Showing posts with label panna cotta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label panna cotta. Show all posts

CLOSED: Parcae (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 05, 2017 by
The day I heard Monk Kitchen was being shuttered was a sad day. Course after course of what Chef Roberto Fracchioni was churning out at the Chef’s table was fantastic – everything tasted great, for sure, but it was friendly behind-the-scenes view of the kitchen (and bantering) that made the experience incredible. I’ve since tried Flor de Sal, Fracchioni’s new restaurant; everything about the dinner is fancier, but the magic isn’t there.  

Hence, after hearing the initial reviews on Parcae, which now occupies the former Monk Kitchen digs, I had reservations already … the use of offals in a brilliant manner, but ultra-small portions. It sounded hoity toity, nothing like the warm hearty creations of its predecessor.    

It wasn’t until Winterlicious that I decided to give Parcae a chance – even if the dinner wasn’t fantastic, I’d be out $38, a manageable sum. On this visit, the restaurant was much easier to find (firstly, there was a board with the restaurant’s name out front) and I knew go to the left of the lobby and down the stairs to actually get to the dining room.

Our waiter, tatted with gorgeous geometric forearm tattoos, was just as friendly as the Monk Kitchen chefs. I took a deep breath… maybe this will be amazing, why had I waited so long to try Parcae? Certainly, the $7 glass of wine (another Winterlicious special) helped, the balanced Syrah coaxing me into comfort.

Then a bowl of house fried bread arrived – a genius concoction – balls of hot crispy goodness. The hard crust cracks to let you into the soft but chewy dough in the middle. Each morsel is covered with salt and grated pecorino crotonese cheese to give it a strong savoury burst. It even sits in a pool of olive oil, which thankfully doesn’t soak into the bread. The only “healthy” element is the thyme leaves dotted within the batter. Give me two bowls of these with wine and I’d be happy.

Feeling adventurous, I started with the cervelo or deep fried lamb brains. Even as the server sets down the appetizer, she warns that it’s best to eat them with a bit of the vinegary greens and plump mushrooms. The first bite (with all the condiments) is actually great – since the cervelo is piping hot, all you can taste is the crunchy crust and creaminess before everything’s swallowed to avoid a second degree burn to the tongue.


Then as the temperature drops and the meagre greens and mushroom supply depletes, the creaminess finishes with a gamey aftertaste and my once gung-ho feeling starts to wane. It starts to feel heavy … the creamy bite that just slid down my throat has turned to sludge. Truthfully, I would have given up every brain fritter for just another ball of fried bread. Oh well, I’ve tried it and have briefly supported the nose to tail movement.

Continuing on the lamb journey (if I’m going to eat the head part, I may as well benefit from indulging in the meat part of the animal as well), I chose the lamb parpadelle as the main. Aside from the bread (I know quit harping on the bread), the pasta was the best dish of the evening. The ribbons were thin and silky and the sauce closer to an au jus consistency so it just clings to the pasta. Then you lift the ribbons and little strands of scamorza cheese pulls apart. It’s a great dish - if only there was more lamb and it didn’t arrive in a kid-sized portion (seriously, the kid-menu fettuccine alfredo at Earls is comparable).


I almost felt bad taking a bite of my friend’s duck raviolo; after all, the lone thing at the bottom of the dish already seemed so meagre. Yet, our friendly waiter had raved about them, so a bite was in order. Although the rest of the table loved the raviolo, something about the creamy mascarpone sauce ruined the otherwise delicious braised duck filled pasta. Maybe it was the hazelnut pieces (why ruin a hearty pasta with nuts?!) or the lack of crispy duck skin as promised on the menu. The raviolo was no parpadelle.


After an exciting starter of lamb brains, my dessert waffle seemed so safe– it’s not overly thrilling, but it’s also hard to mess up. Parcae had the requisite eggy batter and crispy edges and the waffle neutral enough that the sweet Nutella ice cream wasn’t overpowering. But then the chef adds a shaving of frozen foie gras on top: that one ingredient made the dish, adding a creamy saltiness to everything.


Following such a nicely balanced dessert, a taste of the pudding chômeur felt like someone pumped a syringe of maple syrup into my mouth. Soaking cake in syrup already makes for a sweet dessert, so adding banana and peanut butter ice cream to it seems over the top. Something simpler like an unsweetened Chantilly cream would have been better and not leave me reaching for water.


