Lucia on Main

Awhile back, I was getting my hair cut at my hairdresser when I looked across the street to see that Smitty's had closed.  A few more visits to my hairdresser and I noticed that it was being replaced by an Italian restaurant called Lucia.  Taking a closer look at what it is all about, the place seeks to be unpretentious and welcoming while Chef Zach Steele combines traditional Italian with Westcoast influences.  This sounded like the place to go when the hockey crew wanted to meet up for a Monday dinner.

For a Monday, the place was hopping and was definitely inviting and we never felt pressured to rush through our dinner.  We decided to do our meal "alla famiglia" with a selection of dishes including the Sourdough Focaccia with a delicious butter.  Honestly, we weren't paying attention to what the creamy butter was, but it was fantastic on the appealingly chewy bread with a beautiful crust.

We really enjoyed the Polenta Fritters as they were a whole lot lighter than most other versions I've had.  Encased in seasoned bread crumbs, the polenta was creamy and well-seasoned without being dense.  They were crunchy on the outside and topped with grana padano.  Underneath, we found a tasty pesto aioli that was creamy and well-blended.  Hence, we got nuttiness as well as herbaceousness.

Probably the most popular appie we had was the Calabrian Cheese Dip served with house-made flat bread.  Honestly, we could've put this dip on shoe leather and it would've tasted good.  It was creamy, appealingly salty and cheesy.  However, it was not merely one note as we could pick out the tangy nuttiness of the manchego.  The fluffy bread was the perfect match for this dip.  But again, we put that on other things at the table too!

We decided to order a couple of pizzas including the Capicola and the Wild Mushrooms.  As you can see, the pizzas weren't exactly traditional Neapolitan, but it worked for us just fine.  It was thin, uniformly crispy and had a shattering crunchiness.  I enjoyed the properly salted dough as well as the chewiness of the crust.  With a combination of spicy capicola, roasted peppers and confit garlic, there was not absence of impact.  As for the mushrooms, it was more subtle but still there was plenty of woodsiness and earthy truffle.  I enjoyed the simplicity of this pizza more.

Moving onto the pastas, we tried all of them starting with the Fregola Sarda.  The sweet pops from the charred corn was a nice counterbalance to the salty pancetta. There was rich cheesiness provided by the ricotta salata as well as from the cheese on top.  The little fregola pasta was delicate but still had texture.  Not to be forgotten, the charred zucchini was tender but not mushy.  It had some natural sweetness with a bit of bitterness from the skin.

The best pasta according to everyone hands down was the Spinach & Mascarpone Tortelli.  These precious little pockets contained a considerable amount of filling which was creamy but not runny.  The pasta itself was thin and still fairly al dente (especially for a fresh pasta).  This was all tossed in brown butter, which was nutty and seasoned just enough.  Adding some cheesy saltiness, we had some grana padano on top.

We had some differing opinions about the Lumache with Italian sausage in a vodka sauce.  Some thought it was salty while others thought it was fine.  For me, there were pockets of saltiness, especially from the sausage, but not enough to be "too salty".  The pasta itself was tender and just a bit past al dente.  I loved the vodka sauce as it was creamy with a mild tanginess.

Other than the tortelli, the Bucatini Bolognese was also really good.  Featuring fresh bucatini, there was a more gentle texture than the dry version.  It was tossed in a hearty bolognese that was rich and meaty with a background creaminess.  It was plenty savoury with a balancing sweetness as well.  The generous amount of grana padano provided plenty of nuttiness.  I would come back for this dish alone.

We only ordered one meat dish in the Squid that was grilled and served with salmoriglio.  The exterior of the squid was quite nice being nicely charred and appealingly chewy.  However, the inside was rather soft and mushy.  It would've been better that they butterflied the squid and grilled it for a more uniformed preparation.  As for the salmoriglio, it was a nice compliment to the squid being tangy and bright.

For good measure, we added some sides including the Broccolini and the Potatoes.  We really enjoyed the perfectly prepared broccolini as it was crunchy but cooked all the way through.  Nice char that offered smokiness and caramelization.  We didn't enjoy the potatoes that much as they were not crispy and quite dry.  As much as there was plenty of cheese and herbs on top, it didn't season the potaotoes effectively.  Overall, our meal at Lucia was good and we thought the pricing was completely reasonable.  Service was great and we never felt rushed.  Would come back.

