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Buca
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
About This Business:
Come enjoy authentic Italian and Continental cuisine in an elegant and relaxing atmosphere. Il Mulino Restaurant is the perfect location for your… read more »
65 reviews for Buca
Review Highlights
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"Bread knots and stuffed olives to round it out." In 13 reviews -
"...pomodoro, gnocchi, duck egg pasta with duck ragu - all..." In 3 reviews -
"...meat plate - choosing 3 different house-cured meats for $18." In 6 reviews
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65 reviews in English
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Review from Julia L.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2012
I took my boyfriend here for a special birthday dinner earlier this year. I made a reservation for 5PM on a Friday night weeks in advance, and hoped that we would be in and out in less than an hour and a half as we had a Raptors game to go to at 7.
As soon as we stepped through the door, we were greeted warmly and led to our seat. Our server came over and asked us if it was our first time at Buca and offered us suggestions and recommendations for our meal. Their menu is designed "sharing-style" which to me basically means that portion sizes are smaller and they want you to order more. I decided to order on behalf of both of us, and settled on Nodini (bread knots) and Parmiagiana di Melanzane (a take on eggplant parmesan) to start, followed by a meat pizza (for him) and a vegetarian pasta dish (for me) as our mains (which I believe was eggplant ravioli, although my memory seems to fail me now).
Our apps came out fairly promptly - I thought the Nodini was good, but not spectacular; the real standout was the eggplant which was incredible and I wish that I could eat every single day of my life. After the apps came the pizza...and then we waited...and waited...and waited. Apparently our server had assumed that we would be sharing both the pizza and the pasta and told the kitchen not to fire the pasta yet. When we informed him of his error he was EXTREMELY apologetic (I think he actually came over on 5 separate occasions to apologize) and the pasta came out shortly after. We were even offered a complimentary dessert to make up for the misunderstanding! We were offered a choice of chocolatey or fruity, and after emphatically requesting something rich and chocolatey, we were brought over Buca's Tiramisu, which was really fantastic. I'm no Tiramisu connoisseur, but it was hands-down the best Tiramisu I've ever tasted. In fact, the flavour profiles of everything we ate during our meal was really spot-on, and I was quite pleased with the food.
Not only was the food great, the service was also very good - water glasses always topped up, etc. Our server wasn't exactly the warmest or friendliest, but was efficient and did his job well. As one reviewer already mentioned, the leather aprons the servers wear seem a bit strange, and at one point I looked over and there was a line of servers standing in a row in front of the kitchen just staring out at the diners, which was a little creepy...
Anyway, Buca is on the pricier end as far as restaurants go, but a lovely special occasion restaurant - I hope to be back soon!
Must note: Buca was recently listed as one of Canada's top 50 restaurants! http://vacay.ca/top-50... -
Review from Pete S.
4/10/2012 2 photos
A group of us celebrated a mile-stone birthday here in March 2012. My friends had been here many times before, however this was my first visit.
At the risk of sounding over critical - it was good, but not sure worth the crazy hype? My friends are "foodies" and our group is not shy about getting out the wallet for a quality dinner... but hmmm....
We had the full experience from buying drinks in the bar, a couple bottles of prosecco, wine, water, appetizers, mains, desert, etc! The whole enchilada!
There are a tremendous amount of "manager" type people hustling about and mingling with select guests. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the food, recommendations and suggestions.
Our guest of honor was disappointed her seating request was not honored even though the reservation was made 3 months in advance.
I guess, check it out for yourself... perhaps you will find a new home! -
Review from Renata R.
3/29/2012
This is the most overrated restaurant I've been in Toronto. Born in an Italian family, with an Italian nonna who was a second-generation baker, I feel I can say: no, this is not Italian food done right, I am so sorry.
The good things: the service is impeccable. The restaurant may be packed, but they will treat you like the only customer, like someone very special, like if you were the only person there. A sommelier will recommend you wines, the servers will explain every detail on how the dishes were prepared, it's really amazing how they are trained and attentive. Incredible.
Then I ordered an appetizer, the cheese board. 19 dollars for tiny little pieces of cheese, paired with preserves. I was asked if I wanted bread. Sure, yes, I wanted bread! But you have to PAY EXTRA 4.50 for a bread basket. Wait, what? Ok, I can do that. The bread came, it was... just regular bread. Nothing magical. Simple bread, 4.50. Ridiculous.
Wait, it becomes worse. It's an italian restaurant. I expect bread and olive oil. I asked for olive oil, a staple of italian cuisine. I was informed they would call the SOMMELIER to offer me, for 5 dollars, the extra olive oil. Is that some kind of joke?????? No thanks, I just wanted to soak my bread in olive oil.
My main course was a fish. It was the saddest fish plate I've ever ordered. For 36 bucks I expected some fancy presentation, sides, something special. It was just a fish fillet, with aromatic olives and olive oil (the very expensive olive oil I mentioned before). No sides. Not even some rice or salad. Nothing at all. A SINGLE FISH FILLET.
My husband ordered smart and had the pizza, which is HUGE and DELICIOUS. If you ever go there, order the pizza. Totally worth the price an can be shared! It's al taglio, the size of a 17 inch notebook, thin crust, homemade sauce, everything you expected and much more. I had some, was delighted! Also, water buffalo meatballs with WATER BUFFALO MOZZARELLA, you WANT THAT.
Dessert was much better! Their Tiramisu is SPECTACULAR, I could eat that forever, and my husband ordered the affogatto with some delicious gelato from outer space. I'm not a fan of gelato, but that was really incredible. I loved the dessert!
Overall, I was very disappointed with the mains, which is the most important part of a meal. I saw people ordering pasta and they were basically a few pieces of pasta. They also need to work on presentation. People like food porn.
