toronto life~ 2005
Who knew that Steeltown had a funky boho neighbourhood? This
unpretentious, colourful and affordable eatery can seat fewer
than 25 patrons. Haute boîte it’s not, but there’s warmth and
a bit of a buzz, thanks to jazz standards, splashy wall art
and diminutive tables placed cheek by jowl. Tightly rolled Punjabi
spring rolls ($6.95) blend diced potato and a trace of curry-house
seasonings; an attendant ramekin holds a sharp, sticky tamarind-based
dip. Laid over fragrant basmati, bright peppers, summer squash
and carrots, generous fresh grouper ($14.95) is moist, sweet
and hot. Double-cut piggy chops are ubiquitous these days, and
these ones ($16.95) are perfect, treated to a gentle jerk seasoning.
All sweets, including ice cream, are made in-house ($5.25).
Bring it on: perhaps a slab of old-fashioned pound cake glitzed
by toasted coconut ribbon and a tumble of fresh pineapple chunks
and mango slices. The wine list is thoughtful
and sensitive to the menu and scene.
the hamilton spectator ~ 2003
If you're looking for what makes an upscale neighbourhood restaurant,
Il Fiasco Cafe & Bar on Locke Street South pretty well has
all the ingredients. It's tiny, with room for maybe 20 diners,
and has a little three-stool bar. There is no pretension in
decor, attitude or in terms of prices on the menu.
"We liked the idea that you can have really good food
and can enjoy that in a setting where casual dress is fine," says
co-owner Judith Birchall. And based on two recent visits, the
food is very good and creative. And you can show up in parka
and boots with no one turning up a nose.
It is in that small string of neat shops on Locke that keeps
getting a little bit longer, and true to its origins, has developed
a faithful local following. You get the sense this place does
not take itself too seriously as soon as you walk in. A huge
mural on one wall jumps with mischief, the nether parts of a
waiter and cat departing one margin of the piece while a pastry
cart careers crazily and a platter of pasta takes flight. It
puts one in mind of the famous Salvador Dali photograph of flying
cats.
That would be the only fiasco part of the experience. The name
comes from those bulbous Italian wine bottles encased in a reed
webbing. Service here was easy-going but smart, and the only
trip-up came when a highly agreeable server flipped on the snow
while running an errrand outside. But the Cheshire-born lass
had already perfected the Canadian saving grace of landing on
the best padded areas and bounced up smiling.
There were no mishaps with the food that impressed in all categories,
getting good marks for quality of product, preparation, portion
and price. I had the linguine from the lunch menu on an initial
visit and it proved a healthy-sized serving with a rich portobello
mushroom cream sauce. The bowl was heavy with tender nuggets
of chicken. And the smoked com, mushroom segments and sun-dried
tomato, which were there in abundance, provided a range of textures
and tastes.
On a second visit, I tried the soup of the day, the appetizer
special and ordered an entree from the dinner menu in an ambitious
lunch. The Butternut Squash Soup ($3.95) was a deep bowl of
molten magic, a tummy-warmer on another day of Arctic cold.
It was smooth and buttery and came with a few pieces of crisp
flatbread.
The feature entree this day was Mussels in Vermouth Sauce,
and I asked for it in appetizer size ($6.95) to leave some space
for the Seared Ginger-Glazed Scallops ($16.95). The mussels,
a few still in shell flanking the portion, were big, lush and
bathed in the rich, understated vermouth sauce: This mingled
with thick ribbons of black fettucine and plenty of diced green
onion.
The meal gusted from good to great to excellent with the scallop
dish. It was to come with a leek terrine, but as that was in
short supply, my server asked if I would take more scallops
in substitution. Well, of course.
The 10 scallops ranged from small to toonie-sized and were
expertly done, bronzed with ginger sauce and deliciously tender
at the core. The wonderful sauce also lifted some basmati rice,
and the vegetable accompaniment was excellent. The green beans
looked hand-picked for colour and crispness and the grilled
red pepper was hot and crisp, not cooked into submission.
The high quality shouldn't be surprising given the talent
Il Fiasco enjoys. Birchall is a former executive sous-chef
at The Sheraton and chef at LoPresti's, where she met husband
Ian Glenday. He handles the front end of the business. Chef
Greg Little is formerly of the La Costachain.
The new influence in the kitchen will show up in a revised
menu shortly. Birchall promises it will provide more adventure
for diners.
www.restaurantica.com
Overall Rating 9
Food Rating 9
Service Rating 9
Visit Again?
Yes
Review by: A. Veltman. Visited on: June 7,
2005. Number in party: 4 Comments: We have been to Il Fiasco
on several occasions and have always found the food to be of
a high quality and with a nice presentation. Good selection
on the menu. Service is always very professional and friendly. |