The Good:

- Generally tasty food

- Reasonable prices

- Nice vibe

The Bad:

- Those potatoes were not very good

- I didn't think so, but many at the table thought some things were salty 

Jimoco Café & Pasta

Wow, this is a ol' favourite on Austin in Coquitlam...  Jimoco opened shortly after I started this blog over 16 years ago.  This Korean-run pasta joint was famous for its 2-for-1 grand opening special that lasted what seemed like forever.  Now the menu has expanded and although the 2-for-1 is long gone, their dishes are still reasonably-priced.  I've been here countless times over the years and the food is great for what it is, especially for dining in.   It was a life-saver when the kids were younger as we would eat here economically while still having a good time.  Jackie and I dropped by recently and it was great to visit an ol' friend.

We started off with the Calamari which was served with a spicy tomato dip as well as a sour cream sauce.  Crispy and fairly light, the batter was mildly seasoned.  Inside, the squid rings and tentacles were bite size and sufficiently tender.  There was an appealing chew to them.  We also had the Meatballs sitting in a bright tomato sauce.  Although small, the meatballs were almost juicy inside with a tender meatiness.  A light oven-roasted sear on the outside was a bit crispy and aromatic.

We somewhat made a custom dish by taking the Linguine Soul and adding a Chicken Parmigiana to it.  This was a fairly spicy pasta that had lingering effects without being painful.  Beyond that, the sauce itself was tangy with some sweetness.  Despite sitting in all that sauce, the linguine itself was al dente while the brininess of the ample seafood came through.  The mussels and clams were both buttery and plump with all of them open.  The piece of chicken parm was quite thin where the meat was also firm but not dry.

We had 2 dishes that were nearly identical except one was the Rose Seafood and the other was the Seafood Rose Tteokbokki.  The biggest difference except for the carb involved was the addition of fish cake and the spice level in the Rose Tteokbokki.  Otherwise, both sauces were creamy and mildly tart.  Once again, the seafood brininess was there, but not overwhelmingly so.  The pasta was al dente while the rice cakes were chewy, yet soft at the same time.

For me, whenever I see Linguine Vongole on the menu, I must have it!  Despite almost everything we had was seafood related, I just couldn't help myself.  Good call on my part though as this was good.  Once again, the pasta was firmly al dente while sitting in minimal moisture.  Despite that, the dish did not eat dry and yes, the clams were abundant here.  Good clam flavour while the pasta itself was mild-tasting with just enough seasoning.

One of the more striking dishes was the Squid Ink Cream.  Yes, the sauce was black thanks to the squid ink, but if one closed their eyes, they wouldn't even know it.  For me, it tasted creamy and rich.  There has only been a handful of times I have actually tasted the squid ink in my pasta (it has the slightest seafoodiness and earthiness).  Once again, there was ample seafood that provided a taste of the sea.  The pasta was once again al dente.

So our one non-seafood pasta was the Beef Soy.  A bit similar to the Japanese Butter Soy, this was much sweeter and more saucy.  Lots of meat juices from the sliced beef meant this was full of umami and depth.  The umami was further reinforced by the addition of mushrooms.  By the same token, the sweetness was layered since we also had sauteed onions as well.  Pasta was al dente despite the moisture and the beef was easy to chew.

Even though there is a certain Korean influence at Jimoco, I'm not entirely sure that they serve "Korean-style" pizza.  It is true the crust was a bit thicker and there was a good amount of cheese, but the Pepperoni Pizza we had was pretty much a standard North American-style pizza.  The crust itself was crunchy and chewy while the centre was a bit soggy due to the generous amount of sauce, cheese and pepperoni.  Other than that, it was non-offensive and did the trick.

Onto the desserts, we had 3 of them including the Chestnut Tiramisu, Affogato and Basque Cheesecake.  I enjoyed the flavour of the tiramisu as it was lightly sweet and had nice aroma, but the chestnut was rather dense (as it usually is).  The Affogato was pretty creamy from the hard ice cream.  However, the coffee was strong enough to balance that sweetness.  As for the Basque Cheesecake, the texture on the top, bottom and edge was silky but firm.  In the centre, it was softer and almost a bit jiggly.  It was very subtle in flavour and maybe needed just a bit more sugar.  Overall, the food at Jimoco is exactly how I remembered it - solid and especially good for the price.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post* 

The Good:
- Solid Korean-style pasta
- Reasonably-priced (nothing over $20.00)
- Decent portion size

The Bad:
- Pizza a bit soggy in the middle
- Parking in front is hard to come by

Jz's Pizza

It has been nearly 8 years since we've last been in Toronto.  Finally, we returned but it wasn't our first choice.  Normally, we would head to a warmer destination during Spring Break, but we wanted to stay within Canada for a variety of reasons.  So here we are back in TO!  After arriving at Pearson, we made our way to Downtown on the UP Express to Union Station.  Making our frigid walk (this was March) to our hotel, we noticed JZ's Pizza across the street.  It looked busy and we were not in the mood for travelling far for food.

