Scarpetta

I had heard many great things about Scarpetta - both for the food and the fun atmosphere. I finally had the opportunity to check it out last week, and despite being a little bit skeptical given its location in the uuber 'king-west hotspot' thompson hotel, it was an excellent meal, and a unique patio experience. Very worth checking out.

• Relish: the food lived up to the hype - an Italian menu, with chef Scott Conant not disappointing on the pasta (that according to the waitress is his specialty).  We shared a bison short rib on a corn and vegetable risotto, a delicious handmade pasta with wild boar sausage, rapini and summer beans (broad beans and peas) - it was gorgeously yummy, every bite packed with flavour, and a hint of mint or fennel added a bit of summer to it. That was followed by a sliced duck breast, served with greens and duck sausage, cranberries and a house made couscous. Everything was enjoyable, but the duck and wild boar pasta stole the show hands down! What I really loved was that they happily plated each dish, split into two for us - and the presentation was beautiful. Oh, and I almost forgot the bread. A basket of bread arrived that included 4 different types of bread, one of which was a house-made focaccia style with cheese and salami and spices throughout the dough - delicious when paired with the lemon infused olive oil or the tomato antipasti that accompanied it.
• Quaff: the wine menu was good - focused primarily on Italian whites and reds, with decent pricing (roughly 45 and up, but quite a few options between 45 - 50). We quaffed a bottle of the 2008 Barbera D'Alba, Rocca Giovino. Cassis, some earthy tones and healthy acidity combined to make it a fantastic pairing for the duck and wild boar. Delicious! This place also looks like it knows its cocktails.
• Feel: this is where Scarpetta both won and lost for me, so I'm a bit conflicted. We sat outside, in the most gorgeous patio - a long table that could probably could sit about 60 people at varying heights (chair height, bar stool height, mid-bar height) in groups of 4-6. The table has been enclosed in a funky metal lattice that allows you to feel as though you're in your own little candle-lit room, but also as part of the surroundings; you look across the street to a park from one side, and at a reflecting pool and park by the thompson condo on the other side.  The part I wasn't thrilled about was the feel inside....very 'see and be seen'-esque, and the washrooms were messy and bland (I know washrooms don't need to be fancy, but at a place like this, you at least expect a slight step up from hospital-style soap dispensers)! 

Overall, I would definitely go back for a dinner on the patio, and maybe even inside for a night when I felt like getting a bit done up and making a night of the king-west scene!


web: Scarpetta Toronto

Terroni on Adelaide

As a relatively new 'suit' in the downtown core, I have been on a bit of a search for a good place to go after work for drinks that is not quite so filled with other 'suits'. South of Temperance has a great patio, but it has been slightly usurped by the Terroni on Adelaide just down the street.

Bar - Old courthouse entrance - Bar Area
pics: www.terroni.com

• Relish: A pretty good bar menu - we were there with a group and shared the calamari (piping hot and lightly breaded - standard, but well done), a few pizza's (on my pizza scale, would give it about a 7/10), fried mushrooms (very nicely done, a large plate of fried funghi of various types), and a meze y meso plate that stole the show - freshly sliced prosciutto, other cured meats, 3 cheese and some nuts, honey, bread and crackers. Excellent for sharing, and so good we ordered a second one!
• Quaff: Italian wines by the glass, and a variety of beers on tap. The bar tenders are happy to take requests, and the sparkling San Pellegrino - just delicious. A very good spot for a glass of wine or beer after work!
• Feel: The location is awesome - a converted old toronto court-house, the soaring ceilings have been broken up by funky spaces and bright colours - the bar (arguably the only place I have really hung out here) is divided in two, with tables of all heights, and an open kitchen area where chefs prepare some of the tasters on the bar menu. En route to the bathroom you peer down corridors that 'surprise!' Have little wine cellars in them. A very old school yet funky italian feel.

