Paese Ristorante

"Inspired in Italy, Made in Canada"

Paese Ristorante has been serving Italian inspired food for over 25 years in North York. Owner and operator Tony Loschiavo was three years old when he moved to Canada from Southern Italy in 1965. Growing up with a passion for food and its preparation, Loschiavo’s early start in the restaurant industry was with two acclaimed Toronto restaurants of the time: Fenton’s and Noodles. In 1983, he founded L-eat Catering and in 1989 opened Paese Ristorante (Instagram: @paeseristorante, Facebook: Paese Ristorante). The L-eat Group cultivates a 3,000 square feet urban garden in midtown, producing fruits and vegetables used for their catering events, and everything from tomatoes and chili peppers for the chefs, to mint and lavender for the bartenders at Paese.

I visited Paese for some Italian cooking on a Saturday night. As usual, we started with cocktails.

PAESE COLLINS ($14)

Beefeater gin, lemon, thyme-infused syrup

OLD ITALIAN FASHIONED ($14)

Campari, Maker's Mark bourbon, sugar cube, orange

COMPLIMENTARY FOCACCIA

Tapenade made of tomato, roasted eggplant and red pepper. 

Paese's dinner menu features a selection of salads, antipasti, pastas, pizza, fish and meats, and sides.

GRILLED OCTOPUS ($16)

Potato, grilled escarole, mint, lemon and chill

This was a marvelous appetizer, and it's no wonder that this dish is so popular at Paese. Coupled with an impressive presentation, the grilled octopus here is soft and tender yet still had good texture and chew. The creamy sauce and the hearty potatoes were perfect accompaniments to the octopus.

A Look at the Newly Revamped Biff's Bistro

After a two-month-long renovation, Biff's Bistro on Front Street finally reopened its doors in April. When the modern French bistro encountered a burst pipe earlier this year, the restaurant took the opportunity to temporarily close up shop to revamp itself. How so? Think new specials, new interior, new website, and even new social media handles (since we're at it, it's @BiffsBistro on Twitter/Instagram and Biff's Bistro on Facebook).

I realized my first visit ever to Biff's Bistro was a long time ago, an embarrassingly long time ago. After checking my trusty "Dining Out" page, I discovered my Biff's blog post from August 2010 when "Tweetups" were still at thing. That's six years ago, guys. This is precisely why I feel ancient in the food blogging world sometimes.

Sorry, I digress. I can't say I noticed too much of a difference in decor but then this is solely based on my very vague memory of the room from six years ago. What I do know for sure is that I love the casual French bistro vibe and furnishings at Biff's.

The bar has noticeably changed for sure. It is a lot more open and spacious now compared to before.

Because of the warmer weather, all I want is rosé nowadays. So, instead of my usual cocktail I ordered myself a glass of sparkling rosé to start. My friend also had a lighter cocktail than usual. I guess we both wanted to start with something light and refreshing :)

BIFF’S 75 ($14)

Beefeater gin, Crème Yvette, Prosecco

SPARKLING ROSE ($11)

2014 Hinterland 'Borealis' Rose, PEC, ON

The Whippoorwill Revisited

I have nothing but praises for The Whippoorwill. Recently named both Best New Restaurant and Best Burger Over $10 by NOW Magazine, The Whippoorwill (Twitter: @WhippoorwillTO, Facebook: The Whippoorwill Restaurant & Tavern) is doing everything right. From its cozy, retro/vintage decor, friendly service, to bar manager Japhet Bower's (@jollyinebriate) artfully crafted cocktails and chef Tyler Cunningham's (@ChefCunningham) globally inspired comfort plates, it's no surprise why this Bloordale restaurant is currently one of the most talked about restaurant in the city. 

I had to the pleasure to visit The Whippoorwill a couple of weeks ago for their new fall/winter menu. I remember leaving the restaurant very content with a very full belly much like my first visit there three months ago (click here for my first post on The Whippoorwill).

