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Campagnolo
Categories: Restaurants Tapas/Small Plates Restaurants Italian Tapas/Small Plates, Italian [Edit]
832 Dundas Street WToronto, ON M6J 1V3
Neighbourhood: Little Italy
(416) 364-4785
- Hours:
Wed-Sun 6 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- 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
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
48 reviews for Campagnolo
Review Highlights
-
"the fresh burrata cheese with roasted grapes." In 7 reviews -
"House-made Spaghetti all'Amartriciana." In 5 reviews -
"And then, my favourite of the night: salted caramel budino." In 4 reviews
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48 reviews in English
-
Review from Happybadfish S.
Toronto, ON
5/4/2012
What a wonderful restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal here and would definitely recommended this place to friends. Service was pleasant and the food was amazing.
Make a reso, because I've been turned away at the door with out one twice. -
Review from Lauren A.
Waterloo, ON
4/29/2012
We had dinner here on Saturday April 28th. My husband and I along with our friends, another couple, were greeted and seated at a six-top. Knowing that modern restaurants sometimes do the communal seating thing, I took a second look at the table and wondered if we would be getting two strangers sitting down later (which we didn't want). The hostess disdainfully asked if something was wrong; I asked if we were going to be joined by a two-person party later. She rolled her eyes and said no, and walked away. Kind of rude, but our waiter was fine and I was there for the food anyway.
The food we ordered was overall amazing, especially the much-discussed burrata with grapes and the salted caramel pudding. The latter was served, upon request, in four small cups so we could split the portion. Spaghetti all'Amatriciana was also really memorable; it had a nicely rounded yet garlicky bite and was one of the best pasta dishes I've had recently. We had a bottle of wine, four appetizers, two mains, and two desserts, which was plenty for four people. Came to around $250, which seemed reasonable.
The food was great, but there was one happening of note occurred, and my review wouldn't be complete without it...
At the next table over, two women were seated some time after we began our seating. One of the women placed her jacket on her chair and went to the restroom. A moment later, we smelled something burning. When my female friend and I looked around, we quickly saw the source - it was the woman's jacket, which she had accidentally placed on her tableside candle! The flames had consumed most of the sleeve, and the fire was growing quite rapidly. Somehow her companion failed to notice it, and my friend and I immediately grabbed our own water glasses and doused the flames. In such a small restaurant, everyone -- patrons, waitstaff, bartenders -- noticed the commotion.
Amazingly, the women didn't thank my friend and I (or even acknowledge it, like, hey, thanks for putting out that fire I started!), but what actually kind of peeved me was that our waiter gave us a casual "thanks" and then rushed two complimentary flutes of champagne to the women. I believe the manager also apologized to them as well. But we weren't sent over any shots, drinks, desserts, apps, or anything at all from the restaurant. In fact, we then had to wait about five minutes for the waiter to refill our water glasses. I understand giving the women the champagne to brighten their evening and soothe their annoyance, but I was surprised that we weren't sent anything by the manager or even properly thanked. -
Review from Luna L.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2012
AIR CANADA - why so many customers complain about their service, I'm not really sure. OK, so the older flight attendants might not be the most effervescent in their customer service skills, I can't say I don't support good ol' AC with their longer leg room, services, and En Route magazine!
And that's where I learned about Campagnolo. Still new to the Toronto food scene, this was a great recommendation and after some research, found that it is a new hot spot.
I came here with 5 other friends, 3 of which are from out of town. After the friendly recommendation from the server, we went ahead with the Chef's menu.
Served first with a plateful of prosciutto with baguette bread, which I gorged down quickly, it was followed with a fresh salad (sorry, I can't remember what was on it..should have written this review right after!). At that moment, my stomach and mouth were amused and very ready for the entrees...
...but perhaps the gorging wasn't such a great idea. The bone marrow followed, one I truly enjoyed. The sweetness of the Plum marmalade added a great contrast.
At this point, I was 95% at full capacity. The final dish was boar, tripe, and meatball in polenta. Normally, I think I would have enjoyed this dish immensely, but it added too much richness to what we had already.
I was surprised that my friends actually said they would give this a 3/5, but I still enjoyed our feast, the server was great, we weren't superbly pleased with our wine that never really opened (again, sorry, I don't remember which one we chose), and the music was much too loud, but with a decent chef's menu, I would still recommend anyone to at least give Campagnolo a try.
Maybe with a smaller group, I'd still come back here. It's cute. -
Review from G. w.
North York, ON
5/19/2012
This might have been a good restaurant if it was out of business. The tables are cool with good sturdy surfaces, thats the good ends. A few tables over was a couple meeting the parents, I felt bad because soon he would be vomit across the table, or back at his place. The truth is the food is sickening and disgusting. The pasta had a salty flavor, maybe this is the new hip thing but was not for me. I had the fried steak but it didn't taste as advertised. It didn't taste like steak at all. The service was slow and the waiters seemed to form a cult. The whole place screamed little pretentious hip restaurant. I am not ready to sacrifice good food and service for a hip crowd.
-
Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
2/9/2012
Nice setting. Cozy yet spacious. Hot to the scene and worth the En Route endorsement.
Warm burrata and roasted grapes, worth visit alone. Get two orders
Warm olives were eh.
Pappardelle with braised rabbit chanterelles....Wow. Moar.
Spaghetti al Americana. spicy- I liked it more than most.
Braised lamb shank, slightly dry but flavourful.
Butternut squash agnolotti -sweet and tender
Budino salted caramel - another star attraction
Cannoli. meh.
Sit back and enjoy because I sure did. -
Review from Allison D.
Toronto, ON
1/23/2012
I've been foiled a few times in attempts to get to Campagnolo, but last night, lo and behold, my efforts were fulfilled. And how!
My date and I were walking by and, rather than taking the extra 10 minutes to get to the Ossington strip (in the chill), I suggested we pop in, just to see what the table situation was like. We were greeted warmly, and after checking their reservation list, we were treated to a seat by the large front window. The hostess was quick with providing us some water while we looked over the menus, and it wasn't long until our server - who, may I say, almost made the evening! - came by to answer questions, give recommendations, and the like.
The first standout feature of the evening was the food. We shared the burreta cheese on toasted bread with grapes, though had I known how incredibly delicious it would be, I may not have agreed to share! Both our dinners were pastas, which I couldn't even pretend to be able to spell, and both were exceptional. Just filling and rich enough that neither I nor Date were overly stuffed, but satisfied. We finished with a caramel ...thing for desert. I say "thing" solely because I don't recall in the slightest how to spell it. Our partnering wine was also lovely; I'm a red girl, so there was certainly no lack of options for me!
The second standout was the service. It was a Sunday night, which has at times spelled disaster in the service department. Not the case last night! Our server was so enthusiastic and passionate about the food, like a case of the chicken pox, it was almost infectious! His recommendations pretty much drove our dinner choices, from the wine to dessert, and they totally stood up. Not only that, but between the two other servers and hostess, someone was always seeming to be around to check on us or clear a plate. And that's even with a party of about 20 in house!
