Eating on the Road: Summerlicious at Aria Ristorante in Toronto

It's Summerlicious season in Toronto, when local restaurants offer a prix fixe menu to entice new patrons to give them a try. As Summerlicious coincided with my recent trip to the constituency, I booked a dinner at Aria Restorante with a friend to have a nice elevated Italian meal a short walk from my arriving train next to Union Station.

Frankly, the bevy of options and menus available through Summerlicious can be dizzying and overwhelming -- even when narrowing by cuisine and geography. I narrowed it down to a few, and Aria won out thanks to their inclusion of local, seasonal ingredients.

I went back and forth in the days leading up to my dinner, but ended up deciding to err on the light side after a heavy lunch of veal meatloaf on the VIA trip down to Toronto.

Aria is an open and modern looking space at 25 York Street at Bremner, right next to Maple Lead Square or Jurassic Park or whatever they're calling it at the moment. It was not busy at all for our 7PM reservation on a Wednesday night, and they kindly offered their closet to store my suitcase and backpack during the meal.

Their Summerlicious menu is priced at $75 for a three-course dinner; on a higher end but suited to the offerings and the location. These were the three choices for the starter; while the lobster was interesting I had locked into the burrata pretty early.

And with my decision to stick to the lighter side, the burrata is what I went with.

I was happy with my choice. It was plated beautifully, and the peaches were a particular standout, fresh and juicy and with a nice char from the grill that added another flavour element. The hot honey added a nice bit of heat, present but not overwhelming. At least for me; a decade of regular exposure to South Asian cuisine has ramped up my spice tolerance. But all in all, very tasty. 

For the main, I had been locked in on the fish, but the desire to have a lighter meal led be towards the pasta -- I have never been a duck guy so that was never really under consideration. But the pasta sounded delicious while being a bit lighter.

Again plated beautifully, I was really entice by the Ontario corn, both creamed and kerneled. The pasta was delicate and flavourful, and the portion was just right. And the bacon was a nice touch, although I presume it would have bee excluded if ordered as the vegetarian option.  

For desert, I had earlier been tempted by the Meringa alla Pesche, but as I got my peach fix earlier with the burrata I went with the Crostata di Noci.

It was good. A reasonable portion nicely plated, sweet and tasty. But it didn't rise to the level of the other two courses. I would have liked a flavoured gelato, maybe pecan to complement the tart. Still, a tasty end to the meal.

Not pictured, a tasty glass of a BC Merlot (so nice to find a BC wine on the menu in Ontario) and a very tasty rum and prosecco cocktail that packed a wallop.

The only down note on Aria was that you need to go out into the lobby of the office building and use a code to enter the washroom. Seems an odd design choice for a space of this caliber.

But all in all, an excellent meal.

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Eating on the road: Ferro Bar & Cafe in Toronto

Meeting a friend for dinner during a recent visit to Toronto, we ended up at a place near his new workplace on St. Clair Avenue West, an area of Toronto I'm not too familiar with.

Ferro Bar & Cafe was a cozy spot and pretty busy on a Friday evening, but we were seated quickly at a high top table. I find these awkward to get into and prefer a table and chairs of the usual height, but any port in a storm as they say.

We started with the BRUSCHETTA POMODORO as an appetizer which helpfully came with four pieces -- two for each of us. It was tasty, flavorful and fresh. Sometimes bruschetta tastes like the topping was made long ago but this tasted fresh and a good start to the meal.

I had pondered my choice of main long and hard, pre-scouting the menu online as I usually do. While I've been on a protein over carbs kick of late, being at an Italian restaurant I put this aside and ordered the GNOCCHI ALLA GORGONZOLA, described on the menu as Fresh potato gnocchi in an Italian gorgonzola-cream sauce + parmigiana + honey walnuts.

I like me a good gorgonzola-cream sauce and this one was rich, flavorful and delicious. The gnocchi was cooked perfectly, portion was good, and I liked the inclusion of the walnuts for a textural contrast. My only note would be that they could have been more generous with the walnuts. I broke them up so I could enjoy them more.

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Eating on the road: Fusraro's Italian Kitchen in Toronto

I'm down in Toronto for a week working in our community office and this trip I'm staying downtown, so I'm getting the opportunity to try some new restaurants. Last night, on the recommendation of friends, I dined at Fusaro's Italian Kitchen at Spadina and Richmond.

There was a patio on Spadina, but I felt it a little hot for outdoor dining so I opted to sit inside. Which may have been a mistake, as there were persistent pestering flies. Temperature was comfortable though.

The train down served lunch late, so I didn't order one of the interesting looking appies -- the arancini and a meatball dish both looked interesting, and of course there was bruschetta on offer. But I decided to just get a main, and while I was tempted by the chicken or veal parm, that felt like too pedestrian a choice. There were also paninis and pizza, but I decided a nice bowl of pasta would help ensure a good night's sleep.