Dinner started off with a very appropriately named cocktail called Blogger Love (Japhet named it on the spot for us haha). As the evening progressed we were served the Diablo Verde and This Little Piggy:

COCKTAILS (left to right):

1. BLOGGER LOVE (off the menu): Cava, aromatic bitters, brown butter

2. DIABLO VERDE - Tromba blanco tequila, green chartreuse, lemon, house-made poblano syrup, maldon, scrappy's grapefruit bitters

3. THIS LITTLE PIGGY - Napoleon cortel brandy, grand marnier, briottet chestnut, sage, lemon, scrappy's celery bitters

Chef Cunningham prepared for us the following dishes from his fall / winter menu:

WINTER SPICED BEET SALAD

Walnut pesto, muscatel vinaigrette and Thornloe Stilton

BEEF CARPACCIO

Shaved mushrooms, chives and tahini

ROSEMARY CURED COHO

Creamed horseradish, puffed quinoa, salted cucumber and mustard oil

Al Fresco Lunch at GUSTO 101

Founded by restaurateur Janet Zuccarini (also owner of Trattoria Nervosa in Yorkville), GUSTO 101 located at 101 Portland is probably one of the most popular spots in Toronto currently. Opened in early 2012, the transformed 1900's auto body shop was, in collaboration with Janet, designed by Munge Leung and architect Giancarlo Garfolo. The beautiful, ultra-chic space was instantly a hit in the city and is internationally recognized with a prestigious 2013 Hospitality Design Award in the casual restaurant category.

I attended a media lunch at GUSTO (Twitter: @Gusto101TO, Facebook: Gusto 101) last week on their all-new, year-round rooftop patio. Yup, you read that correctly. GUSTO now has a year-round glass roof top! Patio-crazy Torontonians rejoice! Your prayers have been answered!

GUSTO 101 is indeed Toronto's first restaurant with a year-round rooftop patio. Created by OpenAire Inc. in collaboration with once again, the restaurant's overall design team Munge Leung and architect Giancarlo Garfolo, the all-glass retractable rooftop is fully functional (it takes 9 minutes to completely open or close.) Below is a short 1 minute video showing the rooftop opening up.

Amazing.

I also found out that quite a few things used at GUSTO are actually available for purchase at SHOP GUSTO 101. For example, from left to right:

Bread Bag, washable "Paper" bag, Lucca, Italy - $20

Wine Carafe, hand-crafted - 1 L: $36.95, 1.5 L: $46.95

Coffee Cups, hand-painted, Rimini, Italy - Espresso cup and saucer: $18, Macchiato cup and saucer: $20, Cappuccino cup and saucer: $25

GUSTO's Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (from owner's family's oil grove in Italy) - $19.95

GUSTO Peperoncini, hot chili peppers, preserve in-house, 0.5L - $12

GUSTO Sea Salt, fair trade sea salt, Mexico - 250g: $9, 450g: $16

GUSTO Coffee, Trucillo espresso coffee beans - $33 per 1 kg

Edulis Restaurant

After taking over Niagara Street Cafe's space in the spring of 2012, husband and wife team Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth opened Edulis (Twitter: @EdulisToronto, Facebook: Edulis Restaurant). The name Edulis, which means edible and also porcini mushrooms in Latin ("boletus edulis"), pays tribute to chef / owner Michael Caballo's passion for wild foods, mushroom foraging, and influences from his Spanish heritage. With years of experience under his belt in kitchens all over Canada and Europe, him and his wife Tobey Nemeth's (formerly the chef de cuisine at Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar) goal for Edulis, according to their website, is to "combine the warmth and approachability of a classic European bistro with our passion for the forests and farms of southern Ontario" while providing guests "the pleasure of enjoying a gathering around the table to share authentic dishes and to be greeted like a friend; conviviality, feasting, celebrating the craft and tradition of cooking, honesty, and spectacular ingredients".

Within a year's time, chef Caballo's French and Spanish influenced cooking, combined with the restaurant's vision and philosophy, has won the hearts of many; Edulis was named the #1 Best New Restaurant in Canada for 2012 from EnRoute Magazine, as well as being listed as one of Canada's 50 Best Restaurants from Macleans Magazine. 