Perhaps even a spoonful of the buffalo ricotta “pannacotta” would suffice. After all, it was watery enough to melt into the chômeur. Someone must have forgotten to add gelatin to the dessert as what arrived is more fittingly described as creamy cottage cheese with poached cinnamon quince (like a firm pear), this can’t be a pannacotta?


A meal that started strongly slowly waned at the end. Parcae certainly offers interesting options, but some things are just too hoity toity for its own good: the toppings on the duck raviolo is overly fussy and desserts like the chômeur simply overpowering. And don’t think the portions have shrunk in lieu of the Winterlicious special – judging by regular reviews, it’s always this small. So, unlike other three course meals, you’ll leave yearning for something more. One guess what I was yearning … of course, those genius fried bread balls.

Overall mark - 6 out of 10
Is Winterlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Winterlicious - $38
Regular menu - $38 - cervelo ($12), parpadelle ($16) and dessert ($10)
Savings - $0 

After contacting the restaurant to understand why there was absolutely no savings for dining there during Winterlicious (something I thought the City of Toronto requires), they responded that the fried bread served at the beginning normally costs $5. There you go: you get complimentary shared bread. Parcae is the worst value I've ever calculated for a Winter/Summerlicious experience.
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 348 Adelaide Street West (inside the Templar Hotel)

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:



CLOSED: Mistura (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, October 29, 2016 by

After operating for twenty years, Mistura is successful. Yet, Paolo Paolini knows the importance of continuously evolving the restaurant to appeal to generations to come. Born in Italy and immigrating to Canada when he was seven, his passion for food began at 15 when he first started working in the food industry. Years later, he opened his first restaurant, Splendido, a place that I still consider the best brunching experience in the city.

He’s careful to create an elegant environment at Mistura without becoming pretentious; it’s important for customers to feel comfortable. Walking into their spacious dining room, you get that feeling. Everything looks opulent but it’s not stuffy – classic white linens are replaced with lux cream leather and candles joined by airy lighting fixtures.  


With a new Executive Chef commanding the kitchen, Klaus Rohrich is putting a modern flare on the traditional Italian favourites without giving up the practice of using seasonal Canadian ingredients. To showcase their fall menu, a group of food lovers were invited into the restaurant to try a selection of items. Accordingly, most dishes pictured in the post are smaller than actual portion sizes.

Rohrich has previously served as Mistura’s Sous Chef for six years, so he’s no stranger to the establishment’s beloved dishes, like the balsamic glazed lamb ribs ($34), which will always have a home on the menu.


After marinating the lamb for three days and slow cooking for a few hours, you can imagine how tender the meat becomes. Yet, the preparation doesn’t render the meat tasteless; you’re not going to mistake these for pork ribs. The light gaminess of the lamb is still prevalent but balanced by the sweet and tangy glaze thickly slathered on top.

Donning a Blue Jays cap, Rohrich is laid back and casual – he jokes, he’s straight forward, and he doesn’t mind revealing how dishes are created. What truly shines through is his love for cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. Paolini believes in giving Chefs the freedom to create – when Klaus wanted to make charcuterie (difficult and time consuming items) he obliged and will soon even convert a wine display to showcase these meaty creations.

Available in two ounce servings, diners can combine the charcuterie from the six options to create their own platter (ranging from $8 for the mortadella to $50 for the bellota pata negra also known as ibérico ham). Rohrich shows restraint with the spices, the prosciutto di parma ($18) wasn’t overly salty. In his hands, the mortadella creamy and light. Even the house preserved pickled vegetables are deliciously tangy and crunchy.

Through trial and error he discovers new ways to heighten existing dishes. While trying to keep pasta fresh for the evening, he vacuum packed the dough and found that in the process the air pockets were removed and helped keep the dough al dante.

The wild boar angolotti ($21) has an ultra-thin crust encasing a decent portion of braised meat. The thick glossy roasting jus on top is rich without relying on salt. The port stewed dried cherries are not for me, but for those who find the angolotti heavy on its own, does help lighten the dish.


In the end, Paolini explains it best: people should visit Mistura to enjoy dishes that can’t be easily replicated at home. The meals take time to prepare – it’s not just a piece of meat seared on high heat and finished in the oven or something deep fried until golden.

Take their boneless free range chicken ($29), the name sounds boring even though it’s anything but. The de-boned chicken is prepared ballotine style with the white meat encasing dark. After being slowly cooked sous vide the meat’s moist and flavourful with a crispy piece of skin included for crunch.


