Veni, Vidi, La Fenice

Good food, good friends, and good times. Such was the recipe of yesterday's delightful dinner.

A good night out may require research, planning, and organization. Our delectable culinary experience at La Fenice yesterday evening, an Italian restaurant in Toronto's theatre district, was proof of such a theory.

Fortunately for Mr. Unfazed and I, the heavy duty tasks of the research and development aspect of the project were handled by a lovely couple who we are proud to call our friends. Since we had all agreed that a night out was in order, Lovely Couple recommended La Fenice, an award winning restaurant laying claim to being "the most authentic Italian restaurant in Toronto." (www.lafenice.com)

While I lack the requisite skills in determining the venue's authenticity, my eyes took in the simple and tasteful decor aglow by candlelight. As for my tastebuds, they can attest to the flavours and freshness in the dishes I devoured yesterday. Of course, there was a little vino to start. Having eyed the Pinot Grigio on the menu, a dry Italian wine yet rich in fruity flavours, my decision was solidified when our waiter recommended the very same wine to my friend.

A little mix-up occurred when a bottle of Birra Moretti* appeared before me, the same beer that Mr. Unfazed ordered for himself, citing that his opportunities to drink Italian beer are usually limited. While I applaud Mr. Unfazed on his "carpe birra", not being a beer drinker myself, I smiled politely as I sent back the pale lager.

As we perused the menu, our waiter, hoping to entice us, brought over a strikingly fresh fish to show us. My eyes admired the fish and the juicy enormous shrimps at its side. Regretfully, I am unable to eat fish, however, I acknowledge that it was a thing of beauty. Shrimps, happily, are fair game for me so I kept them in my thoughts.

For my antipasto, I decided on buffalo mozzarella (mozarella di bufala), and what a fine choice it was. Vibrantly white, soft, creamy and carrying a simple yet delicious flavour, this cheese was the ideal start. Mr. Unfazed ordered carpaccio, thinly sliced raw beef, delicately seasoned and drizzled with La Fenice's very own extra virgin olive oil.

With class and sophistication, our waiters brought our mains. I chose spaghettini with shrimp and rapini (spaghettini con gamberi e rapini). Admittedly, I chose this dish for two key reasons: it was not a tomato based dish and I was wearing a cream coloured sweater and wanted it to stay that way. The other reason was the shrimp. I couldn't get them out of my head after the waiter teased us earlier by parading them before us in all of their fresh glory.

Interestingly enough, what struck me about this dish was how finely chopped the rapini stems were. I took note and will adopt a similar technique the next time I prepare rapini. I devoured the fine pasta with zeal. I didn't sample Mr. Unfazed's meal but he tells me that his spaghettini with seafood (spaghettini tutto mare) was a real treat. His empty plate was picture proof of that statement.

For dessert, Mr. Unfazed and I both ordered the zabaligione (warm whipped custard flavoured with Marsala and fresh strawberies). Mr. Unfazed thought it was very good and enjoyed it. While I was pleased with the fresh strawberries and the distinct Marsala taste, I have to admit that I couldn't finish it all. Perhaps too sweet and not a heavy enough custard for my taste? Nonetheless, my coffee was smooth and I was given a generous portion of cream to complement it.

La Fenice provided a charming setting, mouth-watering cuisine and when you add-on good friends and hearty laughter, the result of that equation is a very powerful one indeed. A result that I cannot wait to duplicate in the near future.

Cent'anni!

*Birra Moretti was acquired by Heineken International in 1996.
http://www.heinekeninternational.com/products_brands_brands.aspx