My friends and I went to Edulis two Fridays ago. We opted for the $50 Carte Blanche menu. We also added a couple of truffle dishes along the way as well as a cheese board at the end.

RED FIFE BOULE

LIGHTLY SMOKED HERRING "A L'HUILE"

Served with dijon potatoes

New Menu at The Curzon

The Curzon in Leslieville (Twitter: @TheCurzon, Facebook: The Curzon), known to the locals as mostly a weekend joint with fun bartenders serving cheap drinks, has recently been overhauled by The Food Network's Restaurant Takeover. J.J. Hope, manager of The Curzon, said the goal of the renovation was to have the Leslieville landmark be known not only as a neighbourhood-friendly bar on Fridays and Saturdays, but also an actual restaurant serving great food during the week.

The Curzon brought on consulting chef Deron Engbers (@TheDeron) to launch its new menu. 

I was invited to The Curzon for a tasting last week. Here's what I had:

Vanilla Cured Rainbow Trout / Butter Lettuce / Orange / Lentils

L'ouvrier

Open for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday and brunch on Saturday and Sundays, L'ouvrier is a restaurant and bar located on Dundas West. Whenever I hear people talk about L'ouvrier it is usually about their brunch. Unfortunately, because I can never drag myself out of bed early enough on the weekends and lineups for brunch being the norm in the city, dinners are always the way to go for me. My friend, Audrey, and I decided to go to L'ouvrier for an early Sunday dinner a couple of weeks ago.

A large open space with white walls, concrete floors and tables with various shapes and sizes (and also colour....you can see the lone red table in the cocktail picture below), the decor at L'ouvrier (Facebook: L'ouvrier Kitchenbar, Twitter: @louvrier) is all about minimalism.

L'ouvrier's philosophy (from their website): 

"L'ouvrier offers an eclectic menu of contemporary Canadian food paired with unpretentious yet impeccable service. A comfortable environment with modern design elements provides the perfect surrounding. Harmony between functionality and style shape the dining room. Borrowing from the Japanese and Finnish tradition of refined form juxtaposed against natural/organic materials, it strives to create a new Canadian tradition of craftsmanship and style. Allowing 'fine' dining to become accessible to l'ouvrier (the working man). 

This simplistic & honest approach extends to the menu as well. Local artisanal ingredients, traditional techniques and classic pairings are contradicted by playful, contemporary food presentations. To us it is crucial to maintain loyalty to the cuisines we borrow from, while striving to create something to call our own. A kitchen/bar representative of our morals, values and relentless dedication to food and drink."

Dark n' Spicy - Sailor jerry rum, ginger beer, house preserved ginger soaked in vanilla ($8)

Ursa

I've been to Ursa twice now; first time for drinks at the bar with my party guru friend, Kristina from Not Your Average Party (@notyouravgparty) where we had cocktails, a bottle of Cava (hey it was a Friday night, don't judge lol) and shared two appetizers: the Hamachi and the Whitetail Tartare with Blueberry Cured Foie Gras. We both thought the appetizers were phenomenal; especially the foie gras, which had a subtle blueberry tone and was so buttery. After that night I wanted to go back to Ursa for a full meal. 

Ursa serves contemporary Canadian cuisine, focusing on using modern techniques and dehydrators that preserve the nutritional value of their ingredients as much as possible. Having said that, there's still meat on Ursa's menu (albeit in smaller portions) as well as alcohol *phew* =D The cocktail I had the first time was "A Rose By Any Other Name" with Wray & Newphew Overproof Rum, Vermouth Muddled Limes, Rose Water, Golden Cane Sugar, Citrus Oil...it was delightful~

Dangling LED bulbs at Ursa. It's all about the cool lighting these days, huh?

F'Amelia - Revisited

Ahhh my second visit to F'Amelia (@FAmeliaRisto)! After my dinner there the first time around a month ago I knew I wanted to go back and try more of their pizzas and pastas. Not only did the food make a lasting impression, I also love F'Amelia's quaint and cozy ambiance. This time, my friend Adrienne and I were seated in the room with the bar and the pizza oven. We sat at a table against the wall (funny how the last time I was seated against the wall as well but directly opposite in the other room). Anyway, this was our view that night.

