Buca, an Italian restaurant tucked in the end of an alley
down King West, has been racking up accolades as being a top Toronto
restaurant. Having visited when it first opened in 2010, I recall having a
well-executed plate of pasta yet wasn’t blown away. “Maybe I didn’t order the
right dish?” I keep thinking as praise for Buca continues. With that in mind, I
ventured back with friends who love to share in tow.
In a ravenous carb eating mood, the gnocco fritto ($7) sounded enticing: pillows of Tuscan spiced
dough, which you’re advised to slit open and dump a translucent slice of lardo into. As the warmth from the
dumpling envelopes the lardo, the
cured pork fat begins to melt combining a light slickness to the slightly sweet
crispy and chewy dough.
Be careful when approaching the nodini ($6) - hot bread knots sitting in a pool of olive oil,
rosemary and garlic. Images of soft chewy garlic bread comes to mind, but when
you actually try to stab one of these suckers you realize the crust is crispy
and hard … one false step and the nodini
could easily end up at the neighbouring table. Eating with your hands is
recommended so that you can enjoy this aromatic dish while it’s hot. They’re
good but anything slathered in garlic oil generally is.
The last appetizer consisted of the cavolfiori carbonara ($10), well roasted cauliflower florets whose
smokiness melds into a rich cheesy carbonara sauce. The raw egg yolk is mixed
into the hot clay dish tableside releasing an intoxicating smell. For a person
who’s sick of all the cauliflower gracing menus, Buca’s version was delicious and
worth ordering again.
Coming back to try Buca’s famed bigoli ($21) for a second time, I’ve finally narrowed down why it
threw me off. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with the thick chewy strands of
freshly made duck egg pasta. Nor was the duck offal ragu repulsive. But, what’s
unsettling is the combination of Venetian spices and mascarpone that makes the
sauce taste like butter chicken. It’s tasty, but not exactly Italian?
In a city filled with great authentic pizza places, Buca can
still compete amongst the fray. Their soppressata ($24) had a lovely evenly
cooked golden crust and the crisp bottom allowed slices to withstand holding
plump Calabrese sausage and plenty of sauce. Although the pizza had heat, it
wasn’t overly spicy and was balanced with sweet cipollini onions.
In interviews, Chef Gentile stresses the importance of using
quality ingredients and to keep it simple. For me, the brassato ($32) was an excellent example of such a dish. Served off
the bone, the beef rib was well braised and moist without relying on fatty
bits.
Moreover, I appreciated that it wasn’t overly salted, rather
served with a delicate tomato sauce so the beef’s flavouring still stood out. The
stone-milled polenta on the bottom had the texture of grits, the rustic-vibe complimenting
the heavier beef perfectly.
Although I love tiramisu, I’m glad Buca is expanding our
palettes; the migliaccio ($14) is so
different from all desserts gracing menus across Toronto! And after a heavy
meal, the fluffy lemon ricotta cake such a great way to finish off. On top of
the light sponge cake were tons of juicy figs, dollops of chestnut cream and
crushed crunchy cookies. The Amaro Lucano,
a digestive liqueur, added a mild herbal bitterness to keep the cake from
becoming overly sweet.
As a parting gift, we each received an amaretti morbidi, a chewy almond cookie that I enjoyed with tea the
following morning.
I’ll admit it, even after a second more substantial meal, I
don’t get the hype over Buca. Don’t get me wrong, the food is delicious and I
appreciate the quality ingredients, non-fussy presentations and selections that
rise above meatballs and marinara.
I want to drink the Koolaid that Chef Gentile’s serving (have
you seen the man’s photos?), but the overall experience just isn’t as mind-blowing
as the accolades make the restaurant out to be.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 604 King Street West
Address: 604 King Street West
Website: http://www.buca.ca/king/
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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