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Zucca Trattoria
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian
2150 Yonge StreetToronto, ON M4S 2A8
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant and Davisville
(416) 488-5774
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
12 reviews for Zucca Trattoria
12 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
3/23/2010 12 photos
I love my dining experience at Zucca Trattoria.
I made my reservation through http://www.opentable.com for table for 4 on a Sunday evening at 8 pm. I was glad that I made a reservation because when we arrived at 8 pm all the tables was occupied. So make sure you make a reservation if you decide to dine here!
The interior was nicely decorated with vibrate colours. We were thinking about the $25 prix menu specials which they advertise on their website that includes salad/pasta/dessert. To our mismay we were informed that it is not available for March since they are doing the Stop For Food prix menu ($50 with $10 towards charity). My dining mates were little disappointed.... A lesson learned, don't believe the information on the outdated website, call to confirm!
Anyway, I settled on the Stop for Food prix menu and we ordered a main course each: troccoli al nero ai frutti di mare, gallinella al mattone.
The Stop for Food prix menu is a 4 course menu which a number of choices which I decided on pear appetitizer, mussels on bread, lamb skewer and chocolate cake dessert.
The soup of the day ($9) is a mussel with beans soup. My dinner mate thought it was just ok.. I found it has too much beans inside and I am Not a bean person.
The black squid ink seafood pasta ($23) was great! The homemade noodles was so tasty and the seafood so freah! The only problem is it is too small :).
The cornish hen ($26) was so tender! So much favour and so juicy!
I am not a lamb eater.. but the lamb that they serve here wase nicely marinated! Tender, Juicy..yummmm.... I found the side was a little strange.. I don't really eat dandelion... ok I did eat them all before I found out they were dandelion.
Our waitress was really attentative and answered all our questions about the menu.
I wish I can come here more often... but it is kind of pricey with the portion served, so I have to save this for special occasions!
BTW, I think I will try one of their Catch of the Day next time I come! I saw they grilled the whole fish fresh and show it to the table across from us then took that back to the kitchen to have it fileted!
You can found free parking at the side streets just across the road. -
Review from An N.
Scarborough, ON
10/5/2010
In our quest for a cheap and cheery Italian restaurant in the neighborhood, we found Zucca. It's not cheap but it is cheery. On a Monday night, only about 2 or 3 tables in the whole restaurant was empty. We were greeted by Blair. The organic Berkshire sausage and grilled octopus in a bed of cherry tomatoes was refreshing. The Octopus dish is one you would die for on a hot summer day.
As for mains, the quail was neither disappointing nor mind blowing. I felt it was over powered by the marinate/sauce. The quail was well cooked and very meaty. Overall, the ambiance makes for a nice dinner with a significant other but also cozy and rustic enough to be in the company of good friends. The service is delightful and everyone that you interact with at the restaurant has a great disposition. -
Review from Ktimene G.
5/26/2009
I stand corrected: Zucca is the best authentic Italian in Toronto. With an unassuming street façade, it's demure to passers-by, but hard to leave once you're on the warm inside.
The chefs daughter is celiac, so they were very knowledable about gluten-free options. In fact, instead of bread and oil, we were served a chickpea- flour bread baked with rosemary--it was melt-in-your-mouth, and multiples better than the polenta it resembled.
Service was very articulate beyond just wheat-free suggestions. We tasted and learned about Gattinara wines, from vineyards in the Northwest of Italy, from the very owner!
The server and owner both took time to sit with us at the table--they were brimming with hospitality and yet exuded authority with their suggestions. Our plates were served gracefully, deftly.
The meal:
We were offered a choice between a special tasting menu, a $25 prix fixe (salad, pasta & desert) and the full menu. I chose a la carte.
Along with the chick-pea cakes, the olives were the best I've ever had--spicy, sweet, black and wrinkly. I didn't even know that olives could even be improved upon!
The Amore Negro wine was incredible--the bouquet, the smoothness--as was the Sangiovese.
I had trouble resisting the octopus salad, but settled on the white asparagus with hollandaise and white polenta! It was divine!!