If you’re not in the mood for a traditional main, one can easily be filled with a selection of their appetizers. Arriving two pieces in an order, the crostini are satisfying delicious. The marinated eggplant with fresh herbs ($6) is the lightest of the bunch while the duck liver pâté ($10) luscious and rich with a bit of sweetness from the mostarda on top.


My favourite crostini was the warm mushroom and gorgonzola ($8), so comforting and the mild blue cheese not overly strong rather adding a creamy touch.


Much too easy to munch on, the crispy shrimp ($18) are tempura battered skewers with compressed melon. Perfect for nibbling on while enjoying a glass of Prosecco, you normally wouldn’t picture shrimp and cantaloupe together but the touch of acidity in the citrus dip helps balance out the melon’s sweetness.


Oh how I love artichokes and to have it deep fried ($16) at Mistura is a rare treat. The outer edges are feathery and crispy while the heart remains juicy and soft. The creamy herb sauce has a big punch of lemon in it to lighten the dish, while the gherkins and capers gives the condiment a tartar sauce flair.


The artichokes pair well with the sweet corn soup ($12), thick and creamy, relying little on cream and instead puréed corn. The crunchy croutons could be smaller so you don’t feel like you’re getting a huge mouthful of it, but the crab and roasted onion salsa is fantastic, adding a hint of heat and keeps the soup savoury.


Chef Rohrich imparts some words of wisdom: you cook with your ears and all the senses. Being a chef is knowing how to adapt to changes so that you can’t rely on a recipe. I can see this craft in the pan seared branzino filet ($32), you’ll need to know how long to keep the fish in the pan so that the skin is golden and crispy but still have the meat flakey.

There’s so much going on with the sides for the branzino - steamed Manila clams and vibrant olive oil poached cherry tomatoes. Although, it’s the lemon scented bean salad that’s the highlight: instead of a soggy stew, each ingredient is distinctly represented and the green string beans still have bite.

All too often panna cotta, a famous Italian dessert, arrives tasting like milk jello. At Mistura, their vanilla panna cotta ($12) is one of the better ones I’ve tasted – there’s an airiness that makes the creamy dessert feel smooth and luscious.  The plump blueberries on top were a good choice, but the lemon used in the meringue could be toned down as it renders it bitter.


If you ever see Paolo wandering around the dining room, you’d be lucky to have him sit down at the table. He’s a no BS type of a guy and could regale you for hours with stories from working in the industry … I don’t want to spoil his own Kitchen Confidential that needs to be written, but there was an incident with a gun and telephone.

Mistura isn’t flashy and doesn’t try too hard to fit into what’s “trendy”. Paolo simply states that the restaurant isn’t about fluff, you’re not going to get “tweezer” food here.

Being a millennial, albeit on the cusp of the Gen X designation, I’m tired of going to restaurants that want to target this broad generation. I hate sitting on backless wooden stools and don’t even get me started on the dreaded communal tables. Sometimes I’m in the mood for sharing plates, but what’s wrong with getting your own main that includes all the sides once in a while?


Yet the one thing that drives me insane? The loud music. Why does anyone think I want to visit a restaurant so that I need to desperately scream over the music (and everyone else screaming) to speak to my dinner guests? At Mistura, thankfully, it’s blissfully tranquil.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 265 Davenport Road


 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


The Badali Bar & Cucina (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2016 by

I don’t know when it happened, but the previous Joe Badali’s has been re-branded as The Badali Bar and Cucina and with it the dining room modernized. The numerous banquettes and four top tables have been replaced with sleeker models and if you’re looking to host a large group, there’s a huge table along the wall that could easily hold twenty.

Although Badali’s prices are generally reasonable, during Summerlicious, their lunch menu is a steal at $18. Moreover, it’s one of the few that offers two vegetarian options (something I look for when planning work lunches).  The meat-free arancini is a lovely golden brown and crispy, but could benefit from being hotter inside. Pretty flavourful to begin with, I did enjoy the flecks of sun dried tomatoes mixed into the rice, but the consistency could be creamier.


The gemelli spiral pasta was cooked perfectly covered in a tasty white wine tomato sauce. The Calabrese salami was served as three small thin slices thrown into the middle - if you’re not paying attention you end up with a mouthful of salty spicy meat. Personally, I would have preferred it cut into slivers or cubes so the salami could be evenly dispersed. Overall, the pasta was good but with the musky mussels, the dish would have been better with chicken or grilled vegetables instead.


