Trattoria has reopened in Cuffe Parade and here's what you can expect to find

Like fine wine some places age well with time Take for instance Cuffe Paradersquos iconic Italian address Trattoria With a legacy dating back to the opening of its home President MumbaiIHCL SeleQtions in 1973 Tratts as itrsquos affectionately called by loyalists in its first avatar was Cafe Au Lait which shouldered the responsibility of introducing authentic Italian fare to the city Rebranded as Trattoria in 1981 the restaurant has since remained the goto for buono Italian food holding its fort in an everchanging city for over 40 years And to remain relevant in the new normal Tratts is back in an allnew avatarChef Uddipan ChakravarthyAuthor Shobhaa De a selfconfessed Tratts loyalist recalls that her ldquosecond homerdquo was like a Tuscan pizzeria back in the day Done up by interior designer Elizabeth Kerkar it had a warm informal feel she muses ldquoTill then Italian food was not really all that popular so the idea of an attractive large restaurant featuring more than just pizzas and pasta was cheered on especially by South Mumbai walas like myselfrdquo she notes Another SoBoite restaurateur Gauri Devidayal too remembers trotting to Tratts for every birthday ldquoAll big family celebrations were at Tratts so we were fans It was a different place then with an oldschool viberdquo It was this charm along with chequered tablecloths handpainted ceramic plates dotting the walls and the allure of stimulating cups of coffee to cure hangovers that drew in culinary chronicler Kunal Vijayakar ldquoAs it also functioned as a 24hour coffee shop Cyrus Broacha and I have spent so many nights there after getting hammeredrdquo he chucklesSalmon affumicatoClassical comfortWell the chequered tablecloths are long gone much to Vijayakarrsquos disappointment mdash ldquoWhatrsquos a trattoria meaning small Italian restaurant without themrdquo he asks mdash but the comfort has been dialled up In its new avatar Tratts offers a blend of classical and cosy points out general manager Melvyn Saldanha Think cosy couches and armchairs in Italian florals ambient lighting and an Instagrammable ambience that compels you to soak in the moment ldquoThe pandemic gave us time to reinvent ourselvesrdquo shares Saldanha adding ldquoWersquove created a look and feel similar to classic Italian bistros based on feedback from our regularsrdquoThe revamped interiors of Trattoria PicsBipin KokateSlice of ItalyAlthough she didnrsquot quite take to the businesslike look that Tratts sported for some time De has found herself going back time and again for the seafood pizza wild mushroom pasta biscotti and cappuccino ldquoI had my favourite table I also remember several birthday parties and anniversaries celebrated there thanks to the attentive friendly staff Former Chef Ananda Solomon would pop by to say hello and it would turn into an impromptu partyrdquo she reminisces Trattrsquos iconic pizzas also feature in Vijayakarrsquos memories along with their expansive breakfast buffets ldquoThe buffets had pancakes waffles cold cuts and the works Even during the lockdown I ordered pizzas from thererdquo he addsGauri Devidayal Kunal Vijayakar and Shobhaa DeWith a menu spanning these old favourites and new offerings executive chef Uddipan Chakravarthy assures us that the reimagined Tratts has something for all If yoursquore looking for a bowl of comfort therersquos stracciatella a chicken egg drop soup while the salad and antipasti section features additions including avocado cruda and olivepoached smoked salmon Roasted Sicilian duck breast Piedmont pounded stew mapleglazed roast leg of chicken are some highlights from the mains Of course there are the pizzas mdash lamb Bolognese assorted seafood mushroom black olives and bell peppers to name a few The desserts are a decadent spread of millennial pullmeup cakes their signature tiramisu and Tratts nostalgia layered chocolate mousse ldquoOur forte is authentic Italian cuisine and so we try to maintain that even when wersquore changing the menu Wersquove played around with plating and added twists with the accompanimentsrdquo explains ChakravarthyFood for thoughtTratts has undergone several revamps to roll with the times Some worked some didnrsquot but the restaurant stood the test of time The recipe to stay relevant is to modernise but not change the ethos says Vijayakar ldquoI felt that Tratts had lost some of its charm But I look forward to going there nowrdquo De tells us the youth too has taken to Tratts as it represents a certain era ldquoTherersquos nothing hectic about Tratts The Library Bar next door was a favourite Itrsquos time to revive that old vibe there with live music and dancingrdquo she suggestsAnybody listeningAt President Mumbai IHCL SeleQtions 90 Cuffe ParadeTime 7 am to 1030 pmCall 66650808