I wouldn't come back to spend 200 bucks in a place that doesn't refill my bread basket and doesn't offer me olive oil, then charges me almost 40 bucks for a sad fish fillet. They need desperately to work on their menu. For THE REAL ITALIAN VIBE, please refer to Alimento, a few blocks away. They do it right. The place is always full of italians for some reason. The guys know their stuff. Buca? Meh. -
Review from Amanda L.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2012
amazing food quality, wine list and service. Expensive but worth it.
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Review from Celine L.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 5/10/2012
ALWAYS AMAZING - Been here a ton of times and never a disappointment.
The Snail pasta and just about every pizza are to die for! Lambs brains and piggs ears are great too!Listed in: Favorites
1 Previous Review:
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2/26/2012
mmm aamazing
especially love the lambs brain and pigs ears
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Review from John K.
5/3/2012
We were directed here by some locals when Lee was closed due to a power outage. I heard great things about it on the way over, and heard several people comment to their friends on the place while inside.
The owners of this joint struck gold with the word of mouth advertising, but from what i can tell the reputation isn't exactly deserved. The place is totally overrated. Those fried olives? Presented, fried, and tasted like average bar food. Not terrible, but expected a lot more given how this place was representing itself.
Tasted a couple on entrees and desserts. The panna cotta itself wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great to me. I LOVE panna cotta, and theirs might have been better if it wasn't overwhelmed by a syrupy fruit compote-type addition to the top.
I saw another reviewer called this place overrated and I'd agree.. -
Review from Cindy C.
Toronto, ON
3/11/2012
What a real Italiano Experience! From the waiters, the servers to the General Manager Marco, they know how to show 2 girls a real Italian Experience!
The restaurant was clearly packed and we were treated like royalty. Don't get me wrong, it was pricey, but was worth the experience we had.
I can't even find what we ordered to suggest - but we had fresh BUFFALO MOZZARELLA, which was kneaded and placed in ice water - topped with a few different toppings of your choice, the taste was fresh and divine. Watich the hot water knead my mozzarella wasn't bad either.
That's all I really remember, but great food, great service and great ambiance - would totally recommend for a VERY special occasion! -
Review from Alanna W.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2012
Excellent pizza, great atmosphere, excellent service!! Cool crowd!!
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Review from Vivek S.
1/2/2012
Buca means "hole" in Italian, but this place is anything but. It's a gorgeous space with an industrial brick and beam look, impossibly high ceilings, and dim lighting from danging Edison bulbs. Walking in reservationless at dinner time is risky; this place was packed to the gills with stylish clientele, but we managed to secure a spot at the bar.
The menu is divided into molto Italian categories like salami, formaggi, pasta, pizze, pesce, and carne. It's quite overwhelming actually, and I'm surprised they are able to change up the options so often. I felt that pasta was a smart choice at Buca, so I opted for a veal stuffed tortelli. When the server reacted with surprise when I didn't order a starter, I should have clued in. The portion was VERY small, just five pockets of pasta on a plate. Soft and delicious though it was, it wasn't enough for me.
My friend Dan J ordered smart and got a pizza. It's an authentic thin-crust 'za the size of a placemat. They give you pair of scissors to cut it. It was covered with mouth-watering cured salami and buffalo mozzarella. It was tasty, and lucky for me he was willing to share. We ended the night with some dessert wines (they offer an impressive selection of wine) and a Buca Tiramsu served in a tall glass. (We each got one -- we didn't share y'all.)
A bit on the pricy side, so I won't come here hungry, but I would definitely come back when I'm looking to impress a date.
Obligatory Title Pun: BOOK-A reservation, amico.
Menu Readability: Elegant book in centre-aligned Helvetica.
Need to mention: The have an enomatic machine for wines by the glass.
What this place teaches me about myself: I should always err on the side of pizza.Listed in: That's Amore!, Spendy, Spendy
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Review from Viviana M.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2011 4 photos
Dining Experience: Lunch and Dinner
Specialty: Italian
Menu items: Nodini, Bigoli, Mortadella Pizza, Orecchiette and Tiramisu
"Buona Sera" and "Prego" are Buca's staff most used words. From the moment you enter the premises to the moment you leave, all you hear is Italian. All you eat and taste is Italian, and even the menu items have their original Italian names. So with this, I have decided to dive deep into Chef Rob Gentile's food by tasting his dishes in two different occasions. After all, when is Italian ever too much?
Starting with the Nodini, I begin my journey into the master pieces Gentile has created. Nodini are warm bread knots with olive oil, rosemary and garlic...tons of garlic. These are mostly known by locals as "garlic balls" and eaten with frequency as part of the course of appetizer items.
The texture of the Nodini is crunchy yet soft and the olive oil melts in your mouth and drips on your fingers as you bite into them.
Although I would prefer a rather smaller portion of the Nodini to come as a compliment to the meal (Buca charges for the bread), I have to say this is a must order item from the menu.
Next in the journey is the famous Bigoli pasta. I say famous because Buca's menu changes often and the Bigoli always makes it on both the lunch and dinner menu.
Bigoli is a hand crafted duck egg pasta with duck ragu, basil and mascarpone cheese. The best part of this dish is definitely the taste of the freshly hand-made pasta. The duck is heavily present through the dish and the basil gives it a nice herb-like taste. The mascarpone is a nice touch as well, but in my mind it lessens the intensity of the duck ragu. A nice stronger Italian cheese would make this dish stand out more, but then again this is my personal preference.