I don't think I could have created a better evening; Date may have Campagnolo to thank for my agreeing to go out a second time ;)Listed in: I *heart* the Hood!
-
Review from Leslie W.
1/18/2012
BOTTOM LINE: Despite the attention and the awards, my experiences have been disappointing.
I hate to be "that guy" who gives Campagnolo its first [gasp] 2-star rating, but I was disappointed. I also don't think I've ever read so many negative reviews for a place and still see 3-stars and above being dished out left, right and centre. For me, it's not that Campagnolo is bad by any means, but it's just that it falls into the "meh, I've experienced better" category.
Between my dining mates and myself, we've felt that the dishes were generally bland and underwhelming. I wish I could be more descriptive, but it's been about a year since I last attended and can only remember the impressions formed by me and my dining mates.
The serving sizes also tended to be small and unfilling, even when paired with appetizers. Our server was appropriate but service was slooow. And finally, the decor seemed rather inconsistent (i.e., the bar and kitchen area seem really well done, but old traces of the Coffee Time still permeated with their linoleum flooring).
Perhaps our experiences weren't the norm, but recent anecdotal experiences from friends haven't been particularly glowing either (for the same reasons), and so it may be a while before I return. -
Review from Jay M.
Toronto, ON
1/3/2012
Can you believe this place used to be a ghetto Coffee Time donut shop? Well they cleaned this place up right nice and after months of passing by, I finally had the opportunity to stop in for a meal.
When we arrived our reserved table wasn't ready so we started off with a cocktail at the bar. I tried the Diablo, which was a tequila based beverage with a red color and a pretty good flavour overall. We were shortly moved into our table, and we got to begin the fun of choosing what to eat and drink.
We found a nice bottle of riesling for $50, and then started with orders of the house made baguette, prosciutto, warmed olives, and 60 day aged beef tartare with truffle sauce. This was my first time delving into the world of beef tartare, and to be honest I wasn't a fan until I wrapped a piece of prosciutto around it. The rest of the apps were good though, and an enjoyable start to our meal although not necessarily memorable.
On to the mains... I went with the Braised Lamb Shank in Pork Belly Hash, which was just next level awesomeness. We're talking food orgasm territory (orgaslamb?). Perfectly cooked and the flavours just complimented itself so well, this is definitely one of the best plates I've eaten in years.
My dining companion ordered the Campagnolo Cassoulet, which was composed of duck confit and a spicy garlic sausage on a bean medley type thing. I was able to sample a bit and the duck was also top notch, and while the sausage had a homemade and heavily seasoned vibe it wasn't as good but still decent.
Only a couple options for dessert and neither spoke to us given how much food we had eaten already.
The ambience was nice and the servers were friendly and knowledgable, but my date pointed out something which I didn't think too much of at first, but had some truth to it that I thought more about as the meal went on. The servers were all rather casually dressed. The kitchen staff, the bartender, and the hostess were all dressed well. The actual servers were wearing denim jeans and flannel or cowboy styled collared shirts. Perhaps it is to keep the approachable and down to earth feeling rather than pretentious and elitist, but there is definitely some merit to the thought that when dropping a couple hundred on dinner bill, perhaps the servers shouldn't be more under dressed than the customers.
All in all, probably closer to 4.5 than 4 stars, and the Lamb Shank Pork Belly Hash was one of the best meals I've ever eaten, but it was not an overwhelming win throughout the whole experience, thus earning the 4.
Still, easy to understand why En Route Magazine listed this place as one of Canada's Top 10 New Restaurants in 2011, and definitely an easy place to recommend. -
Review from Reuben N.
5/18/2012
The food is what keeps me coming back - I've been here over 6 times now and every time, I pray the service is better. It never is. Sometimes I have had a reservation and other times not. Never seems to matter because they always want to kick you out after an hour and a half. Which is strange seeing that every time I have been there, there have been ample seating space. The hostess is so rude, it's almost comical. She isn't very smart, she's put off by the simplest questions. The waiters are just as bad. The service is lethargic and the pretentious but the food is great. You'd think whoever owns / manages this place would clue into to getting top of the line service. I could care less what the service's attire is as long as they are friendly and don't roll their eyes when you ask a simple question -- for example -- an extra friend was joinging us and we had a reservation for 4 - easy to put a chair at the end of our table. Hostess rolled her eyes. I couldn't believe it. You spend $250 on the bill -- you spend that kind of money not to be treated so horribly.
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Review from pat a.
Toronto, ON
12/15/2011 3 photos
Over near the corner of Palmerston and Dundas West stands a restaurant that En Route Magazine listed as one of the top ten new restaurants in Canada this past year: Campagnolo.
We arrived fairly early for a Saturday night dinner, and the restaurant was about 3/4 full. It's an open space, with a small bar that people can sit at and eat, and an open kitchen.
Our coats were taken, we were seated, and given three menus.
Immediate triage reaction: what has to be decided first? We chose the cocktail menu, and each had a different cocktail. Very flavourful, all very different. There was a Hendrick's gin-based cocktail. One that seemed margarita-like. One with a peaty smoky scotch as the base. And we then sat back to figure out what to have for appetizers.
Our first appetizer up was bread: gougeres and herbed butter.
It was quickly followed by warm spiced olives, which we immediately fell in love with and devoured. What a difference in taste from cold or room-temperature olives! Of course, we've had hot olives as an ingredient in other dishes (like pasta puttanesca) but this was the first time having them on their own, enjoying the heated flavours, the herbs (rosemary, thyme, chili peppers, preserved/salty orange peel)... yum.
Then came (I think it was next) a gorgeous steak tartare. Sorry, no picture. We fell on it and devoured it. What can I say? We were hungry. Creamy, smooth, proper level of herbing and spicing. It came with a truffle aioli. That's really sinful. It's really awesome. It's better than chocolate, and I can think of naughty ways to serve it. Yes, I'll eat my red meat raw like this. I'll even do it every week, if you'll pay for it!
It was followed by a hot appetizer: sweetbreads and braised artichokes. Darling little artichoke hearts and stems on, and crispy fried pieces of sweetbreads. Paired. Sitting on little dollops of a regular aioli. Gorgeous. The flavours -- warm creamy slightly liver-like flavour of sweetbreads, inside a crunchy fried casing, and then paired with the almost not quite bitter and mild artichokes. Wonderful pairing, beautiful presentation.
Based on the order of my photos, I think this is when our bottle of wine arrived, a Primitivo Manduria from southern Italy. Sandy made a delicious selection.
Presentation for the next appetizer was superb, as well: a lengthwise slice of a marrow beef bone dressed with a plum and oxtail marmelade. Served with some crostinis for us to scoop the bubbling marrow onto. The marrow was perfect -- still quivery, had that totally unctuous texture. The jam contributed sweet and meat to the dish, giving it a contrast that enabled us to fully appreciate the beautifully braised oxtail contrasting with the light-tasting and rich marrow, and the plum providing some acid and sweetness to cut through the other flavours. Can it get any better than this?