I would absolutely recommend for after work drinks and munchies. Although I haven't had a full meal here, I would also recommend as a dinner spot for larger groups and/or if you're looking for a good, but not super exciting italian. Likely also a good spot for groups and work events (they were very relaxed and helpful about my larger work-related reservation).
 Enjoy!
w: terroni website

Lucien - take two

A few nights ago I had an impromptu fancy dins with my amazing friend Sarah. It was one of those nights that just changed the emotional trajectory of the day, from being sort of 'blah' (coming home after a work trip, thinking I would have to rustle something up from my bare fridge, and re-packing my bags for yet another trip) to being an 'I love Toronto' type of night. Sarah and Lucien - thank you! After a spur of the moment, late-afternoon text of 'let's meet up for a drink and catch up', we ended up agreeing that we should really get some use out of a soon-to-expire Groupon and head to Lucien. We grabbed a seat at the bar, stowed my carry on in the coat check and enjoyed a lovely meal and great conversation.

• Relish: It was a delicious meal. Sarah had the pea soup with crab and the pickerel, and I had the arugula salad, graced with slivered cucumber, a cucumber and dill mousse, pine nuts and pecorino. Light, a beautiful combination, and the cucumber mousse was a neat texture and provided a subtle dressing to the arugula leaves. I followed that with the waiters recommendation of the Alberta bison - and it was yummy. Beautifully displayed, the bison was cooked perfectly, piping hot and accompanied with a sort of multi-vegetable slaw, and some delicious mashed root vegetables. 
• Quaff: The house red was a montepulciano d'abruzzo, which went quite well with the bison. The rest of the wine selection was a bit uninspired, but it looked as though it had been updated from the last time I had been.
• Feel: Busy, bustling, I liked the feel, but not enough that I would hurry back - it almost feels like it's trying a bit too hard to be both chic yet edgy. We did get a few laughs at the expense of the odd business-types also seated at the bar - one gentleman having a 4 course tasting menu with wine pairings accompanied by his laptop, and the other who came in, wolfed down a yummy looking salmon, ate a basket of bread, and then promptly took off. 

It was great to try the place outside of summerlicious, but I wouldn't hurry back now that I've been. Either way Lucien (and sarah) - thanks for the fun night!

Social

Social is surprising. Big windows and old stone initially give you the feel that this will be a very classy and reserved restaurant - once inside, the spaces are funky and the red and dark brown colours give this a buzzing vibe.

Our scallops! photo: www.social.ca

• Relish: the appetizers were phenomenal. Next time, I would just order starters as they were awesome, and very shareable! The white tuna seared with cucumber and wasabi was refreshing with a good kick that perfectly complemented the tuna, and the scallops with watermelon and fried chorizo were absolutely incredible, a really neat complement of the watermelon sweetness, the spicy oomph of the chorizo and the tender, perfectly juicy scallops. For mains, the focus was on meat - tenderloin, lamb and a steak. All very good, although the portions were massive.
• Quaff: I had a Butterfield Station chardonnay from California, unfortunately not the buttery-creamy chardonnay that I was expecting from a wine named 'butterfield'. I was thinking massive oak and a buttery finish, and got none of it from the weak, almost watery wine. The wine list did have around 10 reds and 10 whites by the glass - so quite a few options to choose from, although pretty standard selections.
• Feel: social. Very social. It's a place that I could see turning into a good night spot after dinner on a thu/fri night (the massive size and thickness of our table-top made me think that it would be a good table on which to get up and dance...I got some funny looks for that comment). It would also be the kind of place where I would hold a work event - cocktails and appetizers in one of the more secluded areas by the bar.

Photo: www.social.ca

A bit expensive for the quality based on the other restaurants I've tried in the Ottawa area, but the portion sizes are on par with the increase in price. Definitely would recommend it for a more 'social' night out!

w: Social Ottawa website

La Bettola di Terroni and Osteria

The corner of victoria and queen west has been graced by a medley of the Terroni restaurants - 'La Bettola di Terroni' and 'Osteria'.

As you walk in, you can choose to go to the left, and enjoy the 'favourite items from the Terroni menus at the lively bar and funky tables at La Bettola,  or to the right, and enter the slightly quieter and quainter Osteria, where they serve a 'tasting' menu and typical pugliese food from the founder of Terroni's homeland.

I've now been for after work drinks at La Bettola, and it's a great spot for good conversation, perched either at the bar or the high table that used to be some sort of work-bench/saw holder (very creative), and for lunch at Osteria.