Buca's famous scissors-ready hand made pizzas, also made it on my must order list of items. Chef Gentile prides himself on serving great charcuterie style dishes and continues to carry on his theme by adding cured meats to his variety of pizzas. The Mortadella pizza is certainly one of them. Drizzled with a light pesto sauce and based with a creamy cheese, this white flat bread pizza is one that you would want to cut with your scissors all night long.
Jumping back to the pastas, on my second visit I decided to switch up my order and get the Orecchiette pasta.I would have to compliment Chef Gentile on finally introducing brussel sprouts, currently my fave veggie, into traditional Italian pastas. I personally never thought you could add it to a pasta well enough to make it taste good. To my surprise and delight, I was proven wrong.
Orecchiette is a kind of pasta originally form the region of Puglia. Traditionally made with rapini, broccoli and green beans, this pasta is known for its "ear" shape style. Knowing that scallops and bacon go well together, Buca introduces a pasta that mixes the best of the sea with B.C. scallops and the best of the pig, with some nice pancetta (aka Italian bacon). And if this wasn't enough, brussel sprouts, white beans and a touch of butter will definitely have you asking for seconds and thirds. I personally like the way the scallops were thinly sliced to maintain the dishe's size consistency and not overpower any of the other ingredients by making it just a "scallop" pasta. Grazie Chef Gentile.
Last but not least on this delicious journey, and probably one of the best Italian desserts I have had is Buca's Tiramisu.
Yum, Yum, Yum. These are all the words I have for Buca's Tiramisu. The first Yum is for the delicious brûlée crust which gave this dessert a nice crème brûlée feel to it. The second Yum is for the incredible taste of the creamy mascarpone and various layers of creamy goodness in between; and the third Yum is for the bottom-filled dessert with some nice espresso sauce, which make me go deep with my spoon. Into the dessert, of course!
Buen Provecho,
Viviana.Listed in: Best Restaurants in Toronto
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Review from Jarita L.
Markham, ON
3/30/2012
had their cheese plate, and 2 pasta dishes. Pasta was very well prepared, texture was awesome. I find this place a bit over priced, but it makes sense given the area.
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Review from Mike L.
Calgary, AB
2/11/2012
Went for lunch and had the sausage stuffed green olives deep fried (breaded), unique taste and tasty
Spaghetti with veal mini meatballs in tomato basilsauce ok, not great or memorable
service was good, prices a little steep -
Review from Julia J.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2012
this is my absolutely favourite in the city at the moment. their food is amazing and the restaurant is beautiful. I went with a big group of people so I got to try a little bit of everything. We ordered the pig's ears, eel, gnocco fritto and a bunch of other small plates to share. For main I had the polenta with 3 different kinds of meat and their gnocci (the gnocci was TO DIE FOR).
I have gone back with a friend of mine and was treated to a glass of wine because we didn't have a reservation and we were asked to wait around 5-10 minutes at the bar (amazing!)
This place is always busy and bustling but always very well run and lively. It's exactly what I look for in a dining experience.
Everytime someone asks for a restaurant suggestion, Buca is always the first I mention. -
Review from Vincci L.
A truly five star experience.
Walk down an alleyway and then step inside an industrial space-high ceiling brick walled room, an open bar area, and a awe-inspiring chandelier as a hanging centerpiece. The menu changes daily, and stamped with the current date. Even the cocktails are seasonally inspired.
We are seated in the dining room with the lower ceilings-more enclosed, more initimate, and the atmosphere was bustling. Cocktails-I started off with a Autunno a Belluno: whiskey, house made fig preserve, and cinnamon. A sweet drink, with bursts of fig flavour. It was so good I wanted to order three more of these.
It took us a while to look through the menu since everything looked good, and we just couldn't decide. After long moments of contemplation, we finally made our decisions.
For a starter, we got a parmiagiana di melanzane: preserved tomato and fried eggplant layered with bufala ricotta and burrata cheese. This was a marriage of ingredients that went perfectly together. The textures of the fried eggplant and the burrata cheese mingled together just right.
For pastas, we got the:
Bigoli: hand cranked duck egg pastas with duck ragu, mascarpone, and basil. So flavorful, and the pasta was truly divine. Just the right chewiness, with the smoky flavours of the duck and the mascarpone heightening the flavour of the dish. The addition of basil complemented it perfectly.
Tortelli: goose, foie gras and porcini mushroom filled pasta with Ottawa valley sweet butter, toasted hazelnuts, crisp rosemary and melot 'vincotto'. This was my favourite. Probably one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted in my life. Each tortelli was wrapped with so much flavour, and the sweet butter sauce drenched over it with the crispness of the hazelnuts and the rosemary....I am salivating as I write this.
As the finale: the dessert.
Tortellini di mela cotogna: roasted quince stuffed pasta with burrata dolce,honey, hazelnut croccante and chianti vincotto. Another memorable dish. A perfect harmony of the sweetness makes this the perfect ending to an already perfect meal. -
Review from C M.
North York, ON
3/9/2012
Visited this restaurant in late fall based on some recommendations from friends. My only, single complaint about this gorgeous restaurant is that I absolutely hate when you fight like hell for a reservation and get "squeezed in" and when you show up the place is empty. It happened for our 7pm reservation and I'm sorry but a bustling atmosphere is 50% of any meal in my opinion! However, by 7:30 more people trickled in and the place was busy by the time we left at 8:30.
We started with the garlic balls and a roasted beet salad, both were fine I especially loved the freshness of the in-season beets. I ordered a spiced pumpkin pasta with shaved truffles while my husband ordered a pizza. My pasta was absolutely to die for and without a doubt one of the best bites of food I think I have ever taken! My husband liked his pizza and especially liked the pizza sicissors! I felt like it was ok, just a normal pizza nothing special . . . maybe it just paled in comparison to my pasta.