We started with some appies on the form of the Apple Pecan Salad.  Okay, I'm not usually the type to order a salad, but we need some greens and it did sound tasty.  Consisting of romaine, candied pecans, dried cherries, apple and gorgonzola, this was actually delicious.   Loved the play of different crunchy textures with the sweetness of the cherries and creamy mild sharpness of the cheese.  We dusted this off pretty quickly.

Next, we had the Eggplant Parmigiana which arrived in a large portion.   Topped with a considerable amount of melted and browned mozzarella, the dish was fulfilling and robust.  Underneath, the large slices of eggplant were tender while not being completely mush.  It was bathed in a tangy and lightly sweet tomato sauce.  It was bright and flavourful while giving off some earthy vibes.  Loved the crostinis that came with the dish.  We could've used more of them!

Of course we had to order a pizza, so we got the heartiest of the bunch in the Quattro Carne.  This think crust pizza was not exactly Neopolitan-style.  Rather, it was flatter and less raised on the edges.  However, it was still good with an appealing chew and being well-seasoned.  Nice char on the bottom and it was topped with a tangy sauce.   The amount of meat on this was substantial consisting of pepperoni, sopprasata, salami, hot Italian sausage and smoked apple wood bacon.  Suffice to say, this was not lacking salt nor spice.

We also had the Linguine Jambalaya with tiger prawns, hot Italian sausage and sliced chicken breast in a Cajun-spiced tomato sauce.   This was a pleasing pasta where the linguine was al dente and the flavours were slightly spicy, due to the sausage.  The sundried tomatoes added an extra layer of tanginess.  Amazingly, the chicken breast was moist and tender while the prawns had a meaty and sweet snap.  Overall, the food at Jz's was solid and we came away satisfied.  It won't set the world on fire, but fits the bill for most, especially late-night.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Friendly people
- Open late

The Bad:
- Don't expect gourmet, but it isn't trying to be either

 

Pasta Timo

If you know me, I really love hidden gems.  You know, the restaurants that are tucked away somewhere, offering good food at reasonable prices.  Pasta Timo located in Fraser heights in a small strip mall would be considered such a place with affordable pasta dishes as well as a new brunch menu.  The place seemed really familiar even though I'd never even heard of it before.  Jackie and I were invited to stop by and try the place out, where it suddenly hit me...  The place was giving me Jimico vibes!  However, at the same time, it is very different as well when look at location, availability of parking and less of a focus on Korean fusion.

Before I talk about the pastas, I'll get to the brunch items first.  I wasn't expecting much from the brunch menu, but all things changed when the Dutch Baby arrived at our table.  This was quite good where the pancake was crispy and nutty with a fairly fluffy interior.  On top, we found sunny side eggs, fresh avocado and crispy lean bacon.  Naturally, the runny egg yolks were perfect for dipping the pieces of pancake we ripped off with our hands!

If their "Eggs in Purgatory" looks remarkably similar to a Shakshouka, you would be mostly right.  The spicy tomato sauce was missing a few components and spices to make it a true Shakshouka, but it ate much the same.  The poached eggs were perfectly runny, so it was great for dipping the buttery garlic bread.  The sauce was indeed spicy and plenty tangy.  It was appetizing and really gave the dish some brightness.

The one breakfast item that integrated pasta was the Spaghetti Omelette.  This was pretty straightforward with an aggressively seared omelette with al dente spaghetti inside.  We also found bacon, mushroom and garlic within the mix that added salty earthiness.  There was also a considerable amount of parmesan on top that added even more saltiness along with nuttiness.  This came with a pumpkin soup and it was fantastic.  It was velvety, sweet and a bit earthy.

The most interesting brunch item was the Italian Breakfast Bread Bowl.  Yep, this was a toasted bread bowl stuffed with Italian sausage, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and onions while topped with a thick layer of melted mozzarella.  This was one hearty dish where each quarter was pretty filling.  It had a bit of pizza vibes except with a much thicker crust.  I'm not sure if someone could finish this by themselves.

