Ricci's

Restaurant: Ricci's Pizzeria
Address: 8401 Weston Rd.
Phone: 905-850-8325
Store Hours: Mon-Wed 11 AM - 10 PM, Thurs 11 AM - 10:30 PM, Fri-Sat 11-12 AM, Sun 3-10 PM
Website: www.riccispizza.ca

Menu

Greek Chicken Wrap, $10.50

Review

My Order: Tortellini, $11

Despite being a self-appointed Torontonian, my physical home is in Vaughan. Ricci's is an iconic restaurant in the Woodbridge community. This was actually the very first time I stepped foot into this popular Italian joint, despite being a local resident for almost two decades.

Ricci's is set up like a fast food place where you place and pay for your order at the cashier. Then you have the option to take-out or eat-in (they also deliver for you lazy people out there). I decided to eat-in. I probably waited about 8-10 minutes for my order before they called out my name and brought the food to my table. Ricci's has a very chill and laid-back atmosphere. It's great for people and families that want the dine-in experience without the price tag.

I went for the Tortellini ($11) and my sister ordered the Greek Chicken Wrap ($10.50). We also grabbed Fries ($5) as a side. Both dishes were quite filling. The pasta dishes are inexpensive compared to other Italian restaurants, but the wraps and sandwiches are probably a bit more expensive compared to most places. The Greek Chicken Wrap ended up being very oily, so beware if you decide to order it.

I wouldn't say my mind was blown away by the food. But if I was looking for an affordable and decent place to eat out in Woodbridge, then Ricci's would be my top choice.

Noce

Restaurant: Noce
Address: 875 Queen St. W
Phone: 416-504-3463
Operating Hours: Various operating hours depending on which room you prefer to book, view website for details
Website: www.nocerestaurant.ca

Interior

Menu

Insalata Noce 2.0

Bufala Campana

Olive All'ascolana Tartufate

B.C. Savoury Clams

Pizza Al Baccala

Sausage and Aged Beef Ragout

Torta di Nocciola

Sbrisolona e Zabaglione

Review

Noce is a lovely Italian restaurant in Trinity Bellwoods. I went for Winterlicious this year along with a few of my girlfriends for lunch. At $33, we got to choose from a curated menu of Italian delicacies. They have three rooms for you to dine and wine in: the Queen West Room, the Tuscany Room, and the Octopus Lounge. The Queen West Room is their main dining room, which was the room my friends and I were placed in. You get a nice view of Queen Street West and Trinity Bellwoods Park. The Tuscany Room is more of a relaxed atmosphere to get a bite and the Octopus Lounge allows you to unwind and socialize during late hours.

I thoroughly enjoyed each and every single dish I had at Noce! I ordered the Bufala Campana, B.C. Savoury Clams and Torta di Nocciola. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these dishes. The appetizer and entree were incredibly savoury so I highly recommend the Bufala Campana and B.C. Savoury Clams if you like savoury food. The Torta di Nocciola is perfect for someone who wants gelato with a crunch to their dessert as well.

When I go for Italian food I typically order pasta or pizza because it's normally what I can afford on the menu. But with Noce's Winterlicious menu, I was able to venture out and try items I normally wouldn't get. I am glad to have had the opportunity to try Noce's diverse menu. Our waiter was not only charming but he made sure we were comfortable and provided excellent service. I highly recommend Noce to anyone who loves Italian cuisine or is looking for a nice place to eat lunch or dinner.

Queen Margherita (Dundas West)

Restaurant: Queen Margherita
Address: 772 Dundas St. W
Phone: 647-748-4666
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 12 PM - Close
Website: www.qmpizza.com

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Menu

Review

My Order: Margherita Pizza, $15

I received a couple of vouchers from Queen Margherita in October for #PizzaMonth. I have been following their social media for awhile but never had the opportunity to visit until last month.

Queen Margherita has three locations in Toronto, including one in Leslieville and another in Baby Point. I opted to visit their Dundas West location because it was most convenient for me. The first thing that struck out to me was the space of the restaurant. It has two floors. Above ground there are a decent number of seats, which you can see from the outside. But when you go to the lower level, it's massive. They have an open concept kitchen, which I thought was really cool because you could see the stone oven and their chefs working away. The restaurant has that urban posh feel, which I really liked.

