By Amelia Mola
Toronto’s newest Italian spot proves tradition and trend can share a plate.
I must confess, I had some hesitations before my recent Thursday night visit to Arianna. A new Italian restaurant sitting three stories above the classic Toronto steakhouse Harbour Sixty–how authentic could this place really be? Is it just going to be another playground for power brokers, where deals are made over steaks and martinis? I suppose my assumptions were shaped by my own heart: the kind that beats a little faster for the comfort of family trattorias tucked down cobblestone alleys, rather than velvet-roped dining rooms. Fine dining establishments don’t always nail the concept of Italian hospitality, yet my reservations were about to be proven entirely wrong.
Walking into the Harbour Sixty building, I felt like I was going back in time. Dim lighting, swanky leather furniture, gold plated elevators that transport guests throughout the building. Has Don Draper been here before? It’s all like something from a Mad Men episode.
As the lovely hostess brought me up to the fourth floor of the building where Arianna resides, and as we moved throughout the restaurant, passing its amber painted bars and leather furniture, I began to think–this is a place where time could stretch, where hours might slip away over conversation and cocktails. Arianna exudes indulgence, its moody lighting setting a seductive scene where you would want to drink a dirty martini or two next to your amore in a hidden dark and cozy chocolate brown corner booth.
I’m seated at a comfortable table in the back of the restaurant where I’ll be meeting Sous Chef Umberto Aceto. Aceto is part of the Arianna team who have crafted the menu for this new dining spot over the last eight months. A third generation Italian-Canadian, Aceto has a passion for preserving tradition while pushing the envelope and creating exciting and innovative dishes for Arianna’s guests.
“It’s been interesting trying to keep that balance of familiar classics that people have grown up with, especially in the city of Toronto, where there’s so many Italian restaurants. We’re trying not to alienate that clientele, but at the same time – we’re opening a new Italian restaurant, and we need to define ourselves quite distinctly and in a unique capacity if we’re going to stand out in the city”, Aceto explained.
Flipping through the pages of Arianna’s menu, guests can take comfort in Roman classics like Amatriciana and Carbonara, but also venture into innovative takes on comfort dishes like their Ricotta Gnocchi – served with duck confit, pickled chanterelles, and spring peas. Taking a chance and putting a spin on dishes that many diners seek out for comfort and consistency can be a challenge – but as Aceto describes, there is an appetite for the nouveau.
“I think the city craves those familiar dishes, but whenever we send something unique out into the dining room, there’s always five more on order, because that visual impact of seeing something less familiar is what gets diners more excited. They might come for the staples, but they’re staying for something that is new and unique.”
Kitchens are often high stress, chaotic environments, putting enormous amounts of pressure on the culinary team. Yet somehow, the team found the time to take care of this solo guest. I was so pleasantly surprised about the level of attentiveness and time they took to spend with me throughout my visit. After my conversation with Aceto, what followed was an indulgent, creative, and overwhelmingly delicious gastronomical experience. Chef Aceto artfully presented his team’s beautiful creations for me to immerse my palate in the comfort of the old and the thrill of the new.
I want customers to feel like they’re coming into a place that feels like home. The Harbour 60 restaurant has been a staple for so long in this city, and we wanted to build off of that legacy and create a memory, a feeling that gets evoked when guests walk into the dining room.
— SOUS CHEF UMBERTO ACETO
To start, two perfectly fried golden frittelle were brought to the table. Fulsomely stuffed with ricotta, topped with a lightly spiced honey and served on a bed of creamy stracciatella, then generously topped with delicate shavings of parmigiano–who can dispute three different cheeses present in a single dish? These fritelle transported me back to Milan, where I visited on a wonderful trip with six of my girlfriends from university. We laughed and talked over glasses of table wine for hours at the quaintest trattoria, enjoying an appetizer that must have been this fritelle’s Milanese twin. To me, the best food experiences are the ones that conjure memories that make you smile.
Every Italian, whether you’re first generation, second, or seventh, will claim that their Nonna makes the best meatballs. My entire family would testify that this is true, and die on a hill proclaiming their pride that their family recipe is indeed, the best. While no meatball will ever be better than the ones prepared by my Nonna’s loving hands, Arianna’s came closer than I care to admit (I hope my family is not reading this). Served in a gently tangy tomato sauce, snowed in parmigiano and served with slices of grilled homemade bread – perfect for the ceremonial ‘scarpetta’(Italian for mopping up the remaining sauce in your plate with bread) at the end of the course–this dish tasted like home.