I decided to go with the Salsiccia, which the menu describes as pappardelle, crumbled sausage, rapini, chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, and light tomato sauce. Sounds good to me. And a glass of red, of course -- a San Tiziano Rosso cab merlot.

There was water at the table waiting for me which was nice on a hot day. I wouldn't have minded some bread and butter to nosh on. But I didn't have to wait too long for the entrée, and the wine came with the meal.

It was a generous portion of pasta, and hot, served with a spoon for twirling (which I can manage with spaghetti but was more challenging with pappardelle). The sauce was meaty and there was lots of it. The pasta tasted fresh and was cooked properly. Didn't get much heat from the chili flakes. I liked the rappini, but would have liked it integrated in the cook rather than tossed on top. It was a challenge to eat the noodles delicately so I didn't try. I would have liked some freshly grated parmesan reggiano on top as an option.

All in all, it tasted good and filled me up. Both the entrée and the wine represented good value -- hard to find a sub-$10 glass of wine in Ottawa lately.

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Eating up the Hill: Italian Sausage Ragout

 During election campaigns the Parliamentary cafeteria system often takes the time to renew and refresh its rotating menu of daily specials. This week, it has two new offerings making their debut and I shall endeavor to try them out and report back to you, my faithful handful of readers.

Today was the Italian Sausage Ragout. My first thought on seeing it in the pan, which I shared with the cafeteria staffer, was that it basically looks like lasagna. She replied it basically is, but with penne. She cut me off a square and slid it into a takeout container, which I took upstairs for $8.25.

For the record, the Wellington cafeteria is now open for limited dine-in, with some tables removed, spacing in place, and take-out containers only used, if you leave your details for contact tracing. I prefer to just eat at my desk for now.

Anyway, back to lunch. The first thing I looked for was the sausage. It was a very meaty dish, with big chunks of meat as well as finer grains with the sauce. It was formed like a lasagna, with what the ingredients say is bocconcini cheese on top.

I isolated a meat chunk and I don’t think this was Italian sausage. It looked like ground chicken to me, and I could taste no seasonings that would indicate Italian sausage. There were also supposed to be red and yellow peppers, but I couldn’t find many.

It tasted fine, but I would have liked more (some) vegetables and a more (some) flavoured Italian sausage. It also seemed a bit lacking for the price; throwing in a slice of garlic bread like they do on spaghetti day would be better value.

Overall it was fine, but if it’s made to order pasta bar day you’re better off to go with that to fulfill your pasta craving.

Up tomorrow: chicken shawarma platter. Will be interesting to see how they handle this one...

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Eating off the Hill: Jeff's cast iron pizza

When I bought a cast iron pan, I had visions of searing steaks in the winter months. But I had no idea I'd be making pizza so often.

In fact, pizza has become my favourite thing to make in my cast iron pan, and it produces perfect crust every time. So for those who haven't discovered the wonderful world of cast iron pizzas, I thought I'd share my process.

First step is to pre-heat your oven. Some say to go to 500 or as high as your oven will go. After a few set off the smoke alarm incidents when broiling ribs, I prefer to take my oven up to 450 for pizza. And I find that's more than hot enough to cook a pizza perfectly.

Put your pan in your oven to pre-heat along with the oven. A hot pan is key to perfect crust.

While your oven and pan is pre-heating, prepare and stage your toppings. Things will need to happen fast when you take the heated pan out of the oven, so you want to have your cheese grated and toppings sliced and ready to go.

Then roll your dough out to the rough shape of your pan. If you don't have a rolling pan, a bottle of wine will do -- I prefer red. If you use a ball of store-bought frozen pizza dough I prefer to only use half for a pizza, otherwise it's too bready. But that depends on whether you prefer a thick or thin crust.

When your oven and pan are pre-heated, remove the pan to your stovetop. If your pan is well-seasoned no oil should be necessary, unless you prefer a more pan-style crust -- some olive oil won't hurt but isn't really necessary. I usually use a sprinkle of semolina just because.

Working quickly (while your pan is still hot) and carefully (because wow, that pan is hot) lay your dough in your pan and form it to fill the pan fully. The hot pan will start to cook the dough, and that's fine. You want that, but don't take all day finishing the pizza.

Start with your sauce, and don't be afraid to spread it all the way to the edge. Don't worry if it hits the edge of the pan, that's how you get the tasty crunchy bits.

Then finish building your pizza. I didn't want to brave the rain to hit the grocery store yesterday so I topped with that I had on on hand -- a cheddar/mozza mix, onions, sausage and leftover butter chicken. And then fresh Parmesan Reggiano, garlic powder, a bit of sea salt and olive oil. I like to top all the way to the edge to maximize my topping space, but that's personal choice.

And then quickly back into the oven it goes. I set a timer for 10 minutes, and then check it regularly until its done to my satisfaction. Usually around 13, 14 minutes or so. Once you're happy with it, take it out and let it rest on the stovetop for about 10 minutes or so to set. But first I usually do use my spatula at this point around the edges to loosen any crusties.