When we return I will try the polenta & the house made olives as both looked exceptional.
Wine list is extensive and pairs well. Staff was nice and not too snooty. -
Review from Catherine L.
Toronto, ON
10/11/2011
Best pasta I've had in Toronto. Everything you order is fresh, inventive and delicious! If you're lucky to grab a table (they fill up FAST), you will not regret it!
The only reason it's not 5 stars is that it's a bit on the pricey side, and I'm not as big a fan on the appetizers. The portion size is also on the small side - if you're hungry, you'll likely need to order an appetizer and/or dessert.
However, I've never tasted a pasta there I didn't love, and I still fantasize about the Spaghetti Carbonara. If you're in the good for fresh, homemade Italian pasta, go now!
I also really like the decor - the outdoor patio feels like you are in an italian piazza, with brick walls all around. A great summer evening restaurant! -
Review from Eric N.
10/4/2011
I think I found where Canadian Actors work. (hint: it's here). Why is everyone here better looking than me? Why do they get to wear stylish yet somewhat intimidating (boarder-line scary) leather aprons? Why am I wearing my husky jeans?
Anyway, enough of that. I think Buca takes Italian food to a different extreme, no not pasta from a can stupid, like real Italian food. It's crazy good, with ingredients that would make most of us Yanks a bit squeamish, like oh I don't know...lamb brains. Not something we eat in California...normally.
The atmosphere is amazing. The wait staff is friendly and informative yet also better than you. Well okay maybe just better looking than me, though I think I've mentioned that like 5 times already.
So just know that this place is pricey and probably way more hip than you are. If you are on vacation and are wearing husky jeans and want to burn some money (or you know have rich parents/trust fund/expense account, okay I'm exaggerating) do come here, it's really good and a great experience. -
Review from Faye C.
10/11/2011
We were here tonight. Delish!
We had the 3 selections of salumi, the eggplant, and the margherita pizza with burrata cheese (super yummy).
The pumpkin stuff pasta was delish as was the veal!
Everything was really yummy - we also had the tiramisu and a pork blood chocolate torte (a must try, and not as gross as you might think).
Totally worth the visit! -
Review from Pascal P.
Toronto, ON
11/26/2011
I went there on wednesday night at 6pm with no reservation. The host gave us a funny look when we said we didnt have a reso. looking around it was dead but 1/2 way through our meal i became aware that it had filled up.
I didnt really like our server he seemed snotty but the food was amazing.
carpaccio-amazing(one of my staple foods)
grilled lamb skewers- amazing
I had the pumpkin pasta with truffle sauce- OMG orgasmic. My partner had the bigolti(first item in pasta menu) it was mediocre at best. -
Review from Sabrina P.
Toronto, ON
9/5/2011
A really great rustic, Italian restaurant! Ambience is beautiful and the crowd is best on a Friday night.
I've been here 3 times and I've never been disappointed.
The pizza is great. I've had the sausage pizza and the margherita - both were delicious! You must try the 3 selections of salumi. They come with accompanying condiments that are just perfectly paired. If they have the zucchini flowers with burrata cheese...you must try!
Two other people in my party had the black ink pasta dish and the duck pasta. Both of them said they were great. I had the veal carpaccio. It was garnished with olive oil, capers, pine nuts and cheese. It was amazing.
My only hang up is that the wait staff could be a little faster with taking and placing the order. But I do like that they speak Italian. Many of them are right from Italy.
Buca is great. I will definitely go again. -
Review from CalamityJane T.
Toronto, ON
3/23/2012
Dinner at Buca was OK on the night we went, but it was a Sunday so atmosphere was lacking somewhat. I also wish the menu included some of the items in the pictures that other reviewers had because the night we went, there wasn't anything overly mind-blowing to choose from, though everything we had was good--just not spectacular which was what I expected as Buca has always been highly recommended.
We originally planned to go to Terroni as I was craving one of their pizzas which kind of comes close to the pizza of all pizzas I had in Milan, but their lineup was too long and I was DAMN hungry so we headed for Buca where we were able to snatch up a table right away. If you've never been, it's on King--next door to Cheval--they're separated by a laneway that leads to Buca's doors. Go through the doors and down the stairs to discover a beautiful space with exposed brick walls (I know, cliche~), and two dining rooms (one is more a wine cellar), dim lighting...romantic if you want it to be.
We ordered:
- the nodini were OK; they're adorable little nubs of bread doused in oil & garlic, but I probably won't bother ordering them next time
- lamb skewers - I let my friend go to town on those and he was practically squealing with delight between bites whereas I am not a lamb fan, though I wish I were!
- breaded, fried eggplant layered with fresh basil leaves, parm & ricotta and a squirt of burrata on top - judging from the description, I was kind of expecting something similar to eggplant parmaggiano (minus the tomato sauce) which is one of my favourite dishes but instead it was very bland; not a single ingredient besides the basil offered any flavour
- salsiccia pizza - very good pizza, served on a long cutting board and as everyone else mentioned: scissors for your convenience, which I've only ever seen in Korean restaurants
...I was torn between the veal tenderloin and the sea bass, when my eye caught their list of pizzas and their scamorza seemed to be a close fit to the pizza I would have had at Terroni so I went with that. While I enjoyed every bite of it, instead of us ordering two pizzas, I should have had one of the other mains so as to get a real taste of chef Gentile's range of talent (I'm sure he's wonderful). You know what this means...I'll have to go back.
- Buca's got this crazy-extensive tome of wines so if you're a wine-lover, I am sure you'll be pleased.