I love all things amaro (bitter)–Campari, Brio, and the bright green escarole greens that grow in the winter. As such, the burrata salad that followed delighted my biased palate. Served with charred radicchio (an amaro girl’s heaven), pickled jingle bell peppers, pistachios and honey–it was unforgettable. Perhaps it was so perfect because the buratta is imported from the birthplace of the best food in Italy–my family’s hometown, Bari. Exceptionally creamy and divinely delicious. This is a salad that I would not only order again, but would attempt to recreate at home. The sweetness from the honey, the light spice and pickly flavour from the peppers, and the charred radicchio (really the star of the dish for me) created the most beautiful flavour profile that left my palate feeling fresh and satisfied.
I’m sorry if you’ve made it this far in the article and are waiting for me to talk about something other than appetizers, but I was fed well – the true Italian hospitality way. But hang tight–we’re getting close!
When I first sat down and began leafing through the menu, the appetizer that jumped out at me was the Sicilian Crudo – a dish that features a trio of bluefin tuna, kanpachi, and king salmon. Drenched in salmoriglio–a classic southern Italian condiment of olive oil and fresh herbs, this was the starter of my dreams. Light and fresh, the tangy preserved lemon offered a pop of citrus in every bite and the Marcona almonds delivered a layer of texture with their crunch. Maybe it was the fact that it was the first warm and sunny spring day after the long Canadian winter, but this trio of fish brought me right to the shores of my family’s hometown along the Adriatic, a place I miss dearly.
It’s been interesting trying to keep that balance of familiar classics that people have grown up with, especially in the city of Toronto, where there’s so many Italian restaurants. We’re trying not to alienate that clientele, but at the same time – we’re opening a new Italian restaurant, and we need to define ourselves quite distinctly and in a unique capacity if we’re going to stand out in the city.
— SOUS CHEF UMBERTO ACETO
For all you pasta lovers who have been patiently waiting for me to talk about this part of the meal, thank you for staying with me.
Anytime I see pasta with clams on the menu at a restaurant, as long as they have a reputable seafood provider, I’m in – no questions asked. Arianna has a fantastic seafood program, so the Linguine a La Vongole was only a natural choice, and the correct one, apparently. This pasta ended up being the crown jewel of my meal. Garlic haters, this is not the pasta for you. But for those of us living on the correct side of this argument, you’ll love this pasta. Served in a silky, buttery, lemon garlic sauce that perfectly coated the linguine, this dish was something from a dream. Featuring Manila clams, Argentinian prawns, yellow chives, white wine, and of course, generous amounts of garlic – it was the perfect savoury conclusion to a beautiful cena.
Three hours later, after a few glasses of crisp sauvignon blanc, I was leaving the Harbour Sixty building a fuller, more inspired version of myself, and something Aceto had said earlier was still resonating with me.
“I want customers to feel like they’re coming into a place that feels like home. The Harbour Sixty restaurant has been a staple for so long in this city, and we wanted to build off of that legacy and create a memory, a feeling that gets evoked when guests walk into the dining room. We’re trying to give them a totally unique dining experience while also delivering a feeling of comfort and nostalgia.”
The duality of that experience lives true at Arianna. From the comfort dishes like their meatballs that make you feel like you’re in your Nonna’s kitchen, gathered around the table with your cousins on a Sunday, to their innovative takes on Italian classics like their Linguine a la Vongole, showcasing fresh and unique ingredients creating their own spin on Italian staples, the food shares the warmth of the familiar and the delight of the unexpected. The same thing can be said about the dining experience. Between Arianna’s upscale elegance in a pristinely decorated dining room, paired with the level of service, knowledge, and care that makes you feel like you’re amongst family–you’re destined for a beautiful evening. At Arianna, you’re not just treated to a beautiful meal—you’re welcomed into a feeling. A feeling that blends the heart of Italy with the soul of Toronto, where every bite tastes a little like home and a little like discovery. And that, to me, is the sweetest kind of tradition. – VV
Photography by Ashley van der Laan & Arash Moallemi
Mouth watering and very chic ambience!