Moving onto the regular menu, we decided to go for some greens in the Cobb Salad.  Yah, this was more of a meal than an actual salad with loads of chicken, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, dried cherries and an egg in a creamy gorgonzola dressing.  Really enjoyed this as every bite had something interesting.  Although not typical, the dried cherries really made the salad.  Nice bursts of sweet tang to break up some of the heaviness.

We continued with some appies including the Meatballs consisting of both beef and pork.  I found these meatballs to be on the firmer and denser side.  However, they were not hard per se.  I sensed that there wasn't a whole lot of filler, which meant the texture was plenty meaty.  Flavours were nice and the tomato sauce was appealingly tangy.  The dusting of parm on top added some other complimentary flavours.

The Calamari Fritti was another appie we tried and I thought it was pretty textbook.  The squid was tender, but still had a pleasant chew.  The light dusting of flour was crispy and properly seasoned.  Dish was also none-too-greasy.  On the side, there was a small amount of salad, which made things healthier?  Anyways, the tzatziki was quite good being medium-thick while having some brightness from the lemon.

We started with their most popular pasta being the Linguine ai Frutti di Mare Piccante.  This was a generous portion of pasta with also plenty of seafood (clams, mussels, shrimp and bay scallops).  Yes, the sauce was indeed spicy with equal parts of tanginess and sweetness.  Really balanced and appetizing.  The seafood flavour was able to be in the background with some brininess.  Pasta was al dente where the sauce clung on beautifully.

Somewhat on the same track, we had the Risotto ai Frutti di Mare.  Sure, the combination of clams, mussels, shrimp and bay scallops was the same, but since this was a risotto, things did taste differently (also not spicy either).  The tanginess was much more mild and the brininess and sweetness of the seafood stood up more so.  I found the rice to be a bit past al dente though (I did take a scoop right after I took this picture).

We also had the Baked Penne al Forno with salsiccia, bacon, mushrooms and chili peppers in tomato sauce.  Like the breakfast bread bowl, this was also topped with a thick layer of melted mozzarella cheese.  Once again, this was super hearty and really good for what it was.  The penne was still al dente while the sauce was zesty and a touch spicy.  Lots of great flavours from the bacon and salsicciaa.

Lastly, we tried their Chicken Parmesan with a side of spaghetti.  This was a pretty straight-forward preparation of the dish.  The chicken was tender and moist while coated in a medium-thick breading while coated with tangy tomato sauce and lots of melted cheese.  It was accompanied by some spaghetti with the same tomato sauce as well as a small side salad of mesclun greens and peppers.  Overall, we found the food at Pasta Timo to be good with some Jimoco Pasta vibes.  That is a compliment though as the portions are good and the food is solid.  I actually thought the brunch was even better and definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Good for what it is

- Large portions

- Reasonable pricing

The Bad:

- Not really a bad, but the food is more American Italian

Roseto Bistro

Now here is an interesting blog post.  It is about Roseto Bistro located in PoCo.  Now that doesn't make it particularly strange or unusual.  However, if you tried to search it on Google, it wasn't showing up for the longest time.  In fact, you'd find Hearthstone Pizza as a result.  You see, the reason for this is that Roseto Bistro replaces Hearthstone Pizza, but still has some of the K-pizza options leftover from the 2nd iteration of Hearthstone Pizza.  Okay, if you are confused, I don't blame you.  Currently, Roseto Bistro offers up legit Italian eats prepared by a chef who has worked for years in Italy, but also has some Korean influences in the pizza and the pastas.  In fact, RoSeTo represents Rome, Seoul and Tokyo.  The fusion between all 3 cuisines are evident in the menu.

I think they should add Athens as well since we started with the Calamari Fritti.  Sure, this dish can be every bit Italian as it is Greek.  However, let's just say there are influences.  We found this dish to be prepared quite well with tender pieces of squid that also retained a pleasant chewiness.  The light and crispy batter was properly seasoned where the tzatziki on the side wasn't completely necessary.  However, for me, I always like to dip my calamari into it.  This was a good start to our meal.

Next, we moved onto some pizzas, 2 of which were very similar.  What you see in the picture is the Capricciosa.  We also had the Proscuitto e Funghi which looked exactly like the Capricciosa except without the salsiccia, bacon and artichoke.  Both featured a uniformly crispy crust that was nicely browned, but could've been a bit more charred.  The crust was properly seasoned while the tomato sauce was balanced.  Good amount of toppings and the proscuitto added salty meatiness.  Both featured arugula on top.