- (Wait, I'm not done!) We shared the dessert of 3 big balls of gelato of your choosing. Ours included lavender (my friend nearly threw up when he tasted it; I guess it's not for everyone), hazelnut (TONS of nuts throughout, like I've never seen--which I loved), and blood orange (SO GOOD), all sprinkled with toasted spices. I am guessing they make their own gelato, which was clearly the most popular dessert.
Along with your bill, you get the cutest little packet containing a tiny nougat-ball with their card attached. I love it when restaurants go the extra mile with such small details! Service was excellent--I always get a kick out of places that insist on reciting your order back to you as each dish is presented at your table, though I'm not sure all the waiters were Italian as many suggest. Whatever the case, I found most of their service to have a real old-school polished-ness about it which is not terribly common, so that was nice.
Considering this was an unplanned, passing-by situation on a Sunday night, the meal was a bit of a splurge, though not totally insane. Buca is definitely on the pricey side but prime location, excellent service, and chef Gentile all come at a price, though I will definitely go back to Buca as I am curious to try their other dishes which I am sure are amazing. To say I LOVE them is a bit of a stretch (for now) but their food is fresh and service professional, which is enough to warrant another go. -
Review from Betty T.
Toronto, ON
7/5/2011
I called Buca on Friday night after work asking if they would accept a walk in for 2. The manager was very polite on the phone and offered one of their communal high top tables.
Service was excellent from the moment my friend and I got there. The manager knew it was our first time and even offered us a glass of wine to start and some type of liquor to end our evening. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu and gave us informative yet brief historical backgrounds into some of the wines and dishes we ordered.
All of the food came out very fresh and was DELICIOUS. Their bread knots are so crispy on the outside but oh so soft on the inside. I highly enjoyed their duck pasta... my mouth is watering as I am typing this and reminiscing over the flavours.
If you like Terroni, then you will LOVE what Buca has to offer. -
Review from Munis T.
Toronto, ON
9/27/2011
I went here for dinner last week on Monday.
The high-ceilings and attractive interior design were noticable upon entering, as was the bottle of hard-to-find Oxley gin behind the bar. The food, unfortunately, was less impressive.
Cicora (salad of dandelion, gorgonzola, macerated berries): Okay, not awesome. Slightly difficult to eat on account of the dandelion greens being cut too coarsely. The berries and gorgonzola went well together, but would have been more balanced if the berries had been a bit sweeter.
Lamb skewers with lemon and cracked pepper: too chewey, not tender; the lemon was interesting.
Fried sausage-stuffed olives: nice crunchy exterior, mild and tender interior. I would have liked the sausage stuffing to have a bit more character (e.g. texture, spice, fat, etc.)
Bigali (duck egg pasta with duck ragu, mascarpone, basil): pleasantly springy al dente pasta, and subtle cinnamon in the ragu. This was pleasant to eat with really no complaints.
Quail (citrus-rubbed, with pickled cherries, spelt, parmigiano): the quail was competently-grilled (tender and moist), pickled cherries were a nice complement and distinctive. The spelt with parmigiano was a nice accompaniment both in terms of flavor and texture. I was also pleased by the presence of rosemary.
Crostatina (bufala ricotta lemon tart with concord grapes and lavender): the ricotta was nice and light, lemon flavor and sweetness were well-balanced and on the mild side. The crust was nice and firm. The grapes had rather large, hard, and bitter seeds which was
annoying. The lavender was mostly imaginary.
While a few of the dishes were satisfying, several were disappointing, and nothing really wowed me. Overall I was disappointed, especially given the price point. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
11/23/2011
I have just eaten my favourite meal in Toronto in 2011...... I've been dying to try this place, and trying to find the right person to eat this meal with (aside from my hubby). When V told me she was coming to town - I had to book this one. Not having seen the menu, I have been looking to other people's pictures and hoping that my meal would be just as good. The place definitely didn't disappoint.... the 10pm reservation seemed late, but worked out to be a spectacular evening of great conversation and just as great food (if not better!)
Looking for the little red lit sign off of King, we walked into a path to a door in the back of a building. As I walked in, I see a beautiful chandelier and walked down a staircase to a beautiful dining room, wooden walls, and noticing the ch\efs cooking away in the kitchen. There were lots of people chatting, eating, waiting. We gave our names and went to the bar for a drink..... wish I had the name with me but I had a pear-like martini that was OUT OF THIS WORLD. The last time I had such a great pear martini was at Lummi Island in Washington. This was definitely comparable and I could have drank it all night. V had the fig martini with a chestnut that tasted just as delectable.
Soon after, we we brought to our table.... in the wine cellar at the bank - much darker, enclosed and much more echo-ey. If you are beside a big group, you may need to raise your voice a little higher!
Having read a few reviews about Buca, I heard the burata with eggplant was a must - it was creamy, but not heavy, and the eggplant did not seem like it was overfried or too mushy. The textures and flavours worked beautifully together.
For mains, we shared the Duck Egg Pasta with duck ragu (and I kept thinking there was a raw duck egg), and the Goose and Fois Gois Tortelli pasta in sweet butter sauce with balsamic. Everything was like heaven in your mouth. I must say that I expected the duck egg pasta to be more saucy, but I liked how the texture was a little dry and you can taste the pieces of duck as you enjoyed each bite. The tortelli was creamy and rich, and even though the temperature of it had cooled down, I was still enjoying every bite like it was my first. The butter sauce was like condensed milk and I wanted to smuther ever bite in it. It was salty, but sweet - a mixed sensation. Not being a big fan of rosemary, I just couldn't get enough of the pieces that added a nice crunch to the filling. The pasta itself seemed a tad underdone, but I can only imagine that in-house pasta was extremely hard to master and the cooking process is difficult and takes much precision.
