went in the summer, they had extra fans around which didn't help, and even during the winter, the room is too hot with poor ventilation.
A few decent dishes such as the carbonara and beef carpaccio, but not good enough to overcome the lackluster service.
I also think the their 'kobe beef' is misleading. If you have had the real thing, you would know how lean their meatballs compare. It's not even close. -
Review from Pia W.
6/19/2009
The ambiance of Trattoria may be great, but my first impression of this Italian restaurant is that it is VERY NOISY, from the small space and the fact that EVERYONE is talking (but still quiet compared to popular Chinese dim sum places in the morning with many different tables of old Chinese ladies gabbing away about where to buy good groceries and old Chinese men about which horse to bet on in the upcoming horse race).
The menu is a la carte, but what caught my attention was the "pasta platter" that had a bit of everything I wanted to try. I thought the idea of a pasta platter was pretty creative, and offers a sampling of some of the main pasta items on their menu: Spaghetti, lasagna, linguine in Alfredo sauce and the cork screw pasta (not sure if that's the proper name for it). The platter could pretty much be shared among 2-3 people.
All in all, I give it an A-OK...maybe an ok place for dinner and lounging if you have 5-8 people in a group (more than that, they might not fit you all at the same table due to the restricted space in the restaurant), but definitely not a place for dinner if you are with just 2-3 people and want to chat during dinner.
I'd be open to go back and try more stuff on their menu, but hesitant to do so because it's kind of hard to find street parking during the dinner rush hours. -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
7/6/2009
The night was sultry. It had been a long day of standing out in the sun at Granville Island and my boy was picking me up and we were looking for a swank yet casual place to eat in restaurant-ridden Kitsilano. Looking over the menu at Trattoria Kitchen, which I had been wanting to try anyway, a staff member appeared and said "Come on in - the pizzas are awesome!"
After a few minutes wait in the "lounge" (it was after eight o'clock, so the dinner rush was long gone) we scored a table on the patio. Thank god, because inside it was packed, noisy and still very, very warm.
As is the style here, we ordered a few plates for sharing: lamb sausage and mushroom pizza, a half-order of the spaghetti and Kobe beef meatballs, and the forno-baked clams for an appetizer. Portions did appear small, but damn if they weren't filling. We didn't have room for dessert (tirimisu was the idea, natch) - but were pleasantly surprised when the bill came and they gave us two cards good for free desserts on our next trip.
The Kobe beef meatballs were nice and tender, although the tomato sauce they swam in seemed a bit off in the seasoning. The lamb sausage pizza was surprisingly good with an egg cooked in the centre, although I had to be careful not to get grease on myself as I ate. And I enjoyed the clams - tender with nice breadcrumb-y seasoning.
The best part about the Trat was definitely the service. Not just our server, but everyone we came into contact with, including the manager, who deftly put the napkins in our laps whilst inquiring how we were doing. Love that napkin trick. And our server, who whipped up a tasty non-alc lemonade for the husband and then another one, too. I made sure to tip well; they deserved it. Others may find it overwhelming - since there's a fine line to walk between friendly and overly friendly.
Perhaps the food isn't the bestest Italian food in town - but the spirit of Italian warmth is intact and place feels trendy and welcoming all at the same time. I enjoyed hanging out here and will surely be back to sample that tirimisu!Listed in: Date Night
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Review from Kat S.
9/15/2010
I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Great service, fun vibe, and good food at a fair price.
As other have said, it is loud, so not a place for a romantic date. But perfect for a dinner out with friends to celebrate a birthday, which is why I was here the other night. It was a bit hard to hear the conversation at the far end of the table, but no too loud that I couldn't hear the people next to me.
They accommodated our group of 8 as quickly as they could and allowed us to order drinks while waiting for our table. The bill from the drinks was easily transfered over to our dinner bills, which were all separated, no troubles. We didn't even have to wait long for a table.
The service was really good, and the bills were brought promptly when we were done, and cleared up just as quickly.
There were several things on the menu I wanted to try, but just picked two since I can only eat so much. I had the Caprese salad, with the buffalo boccincini which had heirloom tomatoes and was big and yummy. For a main I had the Gorgonzola pizza, which can be summed up with the word: Delish-OMG-gasmic. I need to make this. Weekly.
The bathroom was a bit small for the size of restaurant, but it was clean and nice, and had mouthwash. Probably for all that garlic breath.
Overall, a good experience.Listed in: Vegetarian Friendly Options
