It was my friend who described Joso’s dining area the best, “It’s
is like Nonna’s house gone 18 plus!” At first, without focusing on details,
every wall and ledge seems to display some sort of picture or figurine; much
like the busy wall paper and family photos in Nonna’s home. It’s when we
concentrated on each did it become evident each one contained some female or
male anatomy in it.
Joso’s then wouldn’t be the ideal restaurant for children.
But, it’s not a loss, as most children won’t have a hankering for spirally
octopus tentacles and murky squid ink anyways.
Servers were diligent at determining which dishes need to be
augmented to satisfy our table of five. So, many of the items pictured in this
post are actually double or 1.5 orders. Following their recommendations is
suggested as portion sizes, with the exception of the risottos, are small. However,
for the best “value”, stick to round figures (i.e. either one, two or three)
rather than “half” portions as for those Joso’s charges it as a main +
appetizer, where the appetizer’s price is more than half the main.
The tendrils of grilled octopus ($39 a portion; two portions
pictured) looked and smelt amazing but faltered on taste as a grittiness ruins
the first bite. Once the layer of blackened skin along the suction less side is
removed, the tentacle become more palatable as the oaky char and meatiness of
the seafood shines through.
It went well with the arugula salad ($14 a portion; approx.
a third of the salad pictured), as the good quality olive oil and lemon on the
seafood mix in with the salad. And yes, normally dairy and seafood aren’t the
best combinations but the stronger octopus could hold its own against the Grana
Padano shavings.
One of Joso’s most ordered dish is likely the nero risotto
($58), a large silver platter filled with a deep black cuttlefish ink risotto.
The menu notes it follows a secret Spralja family recipe inspired by the
ancient Venetian recipes.
If you can get over the dark hue, your tongue will be
rewarded with the ink’s salty ashy flavour mixed into the creamy grains of
rice. Adding a squeeze of lemon will help mellow out the oceanic flavours and
lightens the dish. Just be mindful of the ink’s staining properties, including
on lips and teeth; not necessarily the best option for first dates.
But, it’s the Leonardo spaghettini ($15 for appetizer and
$26 for main; 1.5 portions pictured) that will have me returning. Each strand
of al dante pasta coated with the fragrant garlicky olive oil, white wine and
lemon sauce. Peppered throughout were ample amounts of diced octopus and shrimp
adding a taste for every bite.
Overall, the meal satisfied the seafood lover in me. The smell of cooking seafood is intoxicating and lures me in like the sirens of the sea. Well, except, it’s not exactly luring me to my death. But, if it’s over a plate of seafood pasta, there’s worse ways to go.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 202 Davenport Road
Address: 202 Davenport Road
Website: http://www.josos.com/
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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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