Onto the pastas, the fusion aspect of the menu really showed.  This was particularly true with the Kimchi Fettuccine with bacon and mushroom.  I quite enjoyed the layers of flavours in this dish where the kimchi offered up mild spiciness along with tanginess and sweetness.  The addition of cream toned down the spiciness but also made the pasta a bit heavy.  The fettuccine itself was house-made and cooked until al dente.  The addition of bacon added salty meatiness and the mushrooms added some pops of moisture and woodsiness.

On the topic of mushrooms, we had a new menu item in the Mushroom Pasta.  It consisted of firmly al dente spaghetti with a good amount of mushrooms.  This had a certain Japanese flair to it with the addition of butter and soy.  This was full of umamainess as well as the classic Asian flavour to the pasta.  This also sported a good amount of olives and capers which totally amped the overall flavour profile.  There was more saltiness (in a good way) and tanginess to provide impact. 

For our non-pasta dish, we had the Cotoletta di Maiale.  This featured a pork cutlet breaded and fried until super crispy.  The meat itself was tender and moist.  However, the best part of this dish was the Japanese demi sauce.  It was super savoury with sweetness and a touch of tanginess.  It was super addictive and honestly, I could put that on anything and it would taste good.  This came with some perfectly cooked veggies and nicely seared gnocchi.  They were firm, but soft enough to be appealing.

For dessert, we had the Frittelle tossed in sugar.  These little donuts were very soft and fluffy while the outside was crispy.  They were a touch greasy though.  I enjoyed the mild flavours and the slight crunch from the granulated sugar.  Overall, the food at Roseto is quite good.  The pasta is freshly made and totally legit.  The incorporation of Asian influences is seamless and reasonably-priced.  Totally loved the pork cutlet where it is a crazy good value at $22.00.  If you are needing to eat out as a family in the area and were going to spend chain restaurant money anyways, go check out Roseto Bistro.   You will be surprised.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Well-prepared eats
- Totally reasonable pricing
- Quality is there with house-made pasta

The Bad:
- Wished the pizza was more charred

Nonna's Cucina Pop-Up (Commercial Drive)

Ever since I first visited Nonna's Cucina on Hastings back in 2022, I was hooked onto their made-to-order pastas and sandwiches.  Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of seating at that spot since it is more of a take out restaurant.  However, my prayers have been answered as they have opened up shop on Commercial Drive where Vivace used to be located.  Now their menu has been expanded as well as offering cocktails and other bevvies at their bar.

Before we got to the dishes we ordered, they started us off with some Pizza Bread with fresh cheese, basil and tomato sauce.  Loved the chewiness of the bread while the crust itself was slightly crunchy and nutty.  Well-seasoned and a great appetizer.  Onto the actual appies, we had the Tuna Crudo with Limoncello cured albacore tuna, lemon puree, pickled onions, castelvetrano olives, fresh basil, radish, chili threads, pea shoots and micro basil.  The tuna itself was bright and lightly sweet while being delicate.  The Limoncello was there, but not overwhelming.  That allowed the lemon puree to add acidity and freshness.  The pickled onions and olives provided some texture, tanginess and saltiness.

Onto another appie, we had the Bomba Chili Prawns. Sometimes, when there is the promise of spice, it is ultimately a fail, but not here.  Those perfectly cooked prawns sat in a sauce that was definitely spicy with a combination of calabrian chili, butter, parsley, pizza bianco, olive oil, charred lemon and white wine.  This offered up hits of saltiness, tanginess and of course spice.  That bread was great for soaking all of this up.

Not looking like much, the gigantic Carbonara Suppli (similar to an arancini) was stuffed with tubettini rather than aborio rice.  Hence it was a pasta dish within a fried ball.  To make this a carbonara, we had the usual ingredients such as egg yolk, guanciale, pecorino and Parmesan.  However, we also had mozzarella inside since it was a Suppli after all!  This was quite rich and somewhat creamy with plenty of cheesiness.  The pasta was actually still somewhat al dente and the panko crust was crunchy.