My entrée was the branzino stuffed with rosemary and bay, served with olive oil that the fluffy meat just absorbs like magic, accompanied by stuffed artichokes and chard.
For desert, I split flourless chocolate cake with ricotta tart with a friend, but I must return for the meringue!
I can't believe how many times I walked past Zucca, perfectly situated just South of Y& Eg. All it took was a friend to make the recommendation--now we're hooked! -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
10/21/2009
3 & 1/2 stars
The biggest asset that Zucca Trattoria has going for it is its owners, Host Blair Aspirall and Chef Andrew Milne-Allan. It is obvious that they have a real love and appreciation for authentic and well made Italian cuisine. It is also obvious that they value the relationship that they have with their customers. The care, affection and genuine affinity they show for their business is on par with one of my most fav T.O. resto spots, Silver Spoon. These guys, like at the SS, don't just hand you a menu, it's almost like they want you to read in between the lines of the menu. As an informed diner/foodie I appreciate that effort.
Deanna and I went north of our usual dining haunts to check out Zucca and it was worth the effort. We started with the soup of the day, a Porcini Mushroom & Barley soup that is poured over a dried wholewheat bagel styled ring of bread. It was delicious. Hearty, Warm. Filling. Everything home made soup should be. Dea and I opted to share a pasta course and settled for Ziti in a sauce that was sweet but with an edge of arrabiata to it. There was ground sausage and fried breadcrumbs mixed in with the tomato sauce. I could have passed on the pasta and eaten a plate of the sauce with a piece of bread on its own. The pasta was far too el dente for my tummy. I don't mind el dente to a degree but there is a fine line and this was really the shortcoming of this dish.
For our main we shared a pork tenderloin that was fileted and crusted with walnuts. It was good but in my opinion the meat needed either more seasoning or some sort of sauce. It was slightly bland and a little bit dry on it's own but we still did enjoy it. To me, pork, much like chicken, needs a decent amount of herbs and some TLC to bring out its best qualities.
The wine list at Zucca is great. We quaffed back a light northern Italian red from Castello Di Verduno (that would be Barbaresco/Barolo country) and it was perfect for our meal.
In all fairness to Zucca, the house specialities are their fresh pasta and the fish dishes, neither of which we tried. In a heartbeat I'd go back to Zucca. The ambiance, the service and the amuse buse of that delicious chick pea fritatta/bread is worth it. The people next to us had a whole fish dish and it looked awesome. I should have listened to Blair when he recommended the fish. I'm such a carnivore. I'll be back though to make up for it. -
Review from Deanna W.
10/24/2009 3 photos
Zucca has a powerful duo in its kitchen and front of house as both are manned by talented and experienced professionals which results in a enjoyable midtown dining experience. My dining buddy Christine C and I ventured outside of our usual eating perimeters one night to dine here and it didn't disappoint. This is a lovely and warm trattoria serving creative and contemporary Italian fare. It's also filed with midtown regulars which is another good sign.
Once seated we were greeted by the gracious and knowledgeable owner Blair, who gave us a brief run-down of the seasonal menu and the nightly specials. Blair is the consummate host, he offered polished, warm service and never missed a beat in topping up our wine and water. The kitchen sent off farinata as the amuse bouche, little chickpea crepes with olives and rosemary. These were gobbled up quickly they were mouthwatering!
We started off our meal with the daily soup to share-a porcini barley soup ladled over a dried wholewheat bagel. Very hearty and rustic, with satisfying flavours. For a pasta and main, we chose to split a ziti and a walnut-crusted tenderloin. The ziti came adorned with a punchy caper tomato sauce with eggplant and topped with some toasted breadcrumbs. The sauce was the highlight as it was lush and complex but the pasta was little off the mark being a tad al dente or chewy. Still pastas are one of the specialty's here, and I wouldn't hesitate to order pasta from here again as they have some interesting housemade creations from whole wheat to squid-ink. The main was a walnut crusted tenderloin which was expertly panfried and tender but suffered from underseasoning or a lack of sauce. We also appreciated that each of our dishes was split proportionately, what a nice touch.
