8/10
I should first admit that I have never been to the Ladro original on Gertrude St, so this review is based solely on my experience of it’s Greville St sibling. And, after reading many negative reviews of the Greville St eatery, I was a little scared of what I would encounter on a busy Friday night. Most reviews savaged the slow and too-cool-for-school service as well as the noisy environment, with only a handful of reviewers giving positive comments. Well, it just goes to show that sometimes you need to experience things for yourself, because I found Ladro very pleasant overall.
Of course, as with anything, the evening wasn't without its hiccups. I had booked a table for two online that day, and was surprised that I was able to get my preferred time of 7 pm. I was expecting Ladro to be already booked out or to be relegated to the ‘nanna’ session of 6 pm. When I arrived alone, first impressions were good. The décor is simple and stark, but somehow still feels inviting and warm. It has a decent sized courtyard out the back and a good eating area on the street. But I had to stand awkwardly in a line of other new arrivals for a good five minutes before finally speaking to a waiter about my reservation. And then I learnt what booking a table last minute at Ladro for a Friday night gets you – the ‘crap table’. Wedged in between two large tables of South Yarra parents and their ‘bubs’ (I have to use that word because there is no other way to describe designer wearing two year old terrors in $1200 prams) was our ‘cosy’ table for two. Really, I would’ve needed ear plugs to sit there. Hardly relaxing after a full week of work when all you want is a large glass of wine and some good conversation. The waiter noticed my horror, and said that everything else was booked. In desperation I asked if I could sit outside, and the waiter said of course, even going so far as to recommend which table was most protected by the wind. So, once seated outside (under a very effective outdoor heater that meant I had to remove several layers of clothing), things got a lot better. Husband finally arrived, and we ordered some excellent glasses of wine. We choose the Italian white by the glass and the Italian red by the glass. At $12 each they weren’t cheap, but both were lovely well selected wines (apologies that I can’t remember what varietals they were, as the wines by the glass change regularly and there is no wine list I can refer to). By the time we ordered I was still waiting for some hint of snootiness or rudeness from the waiters, but the service had still been nothing but prompt and friendly. And there was no pushy ‘up-selling’ of extras as I had read in other reviews. In fact, I had to call back the waiter to ask for a salad with our pizzas.
But of course, the star of the show must always be the food. After arguing with Husband about his pizza selection, I relented and he ordered the Pomodori Verde ($23) a pizza topped with bufala, pickled green tomatoes, garlic, chilli and basil. On paper, the combination of ingredients didn’t excite me. But – my god – on the plate it was pure heaven. The pickled tomatoes were akin to jalapeños that had been soaked in lemon, and their lovely spicy zing combined with the soft cheese and chilli was a masterful combination. The pizza base itself was thin and crispy, without being dry. The true test of a great dish is whether I get a little weepy when eating something. And I did mist up a little bit when eating the Pomodori Verde. Less spectacular, but still tasty, was my pick of the Salami pizza ($21) which came topped with tomato, mozzarella, good quality salami and basil. My only criticism is that it lacked a little punch, and could have used some chilli or extra spice to take it to the next level. We also ordered a radicchio, rocket, chicory, fennel and witlof salad ($9.5), and the leaves were fresh, crunchy and lightly dressed, finishing off the whole meal nicely.
Another slight hiccup was the difficulties we experience in paying the bill, where we had to eventually get up and pay at the counter. Why, oh why, do restaurants not seem to care about letting customers pay the bill at the end of a meal? It’s not a problem that is isolated to Melbourne, but it really is ridiculous when you have to wait longer to pay the bill than for your food to arrive. I do also see how some reviewers struggled at Ladro when they had to sit in the main dining area. It was loud and packed very tightly, and I am not sure I would rush back there for dinner unless I could secure an outdoor table or one of the few tables for two along the window at the front of the main dining area. But overall, I was impressed, and Husband and I left with full bellies and big grins. Just the way it should be.
