7/13/2010

My gf decided to write her one and only review on Politica.  A pretty good one at best.  I would agree with her on all that she's stated.  I was dying to check this place out since I found out an old high school classmate owned the resto.

The resto is located off of King Street next to the Dominelli body shop.  So maybe they own the whole block...lol.  Anyhow, so we sat on the patio.  Very quiet and away from all the hustle and bustle, I guess because of all the hassle from the G20 crap that was happening .  It was a quiet evening of people watching and enjoying each other's company, not in that particular order of course.

We first enjoyed our alcoholic beverages and shared some salad.  Then we ordered dinner.  I ordered their special which was ravioli and she ordered the osso bucco. I liked my ravioli but she wasn't a fan of the osso bucco because of all the fat.  I decided to get another drink and we ordered dessert.  I ordered a cheese cake and she had her nutella pizza and they were delicious too. She didn't finish the pizza.  Decently priced and definitely a place I would recommend going to for a lovely evening out as a couple or with friends.

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5/15/2010

I don't write reviews but I'm going to continue what my boyfriend has been doing on our collective behalf in the GTA while he starts new in Edmonton! So here goes my first review...

Ambiance was nice - dark with big light fixtures but dim settings, big bar set up and a nice patio. It was a bit warm when we first got there but it did cool off as the night went on and the sun set.

It was a girl's night out for a birthday so the night started with various drinks - Prosecco, French Martini and the house made Politika #5 were all popular choices. The French Martini was delish but I was a bit bugged out by the bruised strawberry garnish...it looked like it was oozing some gunk and that was enough to deter me from another.

Fresh bread with an olive oil/balsamic/grated parmiggiano accompaniment came out shortly after we ordered our meals. As always, a great combo but the cheese was a nice touch. My appetizer of Avocado and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad came out and the portion was quite big. But it was fantastic - the mozzarella literally melted in your mouth and the avocado was perfectly ripe and tasty. I shared with some of the girls and all agreed it was a winner.

I went with the featured Risotto with rapini, black olives and goat cheese - how can one go wrong with 3 of my favourites! It was creamy, tasty and quite satisfying.

Finally, we were all convinced to order dessert after hearing that the white chocolate/pistachio encrusted Cheesecake, Crème brûlée and Nutella Pizza (omg why didn't I think of this before!) were all made in house. We all ordered a variety of desserts and all of them were sinfully delicious! No one order the Nutella Pizza so that's enough to look forward to another visit!

Just as we were wrapping up the night, upon hearing it was a birthday celebration the manager promptly asked the birthday girl what shot she would like and arrived with 10 - even though there were 7 of us...so she had a few extras :) A good night overall.

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8/24/2010

I've enjoyed Politica several times now and tend to agree with several of the positive reviews here, so I'll simply add that Politica is

- Perfect for a comfortable yet classy date night thanks to a warm and welcoming ambiance (second to none for Patio season) and exceptional cuisine;

- An outstanding option for small groups, supported by more than enough variety on the menu to satisfy most every palate, and with just enough space so as not to feel crowded; and

- An absolute neighbourhood gem for the locals tucked away in the leafy low-rise King West district, with a kitchen that produces each and every dish with quality and consistency.

In short, Politica has never disappointed.

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12/7/2009

In the middle of residential homes and a mechanic's shop, I didn't realize Politica was even there until my sister mentioned it (she lives right across the street...and yes, I still missed it after a couple of years). Anyway, I went there on a Friday night for dinner at 6:30pm. I didn't think too much of getting reservations but I'm glad my friend thought ahead. Most of the tables were already reserved for the night. Dark, espresso brown decor (the usual) with a nice bar. Our server was thorough when he explained the specials, recommending a nice wine to go with my dish and we were well attended throughout the night. He gave us enough space for us to chat and didn't rush us out once we were done.

The complimentary bread came with hummus instead of butter, which was nice. I have a thing for hummus, so it made my boat float. I had the gnocci w/herbs, garlic, extra virgin olive oil & shaved parm. The gnocci was lightly pan seared which gave it a nice subtle crispness to it. A good change from the way gnocci is usually prepared.  My friend had the veal capaletti which tasted as good as it looked (though the big chunk of brussel sprout threw him off. We didn't have room for dessert but we both ordered lattes. You can get a large or small (just less milk) for the same price. I enjoyed the latte - better than your typical coffee joint.

Overall this place was nice and I have no complaints. I'd go back to check out the desserts - my sister raves about it. Another thing, is that you can't go wrong with a  restaurant that plays Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on the bar's TV.

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3/13/2010

When we went the place was completely empty. The server was very personable and attentive. The food was good but not great. I ordered the scallop carbonara which was very tasty. My friends had complained that their meals were fatty and they didn't finish them.

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1/28/2010

This is a good restaurant with a nice interior, friendly staff in a colorful neighborhood. If you can find it, and handle the area you won't be disappointed. There pastas are great made with lots of fresh ingredients. I'll definitely be back ...

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7/29/2009

Found tucked between Queen and King West on Strachan you will find Politica. It took awhile for this "resto bar" to become popular, having walked by the patio for the last 2 summers only to see every table empty, but only a few Fridays ago it was almost impossible to find a seat. Thankfully my girlfriends and I arrived early since we had plans for after dinner and were able to grab a seat inside.

I have been to this restaurant a handful of times now and each time have walked away thinking "we need to come here more often". If not for the atmosphere, definitely for the food. In the summer the patio is now finally full and in the winter on those very cold nights, the inside of Politica feels like you are sitting in-front of a warm toasty fire having dinner by candlelight. Its a nice place for a romantic date ;)

On my last visit (like all my previous visit) I thought I would finally try the gourmet pizzas that everyone raves about, however after hearing about the Rack of Lamb special I couldn't resist. The Lamb is always on the menu, so I'm not really sure what was so "special" about it this evening but it didn't matter. The meat was mouth watering and it came with scalloped potatoes that are nothing like what your mother use to make at home. As a starter I had the goat cheese candied walnut salad and found it delicious! Overall, my meal was fantastic.

On previous visits I have tried both the Fillet Mignon (with goat cheese and prosciutto served along side) and Politica by the sea (linguine with shrimp, scallops, calamari and mussels) and would suggest these to anyone interested in having dinner at Politica.

I can't wait to return to Politica to try their pizza...if I don't change my mind again.

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