Review: The Trattoria in St. James
Lasagna Bolognese with beef, pork, and guanciale is made with homemade pasta at The Trattoria in St. James. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Carved out of the back end of a hidden strip mall, the modest dining room of idyllic The Trattoria accommodates fewer than 25 diners, and yet the kitchen packs more culinary firepower than most of those opulent Long Island Italian restaurants.
Chef-owner Stephen Gallagher isn’t doctrinaire about tradition — you might encounter sweet corn and chive arancini, roasted cauliflower with tahini and pine nuts, mushroom and bone marrow risotto — but his emphasis on clarity of flavor, seasonality and the primacy of vegetables get to the very heart of Italian cuisine.
A phenomenal spot for a quiet, intimate meal, The Trattoria’s menu is ample, but not overbearing.
Chicken al Mattone with morel mushrooms was a seasonal dish at The Trattoria in St. James. Credit: Daniel Brennan
There are spreads like house made ricotta and sun-dried tomato tapenade to accompany bread service, before a selection of about 15 starters that might include heavier Italian classics like tripe alla Parmigiana and baked clams, but alternatively, heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with prosciutto San Danielle and aged balsamic, mussels with chorizo, leeks with crispy potatoes and meatballs over polenta.
Eight (or so) pastas are served in both small and large formats, and here you might see rigatoni with kale and stracciatella, and black pasta with calamari and spicy tomato. Recent entrees have included tender pork braciole with potato purée and broccoli rabe, branzino with eggplant, and duck with French lentils, summer vegetables and caramelized fig.
The menu changes frequently, but you’ll always find classic versions of lasagna and pappardelle Bolognese, bucatini carbonara, and spaghetti all’Amatriciana. There's also chicken Milanese, plus chicken and veal Parmigiana, both of which are fantastic.
Gelato, biscotti, sorbet and affogatos are on offer for dessert, but it’s the black and white crème brûlée that really hits the spot. Once BYOB, The Trattoria now offers a wine list full of lesser-known gems, with a robust selection of under $55 bottles — plus a dozen winners by the glass.
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A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.