Their menu consist of prix fixe appetizers and a variety of pizzas. My voucher only allowed for one margherita pizza so I didn't try anything else because it was already filling (I ended up taking half of it home). The pizza was good, though it wasn't something I was wowed by. I prefer to have a lot more toppings on my pizza but if you like the classic margherita pizza, you would definitely enjoy this signature dish.

Queen Margherita's Dundas West location makes for a great date or a place to host a birthday party due to size and a menu with a variety of pizzas to choose from.

Paese Ristorante

Restaurant: Paese Ristorante
Address: 3867 Bathurst St.
Phone: 416-631-6586
Operating Hours: Lunch 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM, Dinner 5:30 - 11:30 PM
Website: www.paeseristorante.com

Interior

Menu

Review

Paese Ristorante is a pleasant high-end Italian restaurant located in Wilson Heights. It's not in a location where you would typically find other fancy restaurants therefore stands out on its own. It's attached to L'eat Catering, the original parent company that provided food to local businesses since 1983. Afterwards, Paese Ristorante was created in 1989. L'eat Catering is one of the top 5 catering companies within Toronto,

I had the pleasure of sampling some items off of Paese's menu with my cousin. I tried one of their cocktails, which was the Paloma Italiana with pink grapefruit. I really liked it because I am a huge fan of sweet girly drinks. So it was a great choice for my preference. My cousin picked up their Bellini but found that the prosecco overwhelmed the taste of the peach nectar.

I highly recommend one of their appetizers, the Grilled Octopus. We absolutely loved the dressing mixed with the vegetables that came along with the octopus. It was a perfect blend of taste. Afterwards, we got to try a couple of their pizzas. We had the Pollo and Laabroni. I think their Pollo, which consisted of roasted chicken, smoked cheddar, eggplant, sliced tomato and basil, to be the best of the two. It had the best combination of toppings since I'm a huge fan of cheesy pizza and eggplant.

We tried pasta next. My cousin got one of their basic spaghetti dishes (I don't think it's on the menu) and I tasted their Ricotta Gnocchi. I liked the gnocchi in my dish but not so much of the chicken that was mixed in with it. The chicken was quite bland and was out of place in terms of taste. My cousin wasn't a fan of the spaghetti either. The two pasta dishes we tried were a missed for us.

Lastly, we made room for dessert. I got the Butterscotch Pudding and my cousin chose the Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait. When I took the first bite of the Butterscotch Pudding, it was perfect. The more I ate though, the sweeter it became, As someone who no longer craves super sweet desserts, it got overwhelming for my taste buds. I recommend this dessert, but only if you share it with someone else.

Paese has great customer service if that is what you are looking for in a dining experience. They also do private bookings.

The Red Tomato

Restaurant: The Red Tomato
Address: 321 King St. W
Phone: 416-971-6626
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 5-10 PM
Website: www.redtomato.ca

Interior

Menu

Review

Pizza of Choice: Peking Duck Pizza, $18

I attended a media event for The Red Tomato, a pizza and pasta wine bar underneath Fred's Not Here (both owned by the same owner). I rarely eat on King Street West so I always assumed that prices at the restaurants would be super expensive. However, when I saw The Red Tomato's menu, I was pleasantly surprised that the prices were quite fair (ranged from $13-$18 for a full size pizza).

My friend and I got to try a nice array of pizzas that were offered at the restaurant. My absolute favourite out of the bunch was the Peking Duck Pizza ($18), which was one of their Asian fusion items. If you love Asian food, I do recommend the Peking Duck Pizza! My friend however thought it wasn't that great and preferred "The Hangover Cure" ($16) without the egg. I enjoyed every single pizza at The Red Tomato that I got to try (which is rare!). Each pizza is savoury and you can taste how fresh they are!

I highly recommend The Red Tomato if you want to get some delicious and uniquely flavoured pizzas at an inexpensive price!