In addition to the appies, there was a whole section on the menu dedicated to a Burrata Bar.  As such, we sampled 2 versions from the available 5 choices.  We had the classic Caprese featuring heirloom tomatoes, balsamic macerated strawberry, fresh basil, olive oil and maldon salt.  Loved the fresh tomatoes while the sweetness and tanginess of the strawberries came through.  The other one we tried was the Prosciutto & Peach with rosemary honey, olive oil and maldon salt.  This was a good combination of sweet and salty to go with the creamy burrata.

Onto the pastas, we took some photos first (of course that is what we do), but we didn't waste too much time and dug into the Mezze Rigatoni featuring meaty Italian sausage.  This was was quite good where the pasta tubes were firmly al dente while the braised fennel ragu was aromatic with rich tomato vibes.  It was bordering on salty, but hey, we like flavour (rather than being bland!).  There was ample sausage that had some spice.

The Spaghetti alla Chitarra was topped with massive meatballs (another $8.00) and bathed in a pomodoro sauce with, basil, olive oil and parmigiano.  More tangy than the ragu (because it is a tomato sauce = pomodoro), this was bright and it really benefited from the fresh basil (adding herbaceousness).  As for the pasta, it was pretty firm, but that is what we like!  The meatballs were meaty with very little filler.  So there was no airiness to them.  That is what I like more too.

Probably my favourite pasta of the bunch was the Orecchiette Cime di Rapa.  This is normally their vegetarian option, but we erased that with the addition of fennel sausage.  Loved that sausage as it was tender and flavourful.  The pasta itself was also firm (like the others) and had an appealing chewiness to them without being overly heavy.  The combo of rapini, garlic, house made Calabrian bomba and pecorino romano gave elements of brightness, spice and saltiness.

My least favourite pasta was the Herb Ricotta Gnocchi, not because it wasn't good per se.  I just found it the heaviest of the 4 we had due to the cream.  Now if you like pesto cream, then you will probably disagree with me.  It did have a nice flavour to it with the pesto coming through.  There was some background fennel essence as well as a bit of brightness from the arugula.  As for the gnocchi itself, they were somewhere between pillowy soft and firm.

We also had some dishes that were not pasta including the Veal Scallopini Marsala.  This was a well-executed dish with tender slices of veal that were lightly floured and seared.  The marsala wine sauce with mushrooms was moderately rich with plenty of earthiness.  I found that the veal was seasoned enough to stand on its own, so the sauce only added to the layers of flavour.

Described as the PLT on the menu, it was actually referring to the Pochetta sandwich with lettuce and heirloom tomato.  I liked this sandwich but didn't love it.  I thought the toasted bread was good being firm enough to hold everything in.  However, the pork belly itself was not as soft as I would've liked.  It did taste great though with natural aroma and roasted flavours.  Still a solid sandwich with all things considered.

Not sure why there was a burger on the menu, but we tried Nonna's Burger anyways.  Turns out it was pretty good!  A little on the salty side, but can't say this was lacking flavour.  The meat patty was nicely charred and still moist in the inside.  Lots of melty mozzarella in the middle oozing out.  The pistachio pesto aioli added some herby nuttiness while the crispy pancetta provided even more salt content.  Fortunately, the lettuce, tomato and roasted peppers help cut the heaviness and saltiness.  Potato bun was soft and held everything together.

We ended up trying all 3 of their desserts including the Affogato.  This featured pistachio gelato (also fior di latte option) with espresso.  Loved the espresso as it was richly-flavoured and when combined with the gelato, things got creamy and just sweet enough.  The second dessert was the Almond Granita with whipped cream and toasted almonds.  This was refreshing and sweet with the crunch from the aromatic almonds.  There was some interestingly shaped brioche on the side for dipping.

Our last dessert was the Tableside Tiramisu which can be seen as a novelty.  However, this particular one was prepared properly with soaked ladyfingers in espresso and Kahlua, mascarpone cream and shaved chocolate.  I think the best part of the tiramisu was the mascarpone as it was light, creamy and purposefully sweet.  We also had some cocktails that included the Tiramisu Espresso Martini, Creamsicle Sour, The Sexy (Non-Alcoholic) and a White Peach Negroni.  My favourite of the bunch was the creamsicle sour as it was fruity and tangy.  When paired with the fairly heavy dishes, it helped keep things light.  Overall, I though the food was really good and properly executed.  A good alternative to other Italian spots out there with fair pricing for what you get.  Since it took over a fairly nicely appointed spot already, the dining experience is not only about the food.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Generous portions

- Nice dining space and vibe

The Bad:

- Some things were bordering on salty