Oh yes, for now we're on to our mains.
I never order lasagne in a good restaurant. Just... I just don't. But I decided I would. They called it "Nonna's lasagne." And I've eaten so much pasta with wonderful meats in the last two months... what would they do with lasagne?
Many thin layers of homemade pasta. I counted at least ten. It was light, it had a meat and tomato sauce, a little cheese -- this wasn't your standard North American overstuffed heavy lasagne. No bechamel sauce! It was wonderful. It tasted of real tomatoes and meat and pasta. I loved it.
Sandy chose the pappardelle with rabbit and chanterelle mushrooms (of course we all tasted each other's dishes)! Perfectly braised (by this point, I've come to expect that they know how to slow cook meat, country style).
Betty got the lamb shank, which came with perfectly caramelized cubes of potato and pork belly. Oh yes, this was a meat-eater's dish. And it was perfect. The deep rich flavours of the lamb shank paired with the lighter pork belly (I never thought I'd refer to pork belly as a lighter flavour) and the potato cubes. Awesomeness incarnate.
In case you want to accuse us of not eating our greens, we did order a dish of brussels sprouts with peccorino cheese and pine nuts. Absolutely delicious -- a bit of a cream sauce in the dish to give additional moisture. We totally emptied the dish.
Our absolutely delightful server asked us if we'd be staying for dessert. Alas, we were all fed up. He was adorable. I hope you get to sit at one of his tables. I should have written his name down. Sometimes I #fail.
Serious line-up at the front when we exited: this place is somewhere people come back to. It's been open a year and a couple of weeks, and is full. -
Review from Lisa A.
Toronto, ON
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Campagnolo had high expectations to live up to after reading all the Yelp reviews the few days before, therefore...here is my review:
Service - very friendly and knowledgable about the food and drinks. The wait time for our mains was a bit lengthy however, we were there on a busy Friday night though so while I may be lacsidasical my dining companion was quite hungry!
Cocktails - Best Dark & Stormy in town!!
Appy: Prosciutto & Burrata - the prosciutto was your standard cured meat, however they do give a healthy portion (Yay!!). Paired with the Burrata a match made in heaven! The grapes served with the Burrata have an interesting texture and temperature and didn't quite do it for me. But the cheese and toast that it's served on made up for it!
Mains: I had the Pappardelle with Rabbit and mushrooms. Normally not a huge pasta eater, I ordered this cause mushrooms and pasta make me drool. The pasta was pretty basic and I ate the mushrooms up, however I found the rabbit to be quite bland and not really adding anything to the dish. Whether this is a characteristic of the meat or a lack of seasoning, I'm not sure.
Dining companion: The Cassoulet - what didn't this dish have! Duck Confit, Sausage and a variety of veg. He enjoyed it quite a bit! Caution: this dish is more than enough for one even two people!
Overall, food was good and ambience was cozy and intimate. Would go back but not before I knock off a few other places on my list....happy dining! -
Review from Simika K.
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
So, first order of business: a disclaimer, I am one of those people who are easy to please. It doesn't take much for me to have a favourable opinion of you, provided of course you have good manners. Seriously!
So how can you - and by you, I mean me - rate a restaurant that not just exceeds good service, but also provides amazing food AND creates a fabulous ambiance? You lobby for 6 stars on yelp, of course!
Here's what we ordered:
Appetizers:-
* House-made Baguette and Gougères (light, airy and buttery goodness! - we ordered it twice after inhaling the first plate).
* Baby Kale Salad with Pecorino and Fried Shallots
* Hamachi Crudo with Romesco, Fennel, Dill and Orange
* Fresh Burrata Cheese with Roasted Grapes and Toasted Bread ...
* Rainbow Swiss Chard with toasted pine nuts and honey
Entrees:-
* Pappardelle with Rabbit and BC Chanterelles
* Butternut squash gnocchi with light tomato sauce
* Norwegian Ocean Trout with Grilled Treviso
* Lambshanks (can't find the description but it should be include "divine")
My personal favourites were the baguettes, the hamachi and the swiss chard from the appetizers, and the lambshanks and butternut squash gnocchi from the entrees, although the other dishes were quite delicious in their own right as well.
It was a feast, my friends - and like all feasts, it was accompanied by vino (sangiovese, pinot noir) and dessert - cannelloni and a caramel pudding - and since I can't find the mouth-watering descriptions, you'll just have to take my word for it - they were mouth-watering to eat as well.
As for the ambiance : I liked the simplicity of the decor: lacquered tables, nicely spaced, warm, inviting colours. What was also appreciated was the fun, playful and easy going vibe the place has going for it. It wasn't too loud that you couldn't hear the person across from you, but it wasn't too quiet that you had to catch snippets of other tables' conversation.
Very attentive and friendly service. If you haven't been to check it out - I suggest you do so TODAY.Listed in: Toronto Awesomeness
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Review from Ksenja T.
10/17/2011
This was my first time at Campagnolo and I was not dissappointed. We were lucky to get the last table of the night, but not being able to wait for such deliciousness until 9 pm, I phoned and asked to come half an hour earlier, to which they agreed.
Very nice space, beautiful chandeliers. Loved the wall paper actually. Impeccable service by our waiter Marcus. He suggested some great dishes. We started with cocktails as we had they were great. I had the limone and my bf a cocktail with bourbon. They were both delicious...the strong taste of the bourbon was diffused by the sugar, loved the little glass my limone came in!
I was surprised that there weren't as many "Italian" things on the menu..well the prosciutto and the home made pasta, but other than that it was generally a tapas menu. We went with the baguette, olives, burrata, pork belly and beef tartar appetizers. They were all incredible, especially the burratta. The warm oily grapes complemented it so well. The beef Tartar--please give us more! I know it's an appetizer, but such a small portion! The baguette was more like mini-profiteroles that just melted in your mouth. So small and delicious. For mains, we decided to split the spaghetti al ammetriciana, and the octopus/chorrizo with polenta. I liked the spaghetti, spicy but fresh. For dessert, we decided to try the caramel creation of the day, and it was wayyy too salty for my taste. I could see why people would like it though. -
Review from Maddy K.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2011
a fantastic dining experience!!
its not five star because i personally don't like crowded places - its a small dinign area and the seats were so uncomfortable - i was seated along the bench by the window and there is no cushion - just a wooden bench. The food was so fantastic that the bench comfort level did not cross my mind during the meal but in my mind comfortable seating counts for rating as well.
the food: what an act! loved every bite!
Appetizers:
1. The buratta with roasted grapes
- the cheese was so fresh and so delicious with the fresh bread and the roasted grapes - i fell in love with grapes all over again!
2. Bone Marrow with ox tail
- this was my first time having either of those. Not really very adventurous with my food i gave this a shot - great bet! I can't comment how well it was made because i personally do not have anything to compare it to but it was delicious!