Coco Lezzone

Restaurant: Coco Lezzone
Address: 137 Avenue Rd.
Phone: 416-975-1717
Store Hours: Lunch | Private bookings only; Dinner | Mon-Sun 4 PM - Close
Website: www.cocolezzone.com

Interior

Menu

Review

I attended a private media event for the Rebirth of Coco Lezzone last week. It was a networking event for event planners and food bloggers. Coco Lezzone is high-end Italian restaurant in Yorkville, near the intersection of Davenport and Avenue. At the beginning of the event, they served different food samples such as meatballs and slices of pizza. My foodie friends loved the Sicillian Pizza ($19) since it had the best toppings. After, they brought out plates of appetizers, ranging from Italian Cold Cut Plate ($16) to Calamari ($15). Those ran out pretty quickly.

The host brought out four of Coco Lezzone's popular dishes for the food bloggers to take photos of. Unfortunately once the photos were done, all the plates were demolished between 10 or so people. Therefore I had a less than accurate tasting opinion on all these dishes (I believe I missed out on the Osso Buco completely!). I personally enjoyed the Seafood Risotto ($22) because I like my meal to have some sort of grain in it. Everyone raved about the Chilean Seabass ($38). I'm not a fish person but it was good, based on the one forkful I had of it.

I think Coco Lezzone would be a lovely anniversary spot or even for a private company party. They also have a Date Night menu where you get a three course meal for a deal of $35.
 

Cafe Diplomatico

Restaurant: Cafe Diplomatico
Address: 594 College St.
Phone: 416-534-4637
Store Hours: Sun-Thurs 8 AM - 1 AM, Fri-Sat 8 AM - 2 AM
Website: www.cafediplomatico.ca

Exterior

Menu

Review

My Order: Tuna Melt, $6.50

When the weather was warmer awhile back (oh how long ago that was!), my friend and I wanted to find a nice patio to eat out on. We trekked along College St. to see if there were anything that tickled our fancy. We saw Cafe Diplomatico and their patio looked pretty decent. I wanted to simply check out the menu to see if there was anything that I would like to try. When we went in to pick up the menu, the owner (or at least I think he was), started ushering us in. He assured us that the food was going to be fantastic and there was no reason to hesitate. My friend and I were walking for quite some time now and the food seemed decent. So in we went!

I wasn't craving pizza, so I tried out their Tuna Melt sandwich. It was pretty tasty. My friend enjoyed his medium pizza and beer. He said that the beer was cheaper than in most restaurants. A pitcher of Bone Shaker was only $20, comparatively to $22-23 at most restaurants.

Overall, I had a pleasant time at Cafe Diplomatico. It was full by the time we were all settled in, probably because of the interaction the owner had with everyone passing by on the street! Would I come back? I think once is enough for me, but it's a nice patio along College if you are looking for one.
 

G for Gelato

Cafe: G for Gelato
Address: 75 Jarvis St.
Phone: 416-792-1761
Store Hours: Mon-Thurs 8 AM - 10 PM, Fri 8 AM - 11 PM, Sat 9 AM - 11 PM, Sun 10 AM - 10 PM
Website: www.gforgelato.com

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: No

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Coconut milk available
- Roasted coffee beans from Rufino Espresso

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Vegetarian only for regular food
- Vegan and gluten-free snacks available
- Offers snacks from Nutri-Health, such as brownies

View the full menu here: www.gforgelato.com/menu/

Review

Food of Choice: Funghi Pizza, $17

Gelato of Choice: Large Blueberry Lavender and Rufino Almond Fudge Gelato, $6.75

I first heard about G for Gelato when I was talking to an acquaintance awhile back. He raved on and on about the customer service and how awesome the gelato was. After that, I always remembered this particular gelato bar because of that positive review. I finally got the chance to try G for Gelato for the first time this week when they invited me out to their pizza party.

First thing I was able to do when I arrived was received a complimentary massage from Hand & Stone. I wished at the time there weren't so many people so I could've fully enjoyed it! Nonetheless, it was a great start off.