3 and a half stars. Exemplary service and inventive italian cuisine. We had a few misses in our dishes but not enough to distract us from return visits. -
Review from Elle A.
Toronto, ON
12/8/2009
This review is going to be really succinct:
Regardless of how their food rates, I will never go back to Zucca. The host gave me the creeps, and I skipped dessert to minimize the time I had to be there.
No apologies on this one, my instincts have never failed me about this sort of thing. -
Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
1/30/2009
Gosh...I'm the first person to write a review about this place??
I'm shocked and need to spread the word that this is the best Italian in Toronto. Forget Mistura and all your other high end restos.
Authentic, simple quality ingredients. Anti pasto platter and grilled fish. Superb service and great value. Just like in Rome.
Again....you want Italian, go here!Listed in: Italian.....that's a spicy…
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Review from Giselle d.
Toronto, ON
11/9/2010
I've eaten here a few times now. Their fresh pastas and desserts are delicious. I rarely deviate from my preferred dishes: the ravioli stuffed with beet and smoked ricotta in poppyseed butter sauce (small complaint: you never get enough -- maybe six ravioli total), and the creme caramel. The affogato and chocolate torta are both very good too. This is not a budget meal and the pasta portions tend to be small, but the food and service are excellent. The host is extremely affable and will remember you when you return.
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Review from V A.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2010
2.5 Stars
Quick Review: OK food, not so OK prices.
Am I the only one that does not think this place is amazing? I'm not sure if it was just me, but i found the menu to be too eclectic for my liking. I guess I'm just not a fancy restaurant kind of guy.
I found the portions small, and the prices too high to justify. Maybe its the "we try to use local and organic" spiel. I'm not into organic. I'm into local because it should be tastier, fresher, and sometimes cheaper.
I'm not so into the service either.
diner 1: I'll have the prix fixe ....
diner 2: I'll have the prix fixe ....
diner 3: I'll have the prix fixe ....
diner 4: I'll have the pork tenderloin ....
diner 5: I'll have the prix fixe ....
waitress: wait, if none of you order the super fresh grilled fish [that I already told you about 3 times already] it would be tragic. let me get it and show it to you.
waitress: look how beautiful this fish is. and we grill it [on a magical grill that makes it taste better than any fish you will ever eat in your whole life]
diner 6: OK, i'll have the fish
diner 5: OK, i'll have the fish also
diner 4: I want the fish too, but can i have it with a simple tomato sauce on it?
waitress: well, what i would suggest is you get the fish grilled, and then order a small portion of the plain pasta. so you can have your fish and your sauce.
diner 4: but i don't want pasta
waitress: WELL, we can't just INVENT a new dish just for you SIR.
diner 4: ok, I'll just have pork tenderloin
How is putting a simple tomato sauce (presumably the same spaghetti sauce that goes onto the pasta) onto some grilled fish inventing a new dish? If that is invention, I have a boat load of inventions to sell you ma'am.
Would i go back here?
Only if its on someone else's dime. -
Review from Nikolaos N.
Montréal, QC
7/1/2009
Why is there only 2 reviews for this place so far (three counting mine)!? This is by far the best Italian restaurant I have ever eaten at. It is authentic Italian made with fresh quality ingredients, go NOW!
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Review from Paolo M.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2010
Below is my rating definition.
* = Don't even bother going
** = Nothing out of the ordinary
*** = Pretty good stuff
**** = Outstanding
***** = It's basically 4 stars but they do it consistently
Am I demanding or people are being generous with their rating...everyone seems to give 4 or 5 stars? Don't get me wrong. They do the fish very well (and perhaps pasta), but aside from that, it's nothing out of the ordinary.
Overall: stay with the menu's strengths (fish and perhaps pasta) and you'll have a delightful meal. Navigate away and you might never find yourself at Zucca again
Read my full review http://straighttalkdin... -
Review from LouLou L.
Toronto, ON
3/25/2010
The pasta and fish at Zucca is incredible. Pasta melts in your mouth and fish is extremely fresh. I love their daily specials - creative, but still authentic. Staff are very attentive and service is quick and accurate. I go back all the time. Reservations are required, so don't forget to reserve at least a week in advance.
