Now That's Tasty!

Showing posts with label Italian restaurants Toronto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italian restaurants Toronto. Show all posts

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

Interview: Chef Rob Gentile on Ingredients, Italian Influences and Buca Yorkville

“The best ingredients” – Chef Rob Gentile uses the phrase repeatedly in our conversation, stressing their importance. The repetition is not redundant, there is no lack of meaning. The ingredients constitute his dharma; they are a representation of his childhood, his family, his education, his mentorship, his pride, his work, his restaurants and his life.

Ingredients take centre stage in the live Gaspé scallop w/ chamomile infused olive oil, sea asparagus, buffalo milk yoghurt and lump fish caviar.

Like his two previous award-winning restaurants – Buca King Street (described as "Nona" – the tank, the originator) and Bar Buca (the "spunky nephew") – Chef Gentile has an ingredient-focused approach to Buca Yorkville (formally titled Buca Osteria & Eoteca), whose maritime twist forms the basis for his somewhat simple, yet sophisticated new endeavor....

READ my interview with Chef Rob Gentile on View the Vibe. Take a look at some of the sensational menu items at the new Buca Yorkville below. Note: the menu constantly changes and there's no guarantee you'll be able to order what you see here. 

Also, worth noting for those that like to splurge – a special Chef's Tasting Menu is slowly being introduced at Buca Yorkville. It will feature 19-courses at $180 for food, plus $100 for wine pairings. 

Puntarelle Salad: roman chicory, crisp white smelt, pesto genovese, pine nut, quail yolk, gremolata
Bucatini alla Carbonara: bronze die-extruded duck egg pasta, herring bottarga, hen's egg
Spaghetti Pomodoro: bronze die-cut pasta di gargnano, seaside tomatoes, garlic, olive oil
Polipo e Vongole: braised octopus, B.C. clams, bone marrow, black kale, baby artichoke, fregola sarda
Peperonata: baked eggplant, sweet pepper, zucchini, parmiginao
Flourless chocolate cake, hazelnuts, compressed orange, squash ice cream

Saturday, 26 April 2014

Trio Ristorante - REVIEW

Trio Ristorante may not be one of those much talked about downtown Toronto restaurants, but Midtowners in the know have been singing its praises for years. The romantically lit two-story restaurant on Yonge Street has been serving up a tantalizing mix of traditional Italiano for nearly 8 years.



Owner Eduardo Beccati hails from Calabria in Southern Italy and describes his fourth restaurant as a family oriented place for great pizza and handmade pasta. The mix of tables reflects his statement, though don’t cross Trio off your date night list.

The sweet aroma of roasted garlic from their wood oven-baked bread is the first thing to hit my nose when I walk in. It’s a perfect compliment to the windowed wine cellar, the flickering candlelight and the Italian love songs. It makes me feel like I’m back in the “old country”.

READ more about my gut-busting Italian feast at Trio Ristorante in my full article at View the Vibe