Entrees:
- the gnocchi just simply melted in your mouth. The simple but ever so flavourful ingredients made for a great meal
- Spaghetti - the veggie version
again a simple dish and so flavourful!
i tried the signature dessert and wasn't too crazy about the pudding. But then again, i dont have much of a sweet tooth so maybe have poorly judged it?1?
it was voted #7 in Canada by Enroute Magazine and i can see why! A great date night! -
Review from Munis T.
Toronto, ON
9/27/2011
I've dined here several times in the past, I find the atmosphere relaxing at times when it's not too crowded. This review is based mostly on my dinner this past Sunday.
The 60-day-aged steak tartare with truffle oil may possibly be the best steak tartare I've ever had (disclaimer: I don't have steak tartare more than a few times a year). The texture was perfect, neither too chewy nor too mushy. The truffle-oil was clearly detectable. Overall, it tasted light and fresh.
The bone marrow with oxtail marmelade was also awesome. A great balance of sweet and savory. Also, a great balance of textures. Warm, rich and satisfying.
Rabbit and rapini in a citrus sauce was good. After my other two appetizers, the lean rabbit together with green vegetables in a citrus sauce seemed a little on the healthy side. The rabbit may have been a little dry, or my senses may have been biased by the previous dishes.
Spaghetti all'amatriciana: springy al dente, good, nothing to write home about.
Butternut squash agnolotti with brussels sprouts and sage: better. The butternut squash filling was perhaps a touch too sweet, but texture and everything else was great.
Cannoli: no complaints, served with candied orange (or a very dry orange jam?).
I'm giving them five stars on account of their consistency: every time I've been here, there have been one or two dishes that have wowed me (though I think my most recent visit was the most wow-ing), and nothing has ever disappointed. Their prices are relatively reasonable too. -
Review from Sabrina P.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2011
Went to this restaurant for the first time after hearing such great things about it and it was really great.
We were two couples dining and we ordered a bunch of dishes to share. The burrata cheese dish is a MUST...delicious. The house made bread is so soft and served warm, which makes it really hard to resist. Three of us had the steak for our main and one had the salmon. All dishes were very tasty and made with fine ingredients. Dessert was a salted caramel mousse dish, which was a perfect size to share.
The service was great. We were initially supposed to sit near the window but asked for a table change because of a draft and the staff was more than happy to accomodate.
Considering they were short-staffed that night, the service was perfect!
Congratulations to the owners on a wonderful restaurant. Keep up the good work and keep making fantastic food! -
Review from Precilla C.
Scarborough, ON
Campagnolo serves up rustic, unpretentious home-cooking in the corner of Dundas and Euclid Ave. Without any distinct signage, it's quite easy to walk right past the place.
From the menu that night, I ordered:
House-made baguette and gougères: I'm not very used to paying for bread, but these were pretty nice. The center was very light and airy. I personally liked the baguette more, and it was delicious with the accompanying chive butter.
Local burrata cheese with roasted grapes and toasted bread: I really enjoyed the toasted bread with the touch of extra virgin olive oil. The roasted grapes were delightful and provided a sweet counterbalance to the cheese and bread. However, the biggest problem that I had was that the creamy cheese was exceedingly rich and it was hard to eat too much of it on its own.
Summer squash arancini with Telaggio cheese, served with a tomato sauce: Again, there was too much cheese for me. Normally, I would never complain about too much cheese, but the combination of the risotto, squash and cheese made this deep fried concoction overly heavy, particularly after the previous burrata course. At this point, I really wished I had ordered a lighter salad of some sort.
House-made Spaghetti with Bottarga: the spaghetti was cooked al dente and had a real bite to it, which suited my preferences quite perfectly. The sauce had bright, wonderful flavours. This was my favourite dish of the night.
I love Italian food, so I really wanted to like this place. I thought the spaghetti was really delicious. However, on the balance, I really can't say that I enjoyed the menu of the night. Perhaps my food choices weren't very well thought out, but I was disappointed that there was only one pasta dish that night. -
Review from Melanie C.
Oakville, ON
6/13/2011
This place is a little pricey, but so worth the splurge!
Great cocktail menu.
Friendly, unpretentious staff. Our waiter not only knew the menu extremely well, he also knew how everything was prepared. For example, the testina we ordered took 3 days to prepare. I also learned what testina was and that it is delicious (perhaps only when prepared properly).
I had the eggplant parmagiana for my main course and our waiter told me he wanted some! The chef wanted to serve this dish the night before, but the waiter had suggested the chef wait another day to really let the flavour soak in. I'm glad the chef listened to him. Not only did that mean I snagged the last eggplant parmagiana (sorry to the waiter who wanted some), but also that it was extremely good. I know a lot of people who aren't fans of eggplant, but it's on my list of favourite foods.
The amount of cheese baked on top was just enough. Not too cheesy that it took away from the dish, but definitely enough to add the texture and flavour. Not overcooked either, it was just melted enough, but not hardened.
Beautiful washrooms, although quite bright in comparison to the dim lighting in the restaurant.
Love the lantern-like light fixtures and the warmth of the pine ceiling.
I heard they were going to open it up to the outdoors, but haven't had a chance to return to see if this has happened yet. -
Review from adrienne g.
10/29/2011
Went to this great restau for the first time last night and the food was great!
I was sat with a friend at the bar and enjoyed the energy running through the whole restau.
I had several glasses of wine and ordered to apps and 2 mains.
I highly recommend ordering the following:
-burrata with sautéed grapes! Fantastic!
-prosciutto
-gnocchi
-octopus (sans chorizo - was way salty)
All in all service was great and accomodating! Will absolutely become a regular there! -
Review from Niall K.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2011
I've been here twice now and it's been outstanding both times. The first time I sat at the bar with a friend and I worked my way through the outstanding cocktail list. A little pricey but the bartender/creator of these concoctions really knows what he's doing. And he's nice. So no complaints there. The second time I had a table by the window and the experience was equally great. Our main waitress and the other staff were very friendly and seemed genuinely happy to take orders and chat about the food and which drinks would pair best.
The food was fantastic. Not a bad bite in either meal I've had. The portions seems small but you leave very satisfied.
Again, the staff are fantastic, the vibe is chill and the tunes were great.
And the last time I was in there a smoking hot Kim Cattrall sat next my girlfriend and I. Damn...she looked amazing. -
Review from Yvonne T.
5/7/2011 6 photos
The word Campagnolo means countryman/peasant. However, there is nothing lowly about it. Be it the décor or food, Campagnolo has class.
We were the first customers for the evening as we promptly arrived at 6PM. Within minutes of being seated, our server came to take down our drink orders. I order a Limone. Unfortunately I cannot recall what was in it but it the basil leaf in it made the drink refreshing. It was not sugary like most cocktails or mixed drinks I've had which was different.
We ordered the Burrata Cheese with Roasted Grapes and Toast to start followed by the Portuguese Squid with Sepia Arancini and Arugula Sauce and the Charcoal Grilled Chorizo with Portuguese Octopus, Marinated Peppers and Preserved Lemons.
