Past visits to Cresta (formerly Pastizza) involved sit down
meals consisting of plenty of carbs and a drink or two. At their media event
this month, my perceptions changed as tables were cleared and the dining room
transformed into a spacious cocktail party. With their corner lot and floor-to-ceiling
windows, the atmosphere was airy yet still warm and inviting as the smell of
food permeated from the open kitchen.
Indeed, there were still carbs; after all, to have attendees
not try their crispy light pizza would be a shame. The heirloom tomato version was
reminiscent of a margherita – tomato, cheese and basil – except augmented with
onion and olives. The funghi was just as delicious as I remembered, the wild
mushrooms pieces further drizzled with truffle oil.
The scallop crudo was brilliantly presented, the seafood
simply topped with citrus juice and coriander. A surprising twist was the
garlic chip on top, providing a sweet earthy finish to the otherwise bright canapé.
Having had their beet salad, I enjoyed their take on the
dish for the event skewering the colourful beets with the vegetable’s greens.
In fact, I enjoyed it more as the smaller pieces allowed a lovely crust to
develop, the sweetness further enhanced with the lemon thyme dressing.
Of course we had ample opportunity to sample the restaurant’s
wines, cultivated from the Cresta Ridge in California. The pinot noir kept the
red lighter as to not overpower the food, yet still complimented the tomato
sauce and beef.
I certainly had my fair share of the beef tenderloin, soft
meaty slices of medium rare steak wrapped around thinly sliced roasted
potatoes, garlic and a cherry tomato. A lovely pairing for the wine.
The roasted shrimp paired with an empty ravioli was also
delicious … what a great one bite hors d'oeuvre smartly served with a fork. In
a spoon, was my first taste of Cresta’s creamy mushroom risotto – it’s hard to
go wrong with fragrant truffle oil and shaved parmesan.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 118 The Esplanade
Address: 118 The Esplanade
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