Cast iron method produces perfect crust every time...

Then slice, serve and enjoy!

There are lots of ways to vary the method to your preferences. One way is to saute your sausage/bacon in the pan first, and then use the pan with the residual oil to make your pizza (removing some of the oil first though). This infuses the crust with some of that flavour. I've done that, and it's good, but you'll want to give the dough a quick pre-cook in the pan on a hot burner before you top it to get the crust right and then return to the oven to cook the pizza, since you don't get that super hot pan cooking the crust while you top it.

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Eating up the Hill: Cheese Ravioli Bruschetta

As the House of Commons cafeterias roll out their new rotating menu of specials, they seem to have adopted meatless Mondays. Yesterday's meatless special Cheese Ravioli Bruschetta.

They began with a base of parma ravioli, containing spinach and ricotta cheese. The pasta is served in oil (I would hope olive, but the background documentation wasn't specific) with basil, oregano and parsley. The bruchetta topping of diced tomatoes and what not is included in the serving dish, and after a portion of pasta is plated, a portion of feta cheese is added on top.

All in all, I enjoyed it. The pasta was cooked properly, and the feta cheese added a nice sharp dose of flavour. While I don't feel I necessarily got shorted on bruchetta, I wouldn't mind seeing it added to the dish after the ravioli is served, as is the feta -- although this would be slightly more labour intensive.

All in all though, a nice light lunch I will order again in six weeks time. Will add a side though; was hungry for a muffin a few hours later.

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Eating up the Hill: Mushroom Arancini with Tomato Sauce

It's a new year, and the Parliamentary cafeteria system is celebrating with some new additions to its menu. And after two-and-a-half-years of the same menu of specials on a six-week rotation, I for one welcome this real change.

The first new menu item I had the opportunity to try the Mushroom Arancini with Tomato Sauce. I usually check the menu online before heading down to the caf, but this one I had to Google as I had no idea what it was. But when I learned it was risotto balls, I was in. Why didn't they just call it risotto balls? Marketing, people!

I was served two good-sized risotto balls, or Arancini if you're all fancy like that, generously bathed in tomato sauce. I was a bit surprised there was no side or anything else to it -- some pasta, perhaps. But nope, I was told that's it, there's rice inside. So I added a bowl of seafood chowder, which I would have added anyway because seafood chowder is awesome.

I dug in and it was quite tasty. A mix of three types of mushrooms was a highlight (oyster, button and shiitake) and the buttery risotto contrasted well with the tomato sauce. And I was impressed that, for once, the cafeteria made it a genuinely vegetarian meal by cooking the rice in vegetable stock. Quite often, they will take a meatless dish and make it inaccessible to vegetarians (and Halal-observing Muslims and kosher-observing Jews) by using a chicken stock.

While I still think they could add a nickel's worth of noodles on the side for a heartier main and still maintain their margins, for $7.63 taxes-in (not including soup) it's good value and a good addition to the starting rotation.

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Eating up the Hill: Lunch at Mamma Teresa Ristorante

At Sommerset and O'Connor, Mamma Teresa Ristorante is well outside the usual boundary I employ for Hill-adjacent restaurants for review on this blog. However, given that this is a storied Ottawa political hangout, when a friend suggested lunch there last week I had to make an exception.

The wall of political head shots at Mamma Teresa's certainly is Liberal-heavy, as this has been known as more of a Liberal hangout among the older set (didn't see any millennials during my visit), but there were plenty of Conservatives and even a few NDP pics too, so clearly they serve non-partisan pasta.

The restaurant is in a converted house and is divided into a few different rooms. It wasn't overly busy as we were showed to a table for a Friday lunch. It was a quiet atmosphere, conducive to conversation. The complementary bread was an unimpressive roll. Beware: the bottle of balsamic vinegar flows pretty freely, throwing off my ratio with the olive oil.

Examining the menu, I opted for the combination plate of Vitello Parmigiana, Cannelloni & Tortellini Giuliano. This came with a choice of soup or chef's salad, and coffee or tea, for $20.95.

I opted for the chef's salad, as the soup was something tomato-ish and, as mentioned previously, I'm not a fan of such soups. The salad consisted of mixed greens, red and yellow peppers, and tomato. It was topped with fresh pepper to taste, and much too much dressing. Should have gotten it on the side. Size was fine, but I didn't finish it as it became just too dressing-drenched at the end.

But on to the entree. The veal parm was sauced and cheesed well, but could have been more moist. The tortellini was, well, tortellini. What do you want? It was tortellini in a cream sauce. It was fine. But I could have done the same for maybe $2. I did quite like the cannelloni. Paste cooked well, cheese stuffing flavourful and creamy.

Overall, I left full and satisfied. It was a lot of food for $20 and I didn't need dinner that night. Still, it's more than I like to spend on lunch and is rather out of the way. I'd go back if it was a group occasion of some sort, but it won't be on my regular lunching list.

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