• Relish: Osteria offers a set of 'tasting dishes' or appetizers that you can have as a set of 4 (ceviches, grilled octopus, spiced ricotta etc.) and choose to combine it with either a primi (selection of rustic pastas) or a secondi (some meat and seafood options) for mains. I had the spaghetti vongole - the pasta, I was assured, although not made in house, was made at the Terroni's on Adelaide daily and delivered to the premises (I had initially been told that all of the pasta's were made in-house). It was a tomato based sauce with massive clams, and although it could have used a bit of spice, was lovely, rustic, and the perfect lunch size. My dining partner had some difficulty with her order...unable to eat grains or dairy limited the options on the pasta and cheese dominated menu. It made it even more challenging that they were not amenable to making ANY substitutions or replacements in the menu options to cater to her dietary restrictions  - absolutely ridiculous! Our waiter was close to insulting in the way the conversation progressed - not a pleasant experience. In the end, she was able to have the 'mixed grill' which was a light salad with a few pieces of grilled calamari and fish (apparently ok, but underwhelming), and an artichoke, green pea and arugula salad (which apparently was delicious)!
• Quaff: The entirely Italian selection of 3 whites, 3 reds and a rose all looked good (and nicely, all were available by the 5oz, 1/4L, 1/2 L and full bottle), but given that it was lunch, we didn't partake. The sparkling water was delectable.
• Feel: The Space is cute, more intimate than other Terroni's. There is a big long wooden table down the middle of the restaurant for communal dining, and booths at the front by the windows that open out onto the street. I love the mix of 'learn to speak italian' and house music playing in the bathroom. The reservation signs are a cute addition, little tiny blackboards sitting on the tables.

I really like the feel of this spot for lunch or drinks, but was not impressed with the lack of flexibility from the kitchen/wait staff around dietary constraints. It would make me think twice about going back, but given that it's a cute spot close to the office, more lunches here in the future are likely. It's a good alternative to the busy and loud Mercatto on bay!

Photos: www.labettola.ca

New York

Ok, so this post isn't about a restaurant or a wine - it's about a surprise new section to Relish and Quaff! My gorgeous, talented and amazing New York foodie friend Lindsay has provided us with all of her top recommendations for relishing and quaffing your way through the streets of the big apple.

Fortunately this was pulled together just-in-time as she is practically en-route to Paris, but stay tuned as the 'Relish Paris' section will likely get some loving as the number of Andrea and Lindsay Parisian escapades significantly increases. Meanwhile, we hope that you enjoy the list of New York restaurants!

Relish and Quaff New York

town.

Tuesday night at 8:15pm in Ottawa, and the last thing I expected was to be walking into a packed restaurant. Town was just about full, but somehow miraculously we managed to nab two seats left at the chef's bar (we had a nice view into the kitchen and of the busy chefs as the dishes were being prepared).

• Relish: The options included about 10 smaller dishes, 4 larger dishes (two of which were available in a small size) and a cheese plate. We shared the Mint Cavatelli (a rolled pasta with super tender lamb, mint, pistachios and ricotta - it smelled incredible and was great comfort food, although missing a tad bit of 'oomph'), the Ling cod (absolutely fantastic, a crispy crust with a bit of tangy sweetness, mini asparagus, sweet peas and a couscous - the winner of the dishes by a long shot), and the Tuna Crudo (not the greatest, the chives and prosciutto and oil overpowered the delicate taste of the tuna and somehow gave it an odd aftertaste). We also shared a cheese-plate, 4 quebec cheese and an italian taleggio, accompanied by honey, stewed apricots and crisps. Overall good, but not in the same league as whalesbone or Murray Street. I would order differently if I were to go back - the meatballs and prosciutto salad would be on my list.
• Quaff: I had a scrumptious Mission Hill (BC Okanagan) pinot noir - 'five vineyards'. Stewed cherries and chinese five spice on the nose, with grippier than expected tannins and a nice balance, it was delicious, although served a tad bit too chilled for my taste (but that is always rectified with some requisite nursing). My dining partner tried two different draught ales - Beau's, that he described as 'india pale ale, not as bitter, light after taste' and a 'good flavour', and  the McAuslan, a st. Ambroise apricot wheat ale.
• Feel: Dark walls, a natural wood bar and tables, a chalkboard wall displaying the menu and a wall of wines behind the bar gave this cosy-chic feel, very 'ottawa-esque'...based on the similarities with Whalesbone and Murray Street. It made me feel like I found my neighbourhood haunt, and was a perfect spot for a great conversation