Burrata is an Italian cheese made form mozzarella and cream. If served alone, it would be rather bland and unsatisfying. However, from a textural perspective it was quite creamy and resembled a poached egg. The subtle hints of tartness and sweetness from the grapes, coupled with the richness of the olive oil and salted bread came together wonderfully with the Burrata. I loved that the simplicity of the ingredients surprised resulted in such a surprise of flavours.
Next up was the squid. The presentation was beautiful. The scoring of the squid allowed the browning to add a visually appealing scalloped look to it. It was served atop a deep-fried squid-ink risotto ball. While the shell of the rice ball was rather bland, the squid-ink risotto was packed with flavour. The earthiness of the arugula sauce did a good job of balancing out the saltiness of the risotto and squid.
Last, but certainly not least came the octopus. Now that I think back on our meal, I wonder why we decided to order two seemingly similar items instead of venturing out and trying other things. Oh well... its water under the bridge. The octopus was not quite as delicate as the squid because of the texture of the suction cups found in its tentacles. The octopus was served with roasted red peppers, polenta and a spicy chorizo sausage. It was seared perfectly - not rubbery or tough. The subtle twang from the roasted red peppers did a good job of foiling the salty octopus. The extra heat added from the chorizo sausage was also mellowed out by the peppers. I quite enjoyed the polenta cake as it was crisp on the outside like a hash brown and added to the dimensions of the dish by incorporating a hearty carb of sorts to give you the feeling of gratification.
Verdict:
I would recommend coming to Campagnolo with company in order to sample their menu items. Their menu is printed daily and although the menu is not extensive, all the items on the menu are carefully picked and tasty. The space itself is quite airy, with lots of natural lighting coming in through the windows and a great view of the kitchen and bar no matter where you are seated in the restaurant. The food is fairly priced and the servers are all very friendly. For a Wednesday night, the restaurant was at about 90% capacity, which only goes to prove the reputation it has acquired for their good food and trendy ambiance.Listed in: Mangia mangia!, Titanous eats!, Holy Trinity!, Sharing is caring!
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Review from Vivek S.
Cocktails! Came here with a fine group of yelpers for some family style Italian cooking, but who knew that they had such an enchanting cocktail list? There were some real classics on their list too: a pair of his and her manhattans, a sazerac, and a killer option called the bulleit maple sour. Get this. Bourbon and whisky afficionados will adore this cocktail collection. I'm drooling just thinking about it.
Anyway, let me put my drink down and get on with it.
Campagnolo is a gently-lit enclave (at Dundas West and Euclid) with a sparse yet rustic look. Mostly tables for four and a few long tables for groups, there is a congenial and warm atmosphere about the place.
The menu changes frequently. On my first visit I shared a shit-tonne of deliciousness with my partners in Yelp including a pretty solid sea breem, a great wild boar on polenta and a passable papardelle. And a lot of us in the group were pleased with the Burrata Cheese and Roasted Grapes appetizer. A simple idea pleasantly executed.
My second visit was also pretty strong. Two of us shared crispy and flavourful testina in a tart vinagrette and a buttery duck rillette piled high on crostini. Both fabulous. For dinner she got the Eggplant Parmesan and I grabbed the steak and potatoes. I didn't try the eggplant[1] and my meal was fine. I wasn't wowed by the steak (and it was so thin that in places it was overcooked) but the potatoes were splendid. Four potatoey prisms the thickness of Vegas dice. I enjoyed them a lot.
Good on you, Campagnolo. See you again soon.
Obligatory Title Pun: Campag-YO-lo.
Menu Readability: Well laid out but Times Roman?
Need to mention: Rumour has it that they might be installing a patio and garage door this summer, but you didn't hear it from me.
What this place teaches me about myself: I'm a cock of all 'tails.
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[1] Fun Fact: I'm allergic to eggplant.Listed in: That's Amore!, Spendy, Spendy, Cocktail Boss
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Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
9/3/2011 7 photos
I've been meaning to come to Campagnolo for some time now. Last time, I wanted to come on a Tuesday, only to find out they're only open Wednesdays to Sundays for dinner only. Located on Dundas, between Bathurst and Ossington, the restaurant has a nice rustic, yet modern feel to it. The restaurant was spacious and I liked that the tables weren't cramped together.
The menus here change frequently - I'm assuming daily since the menu we were handed were dated. The menu isn't very extensive as today there were only five entrees to choose from. Not necessarily a bad thing as sometimes it's better to just focus on doing a few things well. You only have to look down the street to the success of Porchetta & Co. down the street.
Anyways, the dishes we tried this evening were:
- Niagara's Pingue Prosciutto ($11): A generous plate full of delicious prosciutto. However, I was surprised this dish didn't come with a side of bread, since prosciutto on its own is quite salty.
- House-made Baguette and Gougère ($4): We ordered this only because of the lonely prosciutto... turned out to be a good thing though. They were in little bite-sized pull-apart morsels. I had no idea what gougere's were, but they were like little cream puffs (quite hollow in the middle)
- 60 Day Aged Beef Tartare with truffle sauce ($15): Two words - Simply Amazing. This blew us all away. Beautifully seasoned beef.
- Bone Marrow with oxtail and peach marmalade ($14): Another big hit. Tender oxtail which paired perfectly with the fatty bone marrow.
- Sweet Pea Agnolotti with Atlantic lobster and a fennel puree ($26): consisted of a good portion of perfectly-cooked lobster. The fresh peas were delicious, which really surprised me. Guess I'm too used to eating them out of the freezer. Unfortunately I didn't love the pea filling inside the pasta, but the pasta itself was delish.
- Fresh Chorizo Sausage with Portuguese octopus, peperonata and semolina polenta cake ($26): I usually get a migraine eating octopus from chewing it so much, but this was incredibly tender. The chorizo had a nice kick to it and was delicious.
Simply amazing and definitely worth the hype! -
Review from Jen C.
It seems that every couple of weeks another Italian restaurant crops up doing that whole "nonna" cookin' schtick. These restaurants are like a wave washing upon a shore. A shore littered with the remains of those restaurants' Italian brethren where their grandmothers may, or may not have, been in the kitchen. Normally, I'd say that Toronto doesn't need more Italian fare served up. I really would. If only the fare wasn't so damn good.
And so we have Campagolo, a new joint in the Dundas West area. The space is eclectic, with half the restaurant having an almost Victorian bent, and the other half done in exposed wood and neon-light accents. With a short menu, we were one dish shy of ordering the entire card between four people.
Fresh Burrata and Roasted Grapes
Of all the appetizers, the fresh burrata and roasted grapes would be my favourite. Salty, creamy, sweet, crunchy - all these things combining into some tasty bites. The rest of the table did not achieve my level of enjoyment - which meant more for me.
Cannelini Beans with Smoked Hock
The cannelini beans with smoked hock, kale, and pasta ends, made for a nice soupy dish. Certainly warming and tasty. Vaguely reminded me of a Chinese soup my mother makes.
Wild Boar and Polenta
Wild boar and polenta was also quite tasty, though I didn't like the polenta as much. Rich and substantial, the boar and meatballs were quite filling.
