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| - There was a lot of pomp and circumstance regarding Scott Conant's Scarpetta restaurant in Toronto before it opened. First there was the new Thompson Hotel and then of course there had to be a signature restaurant befitting such a hotel. So, I was very excited to try Scarpetta upon an invite for a girlfriend's birthday event.
Intro. Never having been to the Thompson hotel before, I was expecting modern, edgy, chique boutique very much like the Delano or Tides of South Beach.
Friday night. Where was the entrance to the hotel? Where were the valet people? I didn't notice so no problem. I was late anyways and in a rush. I found the entrance to the hotel and there was no one to open the doors for me...is this a first class hotel? The lobby is filled with side-cap boys and baggy jeans. This is Thompson Hotel right? There were two ladies behind desks which I assumed was the check-in area so I asked them where Scarpetta was. One responded "to the left, walk a little bit and its at the end." I passed through what appeared to be the lounge/drinks area, and voila, I entered Scarpetta.
Food. Isn't it funny that the one thing I remember the most was the tuna tar-tare with olive oil, salt, and greens. It was very yummy. The rest of the meal was entirely forgettable. To be fair, my girl friends and I did not try the pasta dishes which apparently is what Scarpetta is known for. I had the trout (yummy, but I can have trout anywhere) and my other two girl friends had meat. I asked them how it was and they responded good, but nothing spectacular.
Ambiance. At first, the restaurant was quite quiet, but as it got later, the noise level increased. As we exited the restaurant, we entered the lounge/drinks area and it was packed. There were people standing and drinking and it almost looked like a club! I could not fathom how proper conversations could ensue in such noice, but meh, who cares about words...bring on the Veuve right?
My girlfriends and I decided to explore the hotel a bit, and the lobby was full of younger looking girls dressed in clothes that showed too much. I felt like I was in high school again.
Scarpetta is a restaurant where you would go to if you happened to be in the area. Food is good, but its nothing special. I would not go out of my way to eat at Scarpetta's. Next please.
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