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| - I came here for Winterlicious on a Saturday night with a date.This restaurant has a very unassuming exterior which might not attract first-timers, however the interior is classy and romantically lit. There are probably 25 tables for 2-6 people which makes this restaurant great for dates but not so much for larger groups. The waitress serving us that night seemed standoffish and rather unhappy to be serving (her arms were crossed over her chest for most of the night) but everyone else was polite and friendly.
In terms of food, Bar Italia serves some great dishes and some misses. Their Winterlicious menu offers three courses, with three choices each so my date and I were able to try 2/3 of the menu. For the appetizers, we ordered the Insalata Mista (very fresh and light; we particularly enjoyed the tomatoes) and the Polenta Grigliata (the mushrooms and the sauce were delicious; we're not too keen on polenta). For the entrees, we ordered the Bucatini all'Amatriciana, which I feel was a mistake on my part. The Bucatini was cooked al dente but I feel the sauce was too sour and the dish unremarkable. The Salmone alla Griglia, however, was divine - perfectly cooked and seasoned on a bed of roasted vegetables. My date cleared his plate in minutes. For dessert, we ordered the Tiramisu (quite good; strong espresso flavour) and the Torta Di Ricotta (kinda lumpy and bland). In hindsight, I think we should have ordered the chocolate tart instead.
For $25, this meal was well priced. I'd give the food 3.5/5 (some dishes were a solid 5, but the pasta was disappointing for an Italian restaurant). The ambiance made up for some lost points and the service was overall A-okay.
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