House-made Spaghetti all'Amartriciana
House-made spaghetti all'amatriciana was really, really, good. We pined a little for bucatini instead of spaghetti, but it was only a minor gripe. Had this again recently and it was still so tasty.
Pappardelle w/Braised Oxtail
I love my pappardelle and this pappardelle with braised oxtail and rosemary was a solid dish.
Salted-Caramel Budino
And then, my favourite of the night: salted caramel budino. With crunchy chocolate meringue and salted caramel sauce, this is the best dessert I've had in recent memory. Just a lovely melding of texture and sweet and salty and chocolate. Good enough that I had wanted to stop by after visiting The Black Hoof the next day. Except that Campagnolo is closed on Mondays. Had this again recently too, and the taste was the same, though the pudding texture wasn't as good as the last time.
It's hard to pin-point what is so good about Campagnolo. With high points for food (more dishes in the gallery below), interesting notes for decor, and an all-around comforting vibe that the space exudes, I'm not sure it really matters.
(x-posted from the blog) -
Review from Steph L.
4/4/2011
Campagnolo serves up a rustic family style Italian dinner that would make a nonna proud.
It's easy to miss this restaurant hidden amongst non-descript buildings on Dundas West. Through the windows we could see the warm glow of candlelight. The venue was packed with happy patrons.
Walking in without a reservation on a Friday, we didn't think that the place would be so crazy busy. The hostess said recent reviews had caused an influx of new customers. We were told that there was an hour wait to be seated. We were able to sit at the front and have drinks since the bar was reserved for dining as well.
The drink menu was a pleasant surprise. An extensive list with a lot of classic cocktails with a twist. I had a Manhattan with orange which was fantastic.
We actually didn't have to wait to long for a table. The waitstaff was attentive and moved our drinks over and provided us with menus right away. The menu is small and changes daily. If you are a vegetarian, this is probably not the best place for you to eat. The meats are supplied by the Healthy Butcher and everything was prepared perfectly.
We ordered a few items that were all fantastic!
* Calamari - Lightly seared and fresh.
* Duck breast with apple slaw
* Halibut with pesto sauce
* Steak - Juicy, tender, lightly seasoned
The highlight of the evening was the dessert.
Everyone was ordering the salted-Caramel budino with good reason.
OMFG. Salted caramel pudding with crunchy chocolate meringue.
I haven't been this wowed by a dessert in a long time.
Campagnolo is a great addition to the growing number of standout Dundas West eateries. -
Review from Jackie P.
Toronto, ON
2/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
The opening of Campagnolo is gentrification in its truest form. Previous life, a Coffee Time, this new Rustic Italian inspired restaurant has made a stamp on the ever growing homey style eateries along the Dundas West strip.
I have read rave reviews about Craig, his menu and his restaurant. After a colleague spent 20 minutes describing his meal there I knew I had to see, taste and awe for myself. We made a reservation and headed over for a late seating Wednesday.
Decor/Ambiance: The decor is rustic contemporary. They did a great job converting the space from a former coffee shop, but I felt it too be a bit cold (not temperature). I couldn't particularly put my finger on it. The space is wide with windows all around. Maybe some window treatments would do the trick. It didn't bother me too much because I was there for the food, not the flooring.
The story:
Ushered to our table we took no time to see what the nights highlights were and ordered some drinks. The waiter was over within a matter of minutes and being the indecisive patron I tend to be, I shooed him away a few times. Once we were ready, it was a game to get this attention. I guess it serves me right. I was disappointed to learn they ran out of the only item I could eat on the menu, but the waiter offered some other suggestions off menu and I kindly asked if the chef could make a hybrid of two dishes. To my surprise he did more than that, he created a dish from scratch based off of the ingredients he had in the kitchen. I was smitten instantly.
TO DRINK:
Rosemary Cesar: wowza! not too spicy, fragrant and addictive.
TO START:
Home Made Baguette and Gougères with whipped garlic butter: I wasn't wowed by the baguette but I wanted to smear the butter on anything edible.
Fresh Burrata and Roasted Grapes:
If I could sing an operatic arrangement I would do it for this Burrata. The Burrata was creamy like a bufalo mozz with a crescendo of salt. Accompanied by the sweetness of roasted grapes. I felt like a Grecian god.
Rapini with Roasted Pine Nuts and Blue Cheese: The bitterness of the rapini was challenged by the pungent taste of blue cheese. Instead of battling it out, they married and created an affair to remember!!
TO MAIN:
Grandma's Wild Boar on Polenta: He loved it. Ate every bite.
Ricotta Gnocci with Yellow and Red Beets, Wilted Spinach, Rosemary and Lemon: The gnocci was melt in your mouth delicious. I liked the earthy combination of the ingredients and the acidic zing from the lemon.
TO FINISH:
Salted Caramel Burrata: If I could, I would fill up one of those backpack tetra packs and indulge in this everyday. No joke. It's a heavenly salty. But I must remain a civilized being and will be back to eat with a spoon.
Take your taste buds on an adventure and head to Campagnolo quick. It's sure to leave you in a comatose state of happiness. All the way from your lips to your hips! -
Review from Denise S.
4/10/2011
I came on a Friday night in a party of 4. I almost gave up on this place... Almost a week in advance, I phoned to make a reservation. No one answered, so I left a message. 2 days pass, no call. So I decide to try calling them again. I call at strategic times to try and catch them before they get too busy. No dice. At one point, the call answer thing tells me their voice mailbox if full. Bad sign... Finally though, they did get back to me. FYI - I think on Friday/weekends they only do 2 sittings, 6pm and 8:30pm.
Showed up and the people at our table were still not done... It wasn't that bad, but we did have to wait 10 mins. which is sort of annoying when we already had a reservation.
But I still give Campagnolo 4 stars because the food was SO good. I had high expectations and I was worried it might not live up to them, but thankfully I wasn't disappointed!
I had:
- Cocktail that was basically a gin & tonic with fresh mint and cucumbers. Simple perfection. Nice and refreshing.
- Brussel sprouts with pancetta and pine nuts -- love at first bite! The creamy sauce was divine. Luckily we got the house made baguette, so I could dip the bread in it. Good portion size.
- Had a bite of the burrata and grapes. So fresh and tasty. I am definitely going to order this next time.
- One person got the prosciutto which was nice but it didn't come with any bread or anything. The prosciutto looked a bit lonesome on that long plate... Another ordered the fish chowder. Looked hearty and he said it was really, really good (so good he wouldn't share!).
- Spaghetti all' Amatriciana - I was so excited to try this because it is a quintessential Roman dish that I discovered recently while traveling in Rome. Campangolo's version was just as good as the ones I tried in Italy. Perfect al dente noodles and the sauce was spicy but not exaggerated.
- We didn't really share entrees, but the person who ordered the boar was raving about it. And another friend got over his psychological barriers to eating rabbit (bunny!) -- and enjoyed the pappardelle dish.
- Peppercorn panna cotta - interesting idea and mix of flavours, although after a few bites I found it way too pepper-y.
