Coco Lezzone has recently moved from their Little Italy
location and into Yorkville and celebrated with a Re-birth party. Operating since 1994, diners have been accustomed
to their Italian creations served in a swanky lounge environment – this isn’t
Nonna’s house. The new Yorkville location carries on the tradition with a large
bar at the entrance and an open space dining room that’s great for large groups
and cocktail events.
During the launch party, I sampled a number of dishes that
would work well for such events (dinner menu prices included for reference).
Margherita ($17) and diavolo ($19) pizzas were wispy and thin with a flavourful
sauce and tons of cheese. The diavolo is what I’d normally order, topped with
salty capicollo and a jalapeno for kick and flourish.
Skewered meat balls ($15) lend themselves for easy eating.
Tender and moist, they weren’t overly salty so
could be eaten as an appetizer without pasta.
For cocktail gatherings, I’d also suggest having the deep
fried spice prawn, which I couldn’t find on their menu but was hot and
delicious.
The fried calamari ($15) was cut thinner than I’d like but
had a great non-greasy breading. Meanwhile, if you prefer something healthier,
the grilled octopus ($16) was meaty and satisfying paired with a red onion,
caper and red wine vinaigrette.
An intimate dining room is situated at the back of the restaurant
if you prefer privacy. The circular format table was a smart choice to allow
for family style sharing.
Coco Lezzone’s menu isn’t all about the small plates, they
have plenty of traditional mains as well. Although my picture of the osso buco
($29) doesn’t look the most appealing, the veal was well braised and contained
an ample amount of bone marrow. Also, the accompanying saffron risotto was
substantial enough to stand up against the rich veal braising liquid.
Little Italy’s loss is now Yorkville’s gain. Coco Lezzone is
now satisfying diners with their traditional Italian creations, with a hip
cocktail on the side. Aperol spritzer anyone?
Want more about the event? Read about #Parv's experience on Coco Lezzone's re-birth.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 137 Avenue Road
Address: 137 Avenue Road
Website: http://cocolezzone.com/
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