| rev:text
| - PARTIAL REVIEW
Carpaccio di Polipo ($21)
Octopus Carpaccio with Sea Urchin Bottarga, Pomegranate and Lemon Juice
12
This dish is a must for octopus lovers. The flavour of the delicate seafood was truly enhanced by the sea urchin bottarga while the sweet pops of pomegranate arils balanced out the rich umami on the plate.
Carpaccio di Pesce Spada ($20)
Smoked Swordfish Carpaccio with Fennel and Orange
13
Satiny swordfish paired with sweet fennel, bright orange and a salty bite of anchovy. Pricey, yes, fancy, no, but decidedly well done.
Caprese di Tonno ($18)
Whipped Bufala Mozzarella with Tuna Tartar
14
Another stellar dish. I loved the creamy mozzarella with the meaty chopped tartar, crispy sweet parsnip chips and the herbaceous basil dressing. My only criticism would be that I had wished there were some little crostini to add some textural contrast to an otherwise compilation of "soft" foods.
Agnolotti del Plin ($23)
Agnolotti Stuffed with Veal Shank, Finished in Butter, Fresh Truffle and Parmigiano
18
Oh boy, this was absolute heaven on a plate. Perfectly al dente agnolotti with unctuous sweet meat mixed with a perfect balance of luscious butter, salty cheese and aromatic truffle. Serious perfection for pasta lovers.
N'Duja E Cipolla Pizza ($20)
Mozzarella, N'Duja and Caramelized Onions
17
A beautifully blistered pizza with a nice balance of chewy and crispy bits, cooked all the way through without any soggy spots. I also loved the combination of the milk mozzarella, the spicy sausage and the sweet soft onions on top. While all of the pizzas on the menu looked fantastic, I would come back specifically for this one in a heartbeat.
Merluzzo ($34)
Pan Seared Black Cod with Lentils
19
At this point, I was pretty full, but Chef Luca and our server suggested this was a really special dish to try. Simple, it was, but man, why mess with a good thing. The cod was cooked just shy of done in the centre so that the flesh stayed moist, and buttery in contrast with the wickedly crispy skin. I also am not usually a huge fan of lentils but these were earthy without being unpleasantly starchy.
Apple Tart ($10)
Frangipane with Rose Bud Apples and Caramel with Pistachio Gelato
21
I had the pleasure of meeting the talented pastry chef responsible for painstakingly crafting each of these babies by hand. The result was something to marvel at. The moist and frangipane shell was filled with sweet apple rosettes made even more tantalizing by the droplets of caramel inside. That alone would have been a treat, but the creamy pistachio gelato really added a nice nutty compliment to the frangipane and a pretty colour with the blush pink rosettes.
Chocolate Bird's Nest ($9)
Chocolate Cream Ganache on a Biscotti Praline Cookie, Spun Chocolate Nest, Cinnamon and Coffee Candied Pistachios
22
This here would be perfect for the chocolate fiend at your table, but is rich enough that they'll hopefully want to share. I loved the play on textures- the luxurious ganache, the crunchy cookie, the crisp nest and the candied bite of the nuts. Yum.
Sicilian Cannoli ($8)
Red Wine Poached Pear, Pistachios, and Figs
23
I wasn't going to get this dessert too, but Luca convinced me otherwise. Cannoli are without a doubt one of my favourite desserts of all time, and Ovest's version did not disappoint. Kept simple (the Sicilian way), the cookie shell was filled with some of the most ethereal ricotta cream I've ever had. No chocolate, no candied citrus, no nuts inside- nothing else is needed when the baseline tastes like eating a sweet creamy cloud.
11
Closing Remarks:
-In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Ovest Cucina e Vineria and am looking forward to returning again soon. The cocktails I tried were both tasty, the wine list was plentiful, the space was beautiful, food was truly comforting and the service was beyond inviting. I was really impressed with Chef Luca's respect for the integrity of good ingredients as he proved that sometimes you don't need to mess with a good thing. Meanwhile, just being in his company with the rest of his friendly, passionate staff truly made me enjoy my experience even more.
25
-With such a large space, I would definitely recommend Ovest for an intimate date night, a quick glass of wine with charcuterie at the bar or of course a larger group event. No, this is not exactly cheap and cheerful Italian fare, especially if you opt more for the pricier meat or fish options rather than the pizza or pastas, but I do think it's comparable with others in the King West hood.
*This meal was comp.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)