- Salted caramel budino - I'll echo what everyone else has said, one of the highlights of the meal.
Despite my frustrations in booking a table here (why have a phone if you don't pick it up?!?), Campagnolo has won me over. Really authentic Italian food done right -- simple dishes that let fresh ingredients speak for themselves and a small but always changing menu (luckily favourites like the burrata and the caramel budino are almost always on offer though). Knowledgeable and friendly staff plus a warm, inviting space are the cherry on top.Listed in: La Dolce Vita
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Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
1/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Yum! Campagnolo is a great place to break bread and share tapas-style Italian eats with friends and family. The service is friendly and attentive, and the food is delicious. I especially liked the braised boar on polenta (perfect stick-to-your-ribs food for a snowy evening!), the fresh burrata cheese with roasted grapes (!), and the fresh pappardelle with peas and lemon. The cocktail menu is also a stand-out.
The decor is cozy and unpretentious. The candlelight makes for a romantic atmosphere. You could bring a date here, but it's so much fun to dine with a bunch of friends and order a boatload of dishes to share and sample. Go, eat! Mangia! -
Review from Doris L.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2011
I was looking forward to try this new restaurant! Menu looked good, cocktail menu looked even better.
The experience would have been better if the waiter was more attentive. He was friendly, but needed to be polished. There were 3 of us, he started to write on his pad, taking our order that had 7 things. He would take one order, review, go to the next guest's order, then go back to the first person's order, had us repeated our order for him, it was rather annoying. He didn't know all of 3 of the desserts that they offerred that night. He needed to check ... minor things...
Food was good. Warm olives were nice, proscuitto, octopus & egglplant crostini, oxtail ravioli, were fine. The duck confit, blood orange salad with almonds, and wild boar ragu on polenta were more memorable.
I was not impressed with their washroom door where I found myself spending what seemed like 5 minutes to work off my dinner by pulling and tugging the lock in fear of locking myself in the stall there.
Hope I'll return to better service in future. -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
11/7/2011
VIBE
A note that I was last here in the summer, so it's been a while. But I've been here on a few occasions and I can say that they fully deserve their #7 spot on En Route's Top Restaurants in Canada list. I've gotten to know some of the guys that work here and they are so lovely. They treat you like friends and get to know you. Bye, bye scrummy ol' Coffee Time and hello Italian Rustica. Dim lights and mood appropriate playlists are part of the charm. As for clientele? The food obsessed (including their chef friends), many pretty girls and even the likes of celebs. Apparently, Jessica Biel was turned down because the restaurant was packed!
WE ATE
Just a note that this a great place to just have a drink as well as have a full blown meal. The bar is a great spot to hang and the bartenders here are top notch. Chanel is no longer and now it's Josh. Test him on his trivia. He's a quiz master at another bar in the city. Very charming, friendly and knows his stuff! I have had many a winter sour here and I hope they bring it back this winter. You can't go wrong with any of the cocktails on the board and I highly recommend them.
The burrata is the stand-out here. It's roasted and the grapes add a nice sour punch. The prosciutto is made in-house and served with olives, it tides you over before the main courses. Plus, those items are all-time faves so it kind of brought me back to my trip in Europe. The fig salad adorned with blue cheese was a nice starter. We had pappardalle with braised rabbit. Give. Me. More. It's so good! They even made a vegetarian version for our friend (in a party of 12!) on request. Given it was a busy Saturday night, that was really nice for them to do.
This is going to be a birthday contender if only to try their chef's table. Next on the list: rapini, wild boar, gnocchi and budino.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
They cook like your nonna but they don't look like your nonna. Campagnolo is showing that they're not just another trendy restaurant. They really do pour a lot of love and passion into their food and it shows. I'm hoping it's going to CAMP out for many years to come. Craig's show "In the Weeds" also got the green light for production and I'm excited to see him get the recognition he deserves. I'm hoping this will up the resto's reputation in a good way. -
Review from The Vong Choice I.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
The Dundas West (DuWest) strip has come a long way from the seedy shops and Portuguese churraschurrias. Now Dundas West is known in the foodie world as the 'carnivore's' terrain with restaurants like the Hoof Cafe, Black Hoof and Porchetta and Co on it. Add newbie Campagnolo to this mix with it's meat heavy offerings blended with homestyle Italian cooking and it's all complete.
Campagnolo meaning 'countryman' in Italian was formerly a Coffee Time donuts chain and definitely has had a face lift.
We have a table for 12 people so in order to accommodate us, we were only able to confirm a reservation for 9:30pm. One of the drawbacks of eating there so late was that some of the dishes (house made parpadele) on the limited menu had sold out for the night which just means that I will have to go back and try those dishes again.
Standouts included:
The thinly shaved prosciutto plate which came in heaping amounts and the burrata cheese dish with roasted grapes. The burrata was soft and buttery while the roasted grapes were juicy, and sweet which made for a sweet and creamy blend of gooey oodness.
For mains, the 'House-made Spaghetti a L'Amatriciana', swirly spaghetti in a tomato sauce which was very rich and savoury with bits of pork interspersed within. -
Review from Dana R.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2011
Campagnolo delivers on their promise: good honest home cooked food. And if what you're looking for is a chill vibe and great service too, you'll be happy you visited.
My dining-mates and I were in the mood to celebrate so we started off with a bottle of bubbly and some tapas-style appetizers. The paper-thin La Quercia Rosa Prosciutto was luscious, delicious, and complimented the Fresh Burrata Cheese with Roasted Grapes. The Burrata was the definite stand out dish for me. The Roasted Grapes it was served with were a welcome substitute to the obvious fresh or roasted tomato pairing. I could have ordered 3 of these and been happy. The House-made Baguette and Gougeres was lacking. If the breads were complimentary, I wouldn't have noticed, but half-stale bread is unacceptable for $4. They served as a decent-enough vehicle to spread the smooth, rich Duck & Rabbit Rillette on, which was quite good.
The main I ordered was stellar, as were the multiple bottles of wine that accompanied it. If you visit Campagnolo, the Duck Confit is a must-try. It was beautifully spiced, perfectly cooked, and served on a bed of braised red cabbage. A big dab of grainy mustard was a unique touch, adding a nice amount of acidity for balance.
The dessert was a definite miss, so I'll attribute it to an off night given how many positive reviews it's received preceding mine. The Salted Caramel Budino was simply not good. I tried really hard to enjoy it, but it was a sickeningly sweet mess topped sloppily with a handful of saw-dusty meringue.
Overall, Campagnolo was really good, with a few small areas for improvement. The ambiance is warm and easy-going. The food was tasty and the drinks were plenty. It looks like they have space for a patio in the summer, which is a definite draw.
Oh, and the chef in the open kitchen was pretty cute too. -
Review from Johnny L.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Campagnolo is another great spot that opened up recently around the corner from my place. I bought into the right neighbourhood.
I usually start my reviews with the food but, I gotta say, Campagnolo has some really nice service. The servers know what they're serving and like to tell you about it. Everyone is super friendly and they genuinely seem to want you to have a good time.