For more pictures of the restaurant, please click here for my first post.

Bastianich Rosato - a lovely Italian rose wine.

APPETIZER


Roasted Warm Ontario Vegetable Salad with Mustard Greens - Adrienne and I both really enjoyed the salad as everything was extremely fresh; roasting the vegetables also really brought out their natural sweetness. It was a nice change to have a warm salad on a cold night. Oh and I  ♥ artichokes!

MAINS

Braised Rabbit Pappardelle - Juicy and soft, the braised rabbit was very very tender. The pappardelle was done al dente...perfect.

3 Funghi Pizza: Crushed San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, mixed sauteed mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P., basil, extra virgin olive oil - MmMMmm mushrooms! Great veggie pizza if you're looking for something light as it had a really thin crust. Loved the random dollops of Mozzarella.

Grazie Vaughan

I haven't been to Grazie in maybe, 5-7 years? I'm, of course, talking about the original Grazie location at Yonge & Eglinton. I remember that location was always so packed and crowded. I also remember I needed to yell just so that the person sitting across from me could hear me.  I guess I haven't been back because I hardly hang out in that neighbourhood anymore (I used to work close by) and it's also not the easiest to find street parking there (I know there's a Green P beside it but still). Basically, visiting Grazie again was never a priority for me especially now that I work in downtown.


I was happy when I found out Grazie opened another location at Vaughan Mills awhile back. Although I wanted to go try it out I never got around to it. Long story short, I finally went to Grazie Vaughan on Tuesday because my friend Dan (@deguzzi) organized a dinner there.


Dan really likes Grazie Vaughan (he is currently the mayor on foursquare) and I think it's safe to say that all 9 of us who were there on Tuesday really liked the food too.


The long table there was reserved for us.

I was overwhelmed by their huge menu. So many choices...

Zenato Ripassa - Full bodied dry with rich & velvety fruit flavour ($55)

Several people had wine while I had my extra spicy Caesar.

A basket full of bread for our 10 hungry stomachs.

Chili oil for dipping.

As usual, I can only comment on what I had and show you pictures of what other people had.

APPETIZER

Bruschetta Pizza - Olive oil, fresh garlic, mozzarella, parmigiano cheese, fresh tomato, garlic & fine herbs ($10.75)

We all shared this appetizer. I've never bruschetta pizza before but I thought this tasted just okay; I would've liked a bit more herbs and cheese. I also prefer the traditional bruschetta on open slices of grilled bread because the toppings-to-bread ratio is better this toppings-to-pizza ratio (i.e. too much pizza for the amount of toppings).

Baked Goat Cheese Salad - Goat cheese, roasted peppers & grilled eggplant wrapped in phyllo pastry served with an arugula salad in a sherry vinaigrette ($12)

Graham (@beachrockinc) had this salad all by himself. He really liked it and polished it off within within minutes. The presentation was beautiful; each slice of tomato was cut exactly the same and lined up perfectly.

Brassaii

A few months ago, my friend and I went to Brassaii (@brassaii) for dinner to celebrate my birthday. I've never been to Brassaii before and to tell you the truth I never knew exactly where it was, as in, I knew it was on King West but I couldn't for the life of me remember seeing their sign, ever. Finally found out why when we went; Brassaii is tucked really far into an alley way - we actually walked into a pub beside Brassaii, thinking it was well, Brassaii.


I always hear about Brassaii's patio and sure enough, it was the first thing I noticed, you can't miss it. With all that space, I understand why they can afford to have a nice patio out front. The area is huge!

Although I wanted to sit on the patio it was getting chilly so we went inside. I guess that's one bad thing about patios being in an alley; there's only so many hours in a day when the sun actually shines through. Another bad thing is just the fact that I always feel cold =( 


Brassaii is very spacious with an open kitchen and three long rows of seating. I liked how the windows on the other side lets in all the sunlight. There was a lot of different textures in the room: brick walls, concrete pillars, wooden floors, fabric drapes, exposed metal ducts, leather seats, shiny smooth tables, etc. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing...just an observation.

The view from my friend's seat.