It’s a shame that the earl grey steeped panna cotta was covered in a berry compote, as the panna cotta itself was delicious. However, the mild tea flavour wiped out by the strong fruit topping; Chantilly cream topped with shortbread crumbles would surely be a better fit.


Although my last visit was over five years ago, this experience was still the same: great location and warm friendly service, but the food wouldn’t make your nonna proud.

 Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10
Is Summerlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Summerlicious - $18
Regular menu - $28 - arancini* ($8), pasta* ($18) and dessert* ($8)
Savings - $16 or 47%

*None of the items are part of their regular menu, so prices based on the soup, lunch pasta and dessert is a wild guess by me

How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 156 Front Street West

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Joe Badalis Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Aria (Toronto)

Posted on Friday, February 14, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 25 York Street
Website: http://ariaristorante.ca/
Type of Meal: Dinner


Aria is located in Maple Leaf Square a bustling area filled with people and lights connecting to Union Station and the Air Canada Centre.  Conversely, the restaurant is a tranquil environment with soaring ceilings, spectacular light fixtures, dim lighting and hushed conversations. For me, it’s not the venue you’d visit for a quick bite before a game or concert; but, if you’re not pressed for time and money also isn’t a concern than the restaurant certainly offers a better chance at scoring a table than the rowdy Real Sports.

During Winterlicious, Aria was offering a 3-course menu for $45 - the perfect opportunity to try this relatively expensive restaurant. Unfortunately, the dishes offered are not part of their regular menu, so if something sounds delicious you will not find it during a regular visit. However, the meal did provide an indication that their chef puts together hearty dishes which although are simple, ties together flavours quite nicely. 

The seared scallops had a beautiful crust as you’d expect. Done a touch on the rarer side it was barely cooked throughout and quite tender. Sitting on a bed of cauliflower puree, which was smooth and creamy (anything but healthy), it worked as a nice sauce to spread onto the scallops.


At first, I was a bit hesitant to order this appetizer on account of the raisins, pine nuts and capers described on the menu. Fruit and nuts with seafood seem like a bad combination and capers only really go well when done in moderation. I was pleasantly surprised with the finished dish; each of the elements weren’t overpowering and actually worked pretty well with the scallops. The raisins had been soaked and not overly sweet, the pine nuts also just a slight bite to it, while the capers must have been mixed into one of the purees as there wasn’t one in sight.

While the braised veal cheek didn’t have the most impressive plating, the meat itself was absolutely delicious. Having been braised for hours it fell apart with a simple poke of the fork and simply melted in your mouth. Soft stewed chestnuts added a nice earthiness to the beef with some sweetness from the pumpkin and potato mash. For my taste, the mash was a tad too sweet as I tend to like more savoury dishes but it wasn’t a deal breaker.


With the green chard leaves topping the veal cheek, I managed to find a piece that hadn’t wilted in the sauce and realized the chard was roasted beforehand.  This roasted piece added such a nice contrast to the meat that I wish more of them had lasted… perhaps scattering some of them around the plate rather than directly on the meat could accomplish this?

Lastly, I ended with the bonet chocolate dessert from Piemonte (a region in Italy), following our waiter’s recommendation. The dome is a mix between a chocolate mousse and panna cotta texture and sits on a disc of chocolate cake. Sitting in a pool of butterscotch caramel with a scope of amaretto gelato beside it, the dessert was rich and decadent. Thankfully, not overly sweet dark chocolate was used for the bonet, which paired nicely with the sweet caramel sauce.


The passion fruit panna cotta also interested me as it had pop rocks in it – who doesn’t like these little candies? Luckily for me, my friend ordered it and generously offered me a taste. Boy it was good! A nice smooth base and then ever so slightly the pop rocks activate, causing a pause while you just hold the dessert in your mouth and let the tingling feeling erupt. The coconut macaroon cookie on top was soft, chewy and not too sugary; for a person who doesn’t like dried coconut I found the macaroon quite tasty.  Alas, this dessert was the better one in my opinion – inventive, fresh and surprising. What a great way to end the meal.


Service was professional and attentive, with wine and water glasses filled discretely without interrupting conversations.  The only inconvenience happened when I had to visit the toilet and found they were located outside in the office building which required pass card access. With no hostess at the podium, I had to interrupt a waiter who accompanied me to the door to swipe me in. For such an upscale restaurant, they should have seriously considered making their own toilets to avoid such a hassle for their guests.