Halfway through dinner, I ordered a kiwi martini, which was okay, but I don't think anything would have lived up to the pear martini (I would really like a glass right now!)
Dinner would not have not been complete without DESSERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After looking through the list, it seemed obvious to get the traditional tiramisu. There was pana cotta, some chocolate cake... and then V suggested we get another tortellini - with quince, more BURRATA and other goodness that has changed my life. This was probably the one dessert I was not planning to get, only because I was unfamiliar with what it was. But believe me - this is something special. With 5 pieces, it will be good enough to share with someone special. The burrata was creamy, the quince was smooth and not overly sweet. The tortellini was very thin, making it even more delicate.
If I had the money, I would eat here every chance I could. The waiter were knowledgeable and explained everything that came out. All the menus are date stamped and we took one to commemorate our lovely evening.
oh... i'm in love... with buca 52!Listed in: King St W and Surroundings
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Review from Jen C.
Buca is a trendy Italian place on King West with high ceilings and a cacophony of noise during peak hours. However, they have some really good food with apps and nibbles leading the way. Here are a couple of dishes I wanted to highlight (despite the poor lighting).
Pig's Ears
Orecchio Di Maiale is a pile of pig's ears with wild fennel salt. Crispy and a little chewy, this makes for a lovely start. I've had this dish before and thought it good, but it was absolutely stellar the last time I went. I almost ordered a second round.
Beet Salad
With the creamy Ontario buffalo mozzarella, preserved meyer lemon, and aged balsamic, this roasted beet salad made for a suitable dessert substitute. Really lovely melding of flavours and textures and worth every penny (most of it goes toward those dots of balsamic!). I salivate just thinking of this.
While chit-chatting with our server, he mentioned that there will be a bar-only menu coming up in the side-room where their enomatic lives. Given that there is much love for the appetizers and small bites over entrées on Buca's menu, I'm looking forward to checking that out!
(Copy and pasted from the blog. As always, a ton of photos and the menu are posted there.) -
Review from Aamy M.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2012
been here 10 times and all i can say is that buca is so so!
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Review from Steph L.
2/22/2011
Perfetto is the only word I need to describe my experience at Buca.
Eating at Buca is like *really* seeing someone for the first time.
You didn't expect it but all of a sudden...surprise!
Confusion.
Warmth.
Excitement.
...Just beautiful.
I don't know what it is... a magical combination of a gorgeous venue, exceptional service, and delicious food ...that makes you feel like you are making memories.
..Or maybe it's just the wine! They have one of those ultra modern automated wine dispensing machines.
This place is packed on the weekends. I would make a reservation ahead of time. We ended up waiting at the bar and sipped cocktails.
When it was time to be seated, the staff checked our coats and we were led to the smaller more intimate back room.
It's neat how you walk by the cold room, which displayed all the cured meats.
The menu is extensive and changes daily. Each menu has a date stamped on it. There are lamb brains and other unique items, so eating here can always be an adventure!
We ordered several items:
Eggplant - Perfectly soft, flavorful, with crispy breading for texture.
Cured meat platter - Pretty good. Can't complain.
Garlic bread knots - They sure were garlicy, oily, and tasty.
As for the service, if there was a reality show called Canada's Next Top Server, our waiter would have been a top contender. Super knowledgeable about the food and he was very attentive....he was a server superstar!
Overall, I had such a wonderful dining experience here.
Buca... ti amo! @)--'---,---
Buon appetito! -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
5/31/2011 5 photos
I recently had the most perfect meal here!
Buca has a dark, wine-cellar feel to it. There is a busier seating area near the entrance of the restaurant and a more intimate dining area on the other side of the restaurant. On this visit, we were seated in the quieter room.
We started with the meat plate - choosing 3 different house-cured meats for $18. We chose the pancetta, spicy pork sausage and salami which were served with 3 small sides - sautéed green dandelions, golden beets and beans. Since Buca doesn't have complimentary bread, we ordered 2 of their herb rolls ($1.50 each). The meats were delicious! Next time I'd like to get some cheese as well.
Our second starter was the eggplant parmesan ($14). This was the second time I've had this, and it was even better than I remembered. This is one of my favourite dishes (and I'm not just talking about Buca...). The ricotta and the creamy burrata was sandwiched between perfectly crispy eggplant slices. Highly recommended if you're a fan of eggplant.
For my main I went with the bigoli ($21) which consisted of duck egg noodles and duck ragu. All I can say about this dish is delish!
My boyfriend went with the pappardelle ($24) which was served meatless, in a butter sauce. The serving of this dish was particularly small, but was extremely delicious. My boyfriend often orders pappardelle when he sees it on the menu, and I rarely ever enjoy it, but this one was amazing.
We finished off our meal with the tiramisu ($12) which was the perfect way to end the meal. Although it was delicious, at $12 it was pretty steep considering the pasta dishes we ordered were under $25. -
Review from Tavis C.
Toronto, ON
12/18/2010
Buca was simply a delight. The room is great. The service is charming. Oh, and then there's the food...
We ordered a few entrees and shared them amongst the group. We went down this path because all of the preparations sounded too good to limit yourself to just one choice. That said, the Gorgonzola gnocchi and the tagliatelle with the duck ragu were both standouts. The portions, as someone mentioned in their review, aren't exactly Olive Garden-esque; but I would argue that's a good thing. Prices seemed fair too.
I'm looking forward to going back and trying something new. -
Review from Anabel L.
Toronto, ON
10/27/2011
bright alley
:King West:
It seems that I am on an 'eat at unidentifiable' restaurant phase. Last Saturday was Bremner (see tomorrow's post) in Montreal and today was Buca. If you're not looking for it, you will miss it. It's next to Cheval. In fact, they share the same alleyway.
