Tucked behind the corner of King and Bathurst Streets is a gem of an Italian spot called Scarpetta, new this summer to Toronto’s dining scene and well worth a visit. Located in the main floor of the beautiful Thompson hotel, we dined here as part of a large group for a friend’s birthday dinner.
Scarpetta has been open barely two months and is the third sibling to famed restos of the same name in New York City and Miami. Toronto is fortunate to have chef Scott Conant bring his hearty Italian menu north of the border.
Entering the lobby of the Thompson, which itself resembles more of an airy bar lounge than a hotel, Scarpetta seems a natural extension of the hotel’s dark wood, lofty ceilings, and funky décor. A large ‘S’ forms opposing booths down the middle of the restaurant with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a more tranquil section of Wellington Street and the condominium complex next door. At night, floor lighting turns the glass into a tranquil blue.
With a large group of 16, we did a family-style tour of the menu featuring top dishes from the appetizer, pasta, and main courses of the menu. Starters included a succulent sushi-style Yellowtail with pickled onion, short ribs with risotto, a creamy polenta with a side pot of truffled mushrooms, and very fresh heirloom tomato salad platter. The short ribs were tender, but not mind-blowing, while the polenta and mushrooms exceeded expectations with the deep earthiness of the mushrooms.
The pasta was definitely the highlight of the menu and would seem demonstrative of Conant’s Italian passion. House-made pasta included signature spaghetti with tomato basil, and a just al-dente-enough agnolotti dish which was quickly devoured by all in attendance. My personal favourite (perhaps tied with the spaghetti) was the casonsei with red beets and smoked ricotta. These tortellini-esque nuggets had a rich balance between the beets and the smoked cheese and even the odd beet-hater at the table had a tough time saying no to this full of flavour dish.
The meat dishes that followed were beautifully presented, albeit occasionally under-whelming following the pasta. The sablefish (AKA Black Cod) with fennel and carrots was not as oily as one might expect of a black cod but tender and tasty nonetheless. Dressed with a side of sweetbread cannelloni, however, it yielded a great contrast between the white fish and the saltiness of the sweetbread. The veal tenderloin was a beautiful cut, simply seasoned, and kicked up nicely with some pancetta. Roast capretto rounded out the platters (read: tender goat) and these little chops were atop a creative combo of cubed potatoes and rapini also mixed with pancetta, again adding an unobtrusive saltiness to the meat and reminiscent of a home-cooked dinner.
While we went with a constant stream of basic white and red wine for the table, perusing the list reveals a highly accessible, well-priced selection of wines for even the most novice oenophile. A couple of signature cocktails are also available, demonstrating how a mélange of booze can actually taste like there is no booze in it (like the Verona, or The Tea).
If our table service was any indication of what a small group can get, Scarpetta gets two thumbs up in this category. The staff team was highly efficient and attentive at both serving and clearing and for anyone with allergies out there, they were on their A-game to ensure guests were not left heading to the ER. This is rare in many restos, and as one of the nut-allergic people I can personally attest to this.
The ambience was loud and cheery, and great for a group event, a business dinner, or maybe a third date. In summary, high quality pastas, a creatively simple menu with a delicious blend of contrasting and complementary tastes, and a welcome addition to the Toronto Italian dining scene.