Photos: town. facebook page

w: Town website

XocoCava

A sweltering Monday afternoon of the long weekend calls for a tennis game, followed by ice cream. Not just any ice cream. Tucked away in a small plaza just North of St. Clair on Yonge is XocoCava. Arguably the best spot for ice cream in the city. 

• Relish: Homemade ice cream, made fresh by the helpful and cheerful staff. It's delicious. They have granita, ice cream and sorbets, in addition to an extensive selection of chocolates and cookies. I'll focus on the ice cream though because I've never been able to bring myself to try anything else here. Today I had the fresh lemon ice cream, and the maralumi dark chocolate sorbet. An incredible combination. You can't really go wrong, and you can sample a bunch of different ones before making up your mind: Guiness cashew? pistachio? milk chocolate? sour cherry granita? Strawberry margarita? honey? strawberry? coconut? Peanut butter crunch? espresso? The list goes on - posted on the blackboard behind the counter. One word of caution - you actually can't see the ice-creams, they're hidden in a metal container contraption (the first time I saw one of these was in Italy), so it really does warrant a careful perusal of the blackboard, followed by a few tasters. 

Make sure that you give yourself at least 10-15 minutes to pick a flavour. And just be ok with the fact that you'll likely be back. Often. Thank goodness the location isn't too convenient for me - but it's well worth the trip. 

As an aside, XocoCava is run by the same chefs who run the restaurant Cava next door - so if you ever fancy a spanish tapas or two, pop by for dinner, and then wander over to XocoCava for desert. 

Enjoy! 

Lucien

A few months ago en route magazine names Lucien as one of the top 10 best restaurants in canada...so I naturally added it to my list. It took me a while to get there, and after a few tries (always ended up thinking it was likely too stuffy and fancy for the evening) made it out last week. It was a sweltering evening, so sitting inside was lovely (there is no patio).

• Relish: We lucked out and caught the restaurant full swing into summerlicious, so for $45 per person, you could choose from 3 options for each of 3 courses. Unfortunately, no other options were available, so I couldn't use my Groupon, but the choices were pretty good. Arguably the starters won the show - we had a chilled pea soup with snow crab, pickled radish and wasabi that was perfectly chilled with a gorgeous sweet pea flavour, and a heirloom tomato salad with house-made burrata, watermelon, basil and mint where each bite was full of fresh, sweet tomatoes. The main was atlantic cod with fingerling potato, house-made chorizo, pimento and arugula - although the taste was great, the fish was a bit overdone. The desert was incredibly creative, super sweet Ontario strawberries with tonka bean panna cotta, basil and black pepper, and a chocolate beetroot brownie with marshmallow, cherry, malted milk and black walnut. Have the strawberries, and pass on the beetroot brownie. 
• Quaff: An interesting wine list, with the standard grapes by the glass, but not from producers that I've seen a lot of. We opted for a bottle of chilled white at the recommendation of our waiter. I wish I could remember the name, but I can't...I need to write these down more judiciously! Either way, it was an excellent recommendation. 
• Feel: It is always hard to get the true feel for a restaurant during summerlicious - but Lucien did strike a nice balance between being classy yet unpretentious, in a way where you knew you would be well-taken-care-of. I love the jazz music, chandeliers and open window to the kitchen, and this would be a great place to pull up a stool at the bar. I am a little bit confused by the fact that despite its high ranking among restaurant aficionados, it never really seems to be busy when I walk by - but I will be back to try it sans-summerlicious and with my Groupon! 

I would recommend it for a quiet date night or a business dinner. Enjoy!
w: http://www.lucienrestaurant.com/


photos: http://greatlighting.com/index.cfm?DocID=14561