Buca was exactly what I thought it would be. A clean space with simple details. Special shout out to their light fixture, I loved it. As those who reviewed before me pointed out, Buca used to be boiler house and you can still see that. It's very industrial with huge ceilings. It's actually basement level but they've opened it up so that a lot of light can shine through.
The lunch menu was pretty extensive, and priced average for King West. I hear they vary their lunch menu, although there are few constants, such as the rosemary, garlic bread knots.
Service was slow to start, but got stellar and stayed that way throughout our long lunch.
Olive Ascolane - fried olives stuffed with lamb sausage - crunchy, salty and tangy.
Pizza, sadly, I don't remember what this was called, but it had smoked buffalo cheese, chilies, and the day's cured meats. It was spicy, salty, and smoky.
Bigoli - homemade pasta with duck egg and a duck ragù with mascarpone and basil. OMG. I loved this dish. The portion is small, but lest we forget, we on King West. Course if it were a little bigger, I would say I superloved it.
And of course, dessert:
Pannacotta with kiwi berries. KIWI BERRIES?!?! I Googled it because I've never heard of such a thing, much less tasted such a thing. I had to know more. Their proper term is actinidia arguta, or hard kiwi. Apparently it is native to Korea (amongst other countries). They are really delicious, and I think I love them.
It was a proper pannacotta. I can't tell you how many times I've ordered it at a restaurant and been served messed up pudding. This was creamy, delicately flavoured and delicious.
The tart tasted exactly how it smelled - amazing. Sweet gelati, maple syrup and pistachios added textures to the delicate tart and pumpkin filling.
If I had to choose the best dish of the day, I would go with the bigoli and the pannacotta. The bread knots are also well-known but I think I want to try the pig ears next time.
Word of warning, Buca doesn't serve complimentary bread, which may be why people like the knots so much. If you have to pay for bread, why not getting something more creative. -
Review from Anne M.
2/7/2011
I was so excited to try this place for a girls' night last fall after hearing so much hype about it. Sadly, it not only fell short of those expectations, it left us all cold. Literally!
A friend and I ordered the pumpkin ravioli in a cream sauce which arrived at cooler than room temp. Generally I don't order sweet dishes for dinner so It was especially unappetizing. I asked if it was meant to be served that way and the server looked confused before offering to warm both of our dishes up. When they brought it back it still wasn't hot, but was at least warmer.
My two strars, however, aren't for lukewarm food. The thing that really turned me off was getting shushed by one of the servers! A table of six women, out on a Friday night in the big city, none of us are particularly shrill, getting shushed!
We mentioned it to our server and the manager, who sent our table a bottle of dessert wine, but it was too sweet and we weren't drinking that much so only one of us ended up drinking most of it. It would have been nicer if they had either comped something or not shushed us in the first place.
I won't go back here. -
Review from Tanya N.
2/1/2011
Buca has renewed my love for Italian food.
The place has a rustic feel to it with exposed brick, high ceilings and meat lockers.
The menu changes occasionally and the current ones are date stampped
My friend and I shared the lamb brain app (2 pieces fried in a thick batter for $7), porchetta pizza ($19) and black squid ink pasta with a duck yolk ($24).
The lamb brain was good. I don't have it often at all so it was different so it was nice to try it in a different form (I previously had it in ravioli).
The porchetta pizza was delicious with wide strips of porchetta all over (amazing) with fried rosemary. The crust was crisp and didn't end up being soggy at all in the centre of the pizza. It comes with large sewing scissors for you to cut in strips. I like things a bit spicy so they provided some homemade chili sauce (they don't have chili flakes). Delicious.
The black squid in pasta was really savoury which was perfect for sharing, otherwise I think it would be too much for one person. The waiter mixed it at the table (to incorporate the duck yolk) and served us both.
Looking forward to coming here again!Listed in: Buon Appetito!, Pizza Pizzazz!
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Review from Esther C.
Mississauga, ON
12/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've been looking for some good Italian food in Toronto for awhile. Buca is definitely a hit. It is expensive, so nice for special occasians. Make a reservation, it was busy and we were there on a Monday night.
As recommended, the bread knots were delicious. Bit sized, and so deadly because I could probably keep popping them in like candy. I also loved the eggplant parmesean - crispy and grilled, sandwiched with ricotta and creamist buffalo mozzarella.
We also had the duck ragu pasta and one of the sausage pizzas. The pizza was thin, full of herbs.
I was disappointed that I didn't see the bone marrow ravioli on the menu. It sounds like it would have been delicious. Oh well, I guess that means another visit to Buca. Darn! -
Review from ritchie c.
Toronto, ON
1/7/2011
Quite possibly one of the funnest meals I've ever experienced in Toronto. This place is swank as hell but casual enough that you don't feel out of place if you're slumming it in jeans and a t-shirt. Let the rich yuppies look all dolled up and sexy, I'm here to EAT.
The second you get in there's a whirlwind of chaos as it was quite packed and people are standing near the bar waiting for their tables. As we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive, we were offered champagne and apps at the bar. Sure it took 15 minutes for the bartender to notice us but it was so busy that I guess that was to be expected. What arrived were deep fried pig ears (nice and fatty), some garlic pastry balls (kinda bland and boring) and some really nice beef stuffed olives.
When we where finally seated, our waitress was super friendly and you could tell she was genuinely excited about the food. We had heard that Buca had the best pasta in town so we were equally excited to try everything, or at least die trying.
We started with an assortment of chacuterie which was pretty fun to pick at and was all pretty damn tasty all around, but did not prepare me for what was coming next.