Shortly after, guests were presented with appetizers and their drink of choice as more people started to settle in. I enjoyed the variety of cheese and meat offered, though they weren't on the regular menu. Out of the two salads offered, I went for the Caprese Salad which had Fior Di Latte (a type of cheese). I learned on this very day that I did not like Fior Di Latte, or at least in full form compared to it being shredded on pizza (which I liked). Sadly, I couldn't finish the salad although it looked lovely on the plate. The Fior Di Latte cheese in my opinion was very bland and had that rubbery texture I did not enjoy. I preferred the cheese in the appetizer earlier. My friend actually liked the Caprese Salad and finished his plate. He said he had it at other restaurants and this was one of the better ones. So it's all about your preference!

All the pizzas made at G for Gelato are medium-sized and perfect for two people (or one if you are really hungry!). I tried out the funghi pizza, which consisted mainly of mushrooms and arugula. This was an awesome combination. The pizza had a great consistency and the combination of toppings were done just right. They also had spicy oil, which I added to my pizza and liked! Since I was full from eating a hearty lunch prior, I packed the rest to go.

The most anticipated part of the entire event for me was the gelato. I sampled at least half of their flavours so I could pick out the ones I wanted in the end. In the summertime, they serve 36 whopping flavours! 36! They have unique flavours such as Coconut Basil, Blueberry Basil, and Redbull (yes, Redbull). In the winter however, there's only 18 flavours available and usually the popular ones would be offered during the colder months. They have three cup sizes, small (1 flavour), medium (2 flavours), and large (3 flavours). I took about ten or more minutes to decide on my order so I ended up getting two flavours instead of three for the large cup. I got Blueberry Lavender and Rufino Almond Fudge (inspired by one of Baskins Robins' flavours). Out of the two, my favourite was Blueberry Lavender. I never heard of this combination before but it tasted amazing. I loved the lavender in the flavour. G for Gelato is indeed the place to be for gelato.

Towards the end of the event, I decided to jump in with Davindra from Goat Roti Chronicles to make some pizza! We tossed in a bunch of different toppings, like mushrooms, sausages, and olives. The pizzas made here only need about four minutes to be fully cooked! So you can guarantee your pizza will come out super quick. I ended up only taking a slice of the pizza we made home since I already had the Funghi. Nonetheless, I was proud of our creation. Not only did I went home with pizza but G for Gelato gave the guests some pretty awesome swag, including: a shirt from 1 <3 T.O. (I received the original!), gift card to Hand & Stone, and a pizza cutter!

Overall, I highly recommend G for Gelato if you wish to try a great assortment of gelatos. Do it now so you can enjoy it with whatever is left of Toronto's summer!

Thank you to G for Gelato for the media invite!

Panino & Co.

Cafe: Panino & Co.
Address: 127 East Liberty St. Unit 127A
Phone: 647-345-2305
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 11 AM - 5 PM, Sat-Sun Closed
Website: N/A

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: No
Stamp Cards?: No

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Soy and lactose-free only
- Coffee beans imported from Italy

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Vegetarian only
- Different specials available everyday

Review

Choice of Drink: Regular Latte, $3.24

In the heart of Liberty Village, Panino & Co. was previously known as Barista Espresso Bar. However, the name was not changed on the Indie Coffee Passport this year so I heard from others who had difficulties finding this place!

Originally a cafe for 52 years in the owner's family, competition arose when Aroma Espresso Bar opened nearby, forcing for a concept change. Transformed into a popular lunch spot, Mike the owner, received great response. The coffee sales went down every since Aroma, but the food sales went up. Having visited the restaurant previously last year when it was still known as Barista Espresso Bar, I thought the change was great. The overall layout always felt more like a restaurant where people would come out to eat a hearty sandwich on the marble tables, rather than just drinking coffee alone.

I do note that while I was there, there was no coffee menu nor a station to obtain your sugar and milk. There were not many coffee options, just you basics such as a latte or an americano.  All they had available was sweetener and sugar for your coffee. Therefore, I would not recommend people to go here for a "cafe experience" since it's no longer a cafe but rather more suited for a lunch drop-in.