This could easily be a five star review but it falls a bit short on the food. The ambiance is chillaxing - though can get pretty loud, and the service is spot on for this simple and small Italian restaurant.
Padella is one of the many new restaurants that fill the Avenue Road corridor between Wilson and Lawrence. You have to be a standout to survive the ever changing gastronomic landscape of this trendy upper Toronto Neighbourhood.
Stepping through the single door you are confronted with a heavy curtain (used as a pseudo-second door that usually baffles the wind and cold). Once you navigate that, you enter a small restaurant that is BZ! Almost every seat was taken. Ended up at the table next to the swinging door of the kitchen.
The aroma of the place made me hungry and I wanted to try so many things. I ordered the Padella Pizza - can't go wrong with ordering a meal named after the restaurant, it's kind of my thing when trying a new place. My bud order the scallopini and I also ordered the chopped seafood appetizer. A couple glasses of wine to complete the order.
The appetizer was ok. Lots of various seafood served on makeshift radicchio bowl but I found it more salty than it needed to be. The wood-oven Padella Pizza was better than an Il Fonello but not stellar - simple prosciutto and spinach. The scallopini was covered in chopped mushroom but my bud seem to somewhat enjoy it.
I watched the other patrons and what they were having. Next time back, I want to try one of the many pasta dishes they have.
As this is Avenue Road, parking is at a premium and the Parking Enforcement Officers are aplenty here. Watch out.
Cheers.