Overall, I was satisfied with my meal at Aria and surprised with the poor rating they’ve been receiving on Urbanspoon. Most visitors complain about the portion sizes (yes a bit on the smaller side), cost (indeed during non-Winterlicious periods is expensive) and overuse of salt (didn’t bother me a bit). So, I heed the warning once again – if you’re looking for a meal before a game or concert this isn’t the optimal venue. But, if you’re seeking a quiet serene environment to really focus on your guests and conversations, Aria is perfect for that. Of course, if their pricing is what’s stopping you from visiting, then there’s always Summerlicious in July!

 Is Winterlicious worth it?

 As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

Winterlicious - $45

 Regular menu - $61 - scallops* ($14), veal cheek* ($35) and bonet* ($12)

Savings - $16 or 26%

 * All the items aren't on their regular menu; prices based on the calamari fritti, braised bison and other desserts

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
Like the blog?  You can now follow me on twitter for notifications - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog

 ____________________________
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!



CLOSED: Bent revisited for Winterlicious (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 777 Dundas Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner


My first visit to Bent was back in late 2012, close to its opening.  I was pleased with my experience and their strongly flavoured dishes (read review here) with only complaints being on their service (not changing plates and offering serving utensils).


While revisiting Bent for their 2014 Winterlicious menu ($35 for three courses), they were as busy as ever.  Service continues to be friendly and helpful with our waitress providing point on descriptions of the dishes and stepping in quickly to address some spilt wine. The food was enjoyable still incorporating Susur’s bold Asian European fusion flavours and was somewhat sharable small plate formats.

The black pepper charred salmon arrives with a side of spicy salmon tartare, a nice contrast to the calmer seared pieces. Both were very different with the slices cooked with just a simple sear and a pepper/dill crust.  Topped with crème fraiche, a fennel relish, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and a dill vinaigrette there was a certainly a host of different textures and flavours. All in all, it works but a bit too much dill for my taste as I found the piece on the right of the plate (away from the vinaigrette) a better combination.


Meanwhile, the salmon tartare is similar to their “tartare two ways” offering with a smooth salmon paste mixed with crunchy shallots, more dill and something briny.  A nice amount of heat is incorporated into the mixture and gave it a punch. I’ll admit, it tastes much better on top of a crispy sushi rice cake, the salty potato chips doesn’t work quite as well.

My friend and I split our mains as the shrimp ravioli and short rib cannelloni both sounded delicious. The shrimp ravioli was an impressively presented dish with a lot going on.  The ravioli is made exactly how I like it, a higher filling to dough ratio, with light wonton skins acting as the dough and a sweet peppered shrimp paste as the filling. Nicely seared scallops topped the ravioli and rice cake / creamed swiss chard combination while a seafood tofu (?) medallion rounds off everything. All in all, this is the dish to have if you’re not going to share as there’s enough going on within it to keep things interesting and really showcases what Susur does best – mixing different ingredients, textures and flavours.




I apologize for the disheveled looking short rib cannelloni … I forgot to snap the picture before it was split. If you’re planning to share mains with someone else, my suggestion is to have the other dish first and leave this until the end. The cannelloni is filled with robust flavours – tender pulled short rib, a rich red pepper and garlic gravy and some parsley (?) puree and gorgonzola cream. It’s a much heavier dish and reminded me of eating an enchilada. Overall, was good but, in my opinion, not as well constructed as the intricate shrimp ravioli dish… so definitely share to avoid disappointment.   


The dessert course was a nice surprise – you don’t have to choose as you get them all! But, unlike the three dishes listed on the Winterlicious menu, it’s actually two things with the panna cotta and chocolate mousse merged into one. The table’s unanimous favourite was the crispy hot apple purse.  A cinnamon apple mixture is wrapped into a crispy phyllo pastry and topped with a warm caramel and cool cream. This is a delicious take on apple pie! Personally, I love desserts that incorporate a hot and cold element so this did not disappoint.


On the other hand, the panna cotta and mousse was a bit too much.  With jarred desserts I usually dig right into the bottom to make sure each spoonful incorporates all the different layers of flavours, but this one just had way too much going on. At the top is a chocolate coriander mousse topped with puffed rice, which if by itself would have been quite nice with the combination of smooth mousse and crunch rice bits. The bottom half was a vanilla panna cotta topped with an apricot preserve and raspberry coulis; also had potential to be quite refreshing if served on its own.  Together though, the dessert is the chocolate and fruit blend I detest and the coriander chocolate actually added a bitter tinge to the dish. My suggestion … split this dessert into a trio; I think it would work much better.