Not often am I completely BLOWN AWAY by a dish, but my god my life has not been the same since. For a measly $58 you can get a pizza so incredible you will never enjoy another slice of anything in your life. The Bianca Truffle was absolutely delicious with a beautifully light but crispy crust, earthy goodness truffle flavorings accompanied by raw egg yolk brushed across the surface of tellegio cheese. My lower half is tingling just thinking about it.
Anyways, our mains came and between the Carbonara, the Polenta, award winning Duck egg pasta and some sweet dish I don't remember, I would have to say that Buca is serious about their food and it freaking shows.
After that, we ordered a cheese plate along with some dessert and my stomach was about ready to explode. Alas I regret nothing and would do it again given the opportunity.
My only gripe with the place is they charged us for the apps at the bar while we were waiting, but never really asked us if we wanted any. The way they spoke, it seemed as though the offered it to everyone while they waited, but I guess you don't accumulate a $700 bill on giving out free food.
Go eat that pizza. -
Review from Renay R.
Toronto, ON
5/27/2011
I went here last night, and I loved it!
First, the atmosphere is really good - I'm a sucker for bricks though so I generally like any restaurant that has brick walls.
My friend and I started with the trio of cheese (I think it was around $18 for 3). We asked the waiter's advice as to which cheeses to choose and his reco was excellent. Each cheese comes with its own condiment so we had a baby mozzarella with a rhubarb compote, a paresan with strawberry and another cheese which I can't remember with marmelade - fantastic!
For my main, I had the gnocchi which was really good and my friend had some kind of pasta with lemon and ricotta (she really liked it but it wasn't my thing). Both were around $20
We wanted a little something extra so we split a trio of sorbet - bergamot, rhubarb and mango - the rhubarb was my favourite
All in all, a great night. The service was excellent, the room was really nice and the food was awesome (and reasonably priced). My only complaint was that our cocktails were really small and didn't appear to have much alcohol in them. I'd stick to wine if I went again. -
Review from Patricia S.
Toronto, ON
3/6/2011
I love, love, love Buca. What an awesome space. I hadn't been for a while so a friend and I had dinner there last night.
You have to try the eggplant parmigiana. It is so good. I also had the duck pasta with duck ragu and it was amazing! The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce was so flavourful.
We finished with a trio of house-made ice cream. Wow. I want to go back right now. -
Review from Tom G.
Toronto, ON
9/17/2010
Took my father out for lunch today and risked a new place--had heard good things about Buca.
We mixed some starter salad plates for lunch and it was just right. The heirloom tomato salad was a great choice. Beautiful, ripe, sweet tomatoes and the dressing was very delicate. The lamb skewers were cooked just right. Nice flavor. Bread knots and stuffed olives to round it out. Stuffed olives were just, mmmm, perhaps the breading was a little dense or overly crisp?
Chianti by the glass was very good. Beautiful and smooth. Nothing sharp in the taste.
Space is great. Dark and comfortable. Admittedly, I felt a bit underdressed in jeans and a T (hey, it was Friday) but our server didn't flinch.
The crowd looked a little funereal with all the black, but altogether it was very lovely.
Would feel very confident bringing a client there. -
Review from Lia E.
Toronto, ON
1/26/2011
Coming from an Italian who grew up eating fresh home cooked Italian meals, Buca is phenomenal.
I rarely go to Italian Restaurants cause they always seem to disappoint.
From the service, to the ambiance, dinner+ dessert, everything is exceptional. The pine nut gelato is to DIE for.
Buon Appetito! -
Review from Andrea R.
8/16/2010
Best meal I had in Toronto! Actually best meal I've had all month!
The lovely Kat F and I walked in on Thursday night without a reservation.They were quite packed, but were able to find a table for us. It was located right next to the restroom, which is a bonus for any pregnant woman!
We started with their bread, which should probably be complimentary because no one should miss out on this garlicy dough goodness!
As for my entree I went with their homemade pesto gnocchi, which literally melted in my mouth. Kat ordered a very generous sized pizza, which she was nice enough to share with me...very tasty as well! The table of men next to us had food envy just watching us eat it and ordered a pizza of their very own.
I was full enough to stop here, but had a feeling dessert would be as fantastic as the rest of the meal. And I was right! I felt a bit guilty enjoying the best tiramisu ever, mostly because it's my hubby's favorite dessert. Kat went the healthier route with mango sorbet, which was refreshing (and tasty)!
I've been dreaming about this meal ever since and the first thing I'll do when booking my next trip to Toronto is to make a reservation here at Buca!Listed in: My visit to Toronto
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Review from Kat T.
10/22/2011
For Italian food done right, with a touch of sophistication (truffles, anyone?) Buca is amazing! OMG, it was so hard to get a table for a weekend night. But, with a little help, we landed a 7pm slot for 4. The drinks were seasonally-inspired and I ended up with a fig and whiskey concoction.
The Cheese plate should be a part of the meal, whether it is a starter or a finisher- as dessert. For 4 people, I'd recommend the 5 cheese selection- $28 that comes with a variety of compotes and jams. For bread, the Garlic knots are amazing, but may not go with every cheese, so get an order of the bread basket, too.
44 Reviews have already raved on the pizzas, so I won't bore you with detes there.
The stuffed gnocchi was the perfect texture of chewy, fluffy and light.
The meat-stuffed olives were a big hit at my table, though I didn't try them.
Get a lot of wine here. Bottles range in price from $40 to more than 300. But, in the 40-50 range, there are a lot of tasty Italian offerings.
Crowd was gorgeous, as are the butcher-apron'ed waiters.
