42 Bannerman Trattoria e Bar, Glenhaven

The wonderful thing about the Hills area is that all it takes is one wrong turn and you can end up driving through a landscape that would not feel out of place in the countryside, even though you are still well within Sydney’s boundaries. On the recommendation of our friend, we took a drive into what seriously feels like farmland around Glenhaven and found ourselves at a rustic homestead looking for authentic Italian food.

42 Bannerman Trattoria e Bar is on a property located on the corner of Bannerman Road and Glenhaven Road – it is not entirely visible from the road so watch out for the sign which says something like “We Serve Italian Food” on the wooden fence. The restaurant is inside what looks like a converted house, which has been painted a faded sandy yellow colour, conjuring up images of a sunny villa in the picturesque Italian countryside somewhere.

I had thought that the trattoria would be decorated in a cosy, family style but the interior decor is actually quite elegant due to the use of dark wood and stone, with just a hint of a homely vibe. There’s no need to ask for a food menu because their offerings are written up in brightly coloured markers on big black boards which they will bring over and stand on a seat to show you.

We start with some very long, thin breadsticks which are served in a glass tube and some crusty bread buns drizzled with olive oil. The breadsticks are addictive, with a satisfying crunch and it looks like they have some poppyseeds in them.

For our mains I have opted for the Orecchiette, now that I know what type of pasta it is since I’ve had it at a couple of other places, while the boy is feeling like a carnivore tonight and goes for the Beef Fillet. I am a bit disappointed with the little discs of Orrecchiette pasta because they taste a little more doughy than the ones I’ve had elsewhere. But luckily the lightly creamy mascarpone sauce which came with it was delicious, with the distinctive flavour of the red onions in the dish being infused into the sauce itself and flecks of smoked salmon and tiny capers scattered throughout to keep things interesting.

Orrecchiette with Smoked Salmon, $26

The Beef Fillet is served medium rare atop a bed of soft polenta with a side of mushrooms. I loved the taste of the mushrooms because they had soaked up the savoury sauce, but found that the polenta was quite soggy. The beef itself was cooked nicely so that the meat was still pink inside, keeping it succulent and tender.

Beef fillet with Polenta and Mushrooms, $35

We still had room for dessert so we ordered the Profiteroles which came with icecream in place of the usual custard filling and lashings of chocolate sauce on top. For me this was the highlight of the meal, as the profiterole pastry was nice and crispy, contrasting with the creamy coldness of the vanilla bean ice cream which served as a fantastic filling. We also got an extra scoop of Nutella gelato on the side and this was also a winner, with the delectably smooth gelato bringing out the unmistakeable chocolate nuttiness of my favourite spread.

Profiteroles with chocolate sauce and vanilla bean icecream, $13

Nutella gelato scoop, $3.60

If you ever find yourself in the Hills craving Italian food, a trip to 42 Bannerman Trattoria e Bar for authentic Italian food could be just the fix you need.

42 Bannerman Trattoria e Bar
42 Bannerman Road (corner & entry Glenhaven Rd)
Glenhaven NSW 2156
Phone: (02) 9899 5608 


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