Is Winterlicious worth it?

 As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

Winterlicious - $35

 Regular menu - $52 - Charred salmon ($16), shrimp ravioli ($26) and dessert* ($10)

Savings - $17 or 33%

 * The dessert price based on similar items in the menu.

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
Like the blog?  You can now follow me on twitter for notifications - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog

 ____________________________
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!


CLOSED: Scarpetta (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, July 21, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 550 Wellington Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner

My first experience eating at Scarpetta was in Las Vegas after spending most of the afternoon outdoors for some fun in the sun at a pool party. After not eating since
breakfast, we were famished and right after ordering they presented us with a basket of stromboli (bread pin wheeled with salami), it was the most delicious thing at that time.
I'm happy to say the Toronto offshoot also offers this delicious bread (and more). In fact, their bread basket not only comes with the stromboli, but also crispy wedges of focaccia and soft airy ciabatta buns. Served with mascarpone whipped butter, caponata (like a vegetable tapenade) and olive oil, it’s perhaps the best bread basket I’ve ever had! It’s so good that a big risk of eating there is you’ll fill up before you food actually arrives. This is particularly a shame if you’re about to eat a three course Summerlicious menu!

Of the five restaurants I visited this year, Scarpetta was the only one that served everything I ordered on their regular menu. I feel they should be commended for this as you don’t get the feeling that they’re serving you a "slimmed down" version for the occasion. I wish more restaurants would follow this trend as what’s the point of eating something they don’t normally offer?

The highlights of the meal were the appetizers, so delicious that I could go back and just order a couple of them to be a meal itself.  My appetizer consisted of a generous portion of braised short ribs; three slices of tender yet non-fatty beef.  Sometimes braised meat can be overly salty but Scarpetta’s had just the right amount of flavour and went well with the farro risotto.  Mixed into the risotto were cubes of zucchini, other vegetables and gooey mild cheese.  To make this decadent dish even better a thin slice of parmesan cheese covered everything.
My friend’s creamy polenta was absolutely delicious and the most buttery rich polenta I’ve ever had.  Served with a little pot of mushrooms cooked with truffles, once spooned on the cheesy polenta it’s a dish that you wish you ordered yourself and could eat more of.
When the roasted pork chop arrived I was astounded by the sheer size of it.  Even though it was 1.5 inches thick, the meat was evenly cooked throughout and still tender - even the meat right at the bone was cooked to the same doneness as everything else.  I commend the kitchen for the great job they did at cooking the pork. The massive crusted chop sat on top a dollop of shallot puree and mixed sautéed greens.  On the side was a small rectangle of deep fried pork jowl.  I’m normally a big fan of the uber tender cheek meat; but, this was brined so much that it was unbearably salty so I just couldn’t enjoy it, what a shame.      
If you look at the picture below you may be under the illusion that the panna cotta is the small football shaped object on the side of dish.  In fact, that is just a coconut cream; the panna cotta is actually the entire bottom of the dish!  Covered with passion fruit syrup and pieces of diced pineapple the panna cotta was rich and flavourful.  If eaten with the pineapple it’s more tangy and light, whereas you can mix in the creamy coconut addition to sweeten everything up.  Scarpetta’s panna cotta was one of the best I’ve had. 

My friend’s cheesecake arrived like a work of art – one of the cylinders vanilla and the other blueberry. Served with marinated berries and crumbles of graham crackers on top, it was a good deconstructed cheesecake.
Scarpetta is where you go if you want decadent food; it’s definitely not for the health conscious.  With their hefty portions you certainly get the feeling that you’re enjoying a hearty home cooked Italian meal. Yet, their dining room is open and airy with high ceilings and the floor to ceiling windows.  Other than a large wine fridge along one wall everything is nice and opened and contemporary looking.  In the end, Scarpetta was a nice combination of delicious Italian food in a modern setting.  It’s definitely worth a try, just for their bread basket alone!



Is Summerlicious worth it?
As a special feature to the Summerlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).   
Summerlicious - $45
Regular menu - $63 - short ribs ($16), pork chop ($35) and panna cotta ($12)
Savings - $18 or 29%
* Congratulations to Scarpetta who actually offers the same dishes that's on their regular menu on the Summerlicious menu!

 Overall mark -  8 out of 10

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