Cibo Trattoria

Cibo Trattoria is yet another restaurant I've not been back to for quite some time.  I know in the meantime, there have been a few changes including the head chef.  Currently, they have one that is from Naples, which gives the restaurant some legitimacy.  However, we all know, it doesn't really matter where someone is from, rather, it is how they cook.  We stopped by for an early dinner before heading over to the Orpheum for some music from the VSO.

To get things started, we had a bunch of appies including the Focaccia and Burrata.  Extremely fluffy with a slightly crispy exterior, the focaccia was only okay for me.   I wished I had some more inherent flavour from the bread before I dipped it into the EVOO and balsamic.  As for the burrata, it was served with prosciutto.  I thought the burrata was fresh as it was still creamy in the middle and not runny.

Really enjoyed the appetizer that I selected, which was the Grilled Humboldt Squid.  This was a generous piece where it was a bit smoky from the grill.  Loved the colour on it.  It had an initial squishy chew to it, but gave way tenderness.  It was properly seasoned and it rested a tangy arugula and chickpea salad.  Some salsa verde added more brightness and seasoning.

Viv went for the Seared Ahi Tuna atop an orange fennel salad.  Evenly seared on each side, the ahi tuna was soft, but a bit meaty at the same time.  I wished there was some salt atop the tuna, but the citrus vinaigrette was plenty punchy to make things bright and tangy.  More sweetness and crunch was added by the fennel and orange slices.

For our mains, we had a couple of pastas including the Linguine with Sea Scallops.  The fresh pasta was prepared firmly al dente and had a good chew to it.  Really great mouth-feel and completely fragrant from the saffron.  The creaminess of the sauce held on tightly with the pasta without having a big pool of it on the bottom of the plate.  Scallops were nicely seared and slightly rare in the middle.

With an abundance of meat sauce, the Tagliatelle al Ragu was my favourite dish.  Just like the previous pasta, the tagliatelle was fresh and cooked until barely tender.  There was a firmness to it that added texture and a robust quality to the dish.  That was completely aided by the rich ragu where the meat was super tender while taking on the sweetness of the veggies.  Super delicious.

In addition to the pastas, we also the Asparagus Risotto.  There was an option to add scallops, but since we already had them, we had it as it came.  Honestly, the dish didn't need it as it was plenty rich and cheesy with al dente grains of arborio rice.  The risotto spread on the plate and that was our first indication of proper execution.  Moreover, the distinct flavour of asparagus emanated from the risotto.

Although the Roasted Duck Breast was cooked to medium-rare where it was tender and juicy, the skin was a real miss.  It was flabby and not crispy.  Hence, it was chewy and frankly, unappealing.  Really too bad as the meat was perfect.  Furthermore, the amarena cherry jus provided the delicious sweet & tangy compliment to the duck.

Our meal then transitioned to dessert with the classic Tiramisu.  This was textbook with soft espresso-soaked lady fingers as well as some liqueur.  The mascarpone cream was light and mildly sweet.  With a dusting of cocoa powder on top, we had some chocolaty goodness.  Solid tiramisu.

The other dessert we had was the Vanilla Bean Pannacotta.  This was also quite good where the pannacotta set properly but was not too gelatinized.  Hence, it was creamy and light.  Sweetness was measured and the fresh strawberries added brightness and sweet tang (pretty great even though they were not really in season yet).  Overall, the meal at Cibo was beyond solid.  Sure, somethings could've been better, but the new chef knows what they are doing with the pastas and the risotto.  Would come back.

The Good:

- Solid pastas and risotto

- Well-portioned

- Excellent service

The Bad:

- Duck skin was not great