We sat at the bar first as we waited for a table to open. There is a great cocktail list that's packed with lotsa good stuff. The Lady had something from the list, I ordered a bottle of red.
I keep reading that this is a tapas-style joint but I don't see it as a small plate place. We started with burrata with grapes & toast. Simply delicious!
For mains we had boar, tripe and rib ragu on polenta. This was a perfect cold weather dish, filled with tender meats. I'm not big on the tripe but I'll eat it if it's in front of me. The Lady got a Creuset filled with cannelinni, hock and kale, a really classic flavour combination of pork and beans.
Salted caramel & chocolate for me and a lemon tart for her and we called a wheelbarrow to carry us home.
The only thing I didn't like was the decor, but I seem to be the only one complaining. Every review I've read about Campagnolo raves about it, so what do I care? -
Review from ritchie c.
Toronto, ON
3/15/2011
What to say about this place.. I hate that stupid neon art thing wall for starters. At first glance I thought it said sauna, but then realized it said jaune, cuz you know that makes way more sense in an Italian restaurant. =/
Anyways the starters were amazing, from the baguette and gougères, the quercia, the buratta on toasted bread and lastly my favourite the escarole salad with poached hen's egg piave and truffle salt. Well executed, delicious and fun to eat. It was a struggle to stay dignified and not lick the salad dressing off the plate, it was an amazing combination of creamy saltiness (no, not that kind) mixed with leftover bits of piave.. yeah it was good.
The pastas were varied in happiness, as the house made spaghetti was awesome, smoky, salty and spaghetti cooked perfectly. The duck confit, onion soubise ravioli was okay - good flavour, a little undercooked, sauce was a little runny. And lastly the boar, rib and meatball polenta was watered down, limp and sad.
My problem with this place was the service was god awful. Our dude seemed lost at all times, there were huge long lulls between asking for something and him showing his face again. It took him 20 minutes to get us a spoon while we watched him just milling around, talking to other staff. There were times we'd see no one working the tables and the staff just chilling by the bar or with each other. After asking for a refill of water, he'd come and fill that person's glass and leave without topping anyone else off. Dude just wasn't smart, and I think if we were served by someone more competent our experience would've been way more pleasant.
It took so long to get through our meal, that by the time we finished our mains, we were too tired for dessert. All that waiting around just killed the fun I suppose.
Don't let me discourage you, the food for the most part was pretty great, just make sure you don't sit in the section near the glowing diner art. -
Review from Thom H.
8/13/2011
A good Italian restaurant that offers fresh daily menus. The food is well prepared but not outstandingly inventive or eventful. Room is loud with music and conversations. I would go back, but wouldn't be the one suggesting the place.
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Review from Jo M.
Toronto, ON
1/18/2011
I went here just after Christmas so I didn't think I'd be able to stuff myself anymore with such rich foods - I was wrong. The only reservation we could get that night (this was a Thursday) was for 9pm. Because it was so late, a lot of their dishes had sold out for the night (tip: reserve early!) but the foods we did end up ordering were simply amazing. I had ordered the 'Wild Boar, Spareribs, Tripe and Meatballs on soft Polenta'...didn't think I was a fan of tripe, but you can't even taste it in this meatball goodness. If there was a model for meatballs, I think they should use Campagnolo's as the model. It was thick. Juicy. Big. Melts in your mouth goodness (who knew I'd say that about a meatball!). My aunt ordered the 'House-made Spaghetti a L'Amatriciana', which if I could remember correctly (meatball brain!) had oysters and home-smoked bacon. This too was such a homey and rich dish. My cousin ordered the risotto, while it tasted pretty good I didn't think it was tooooo special (like the other two dishes). Portions were pretty big. They also have a a fully stocked bar, and lots of specialty cocktails available. Good selection of wine and beer as well.
I don't even like Italian foods that much, but this place just gave me faith.
They change their menu every few weeks or so, so I think the only solution here is go. And go often. -
Review from Courtney B.
Toronto, ON
8/20/2011
One of the best restaurants in Toronto. The burrata with roasted grapes and the steak tartare were amazing highlights in an overall exceptional meal. Great cocktails and wine list. Including alcohol, the bill worked out around $260 + tip for 3 ppl. Will definitely return sometime soon.
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Review from Eddie C.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2011
3 stars for the wait - took extremely long for our food, 5 stars for the service and quality of food - worth the wait, good ambience, nice decor, all around 4 stars
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Review from Brian Y.
2/21/2011 2 photos
For a nice weekday dinner, I decided to join some of my fellow yelpers who were heading over to Campagnolo. Campagnolo is a small Italian restaurant that opened up quiet recently and the reviews have been pouring in of great food in a little cozy setting. The decor right away when you walk in is warm and friendly, but at the same time elegant in its own way.
We had a table for 6 and ordered drinks once most of us has arrived. I ended up going for a light beer/lager called Castello. The waiter said it's a popular choice, so why not right? The lager was alright, nothing special to be honest in my opinion. But the menu looked incredibly tempting and we decided to order and share so we can all taste as many items as possible. If you're heading over, this might be a very good idea as the menu is a little on the expensive side. And the ingredients they use are a little different, so you would want to try as many dishes as possible.
There are a fair number of dishes we ordered and a few of them stood out for me. For the appetizers, I liked the Fresh Burrata Cheese and Roasted Grapes with Toasted Bread. Sounds simply, but it tasted great. Also, I'm starting to see more and more dishes where grapes are getting involved; can this be a little trend? Nonetheless, it was a good choice. For the mains, I liked the Monkfish which was deep fried. I know I'm horrible, deep fried Brian? But the taste was good. The Pappardelle with peas and lemon was for me a surprise but definitely welcomed. It was a great little dish. And last, I'm a little mixed... see I liked the Sea Bream as I think that was cooked well and all the ingredients worked. But I too liked the Wild Boar. The reason I'm mixed is... if you're that type of eater that wants to try something new and different, then I would say go for the Sea Bream. If you're not of that variety, then the Wild Boar would be a familiar taste that you may expect more. And who doesn't like something that's familiar right?
Overall, I would have to say I did like Campagnolo. But for me, it's a little too expensive for my regular preference. The food is cooked well but in terms of portions size, the dishes are small. So my recommendation might be to go to Campagnolo for their cocktails as they have a great list. And maybe order a dish or two to nibble on while enjoying the atmosphere. It's nice and cozy and a good place to unwind with your date over drinks.Listed in: Taste of Italy
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Review from andrew a.
Updated - 5/26/2011
Update- Apparently, app's look small when your at a table with 7 of your bro's! with one babe the app's were huge, prosciutto again which was awesome, king crab leg app was amazing, as was the squid. Tried the octopus main which rivals the octopus at Enoteca, save for the chorizo which just wasnt that awesome (compared to the amazing octopus). Overall there wasnt one bad thing on the menu and i cant wait to return
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4/7/2011
literally in a food coma.
the food here is really, really fuckin good. better then enoteca. although… Read more »
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