Grazie Toronto
2373 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON
M4P 2C8
This is sure to be long, never ending blog that will be updated like there is no tomorrow. Having lived in the Yonge and Eglinton area for a few years, Grazie's is my go to spot for a solid meal and good wine. I've been here with family, friends - and everything in between. A landmark in the area, this Italian restaurant has been busting bellies for years.
The Review:
By the time this blog on Grazie's is officially finished, I'd have tried everything on the menu. The Grazie menu is heavily focused on fresh pastas and thin crust pizzas. A shame I'm only starting now - but a hungry man has got to start somewhere. This is one of two Italian restaurants in the area (the other is La Vecchia) that is consistently busy - day or night, 7 days a week. Expect to wait at least 20 minutes to get seated for dinner on weekdays, longer on weekends. All pasta is fresh, made daily.
My co-drinkie and Comet girl stopped by on the weekend (February 17, 2012). What to eat? C'mon, get outta here!
K girl went with the Penza ($15) - rigatoni with vodka, pancetta, green onions and a hint of chili pepper.
Over-sized rigatoni with a creamy tomato vodka sauce. Pancetta (cured bacon) to add a salty fattiness, green onion for a little sharpness and chili for a touch of heat. I'd prefer smaller rigatoni and a little more pancetta with more herbs, but overall it's a nice combo.
Comet girl went with Amalia ($15) - spinach filled ravioli with prosciutto, green onions and asparagus. *Disclaimer: eating asparagus makes your pee smell like rubber!
Hand-made stuffed ravioli. The spinach and ricotta inside the ravioli had a nice balance of bitter and creaminess. The prosciutto fed the saltiness factor, the cream sauce smoothed it out and the sharpness of the green onions and semi-bitter asparagus added a little crunch texture to even things out. I found the mildness of the cream sauce got over powered by cracked black pepper the waiter offers to add on after serving. I'd skip the pepper next time.
I dove in for some heavy hitter carbs - Gnocchi ($14.75) potato dumplings.
Topped with ricotta, bathed in a light tomato sauce it hit the spot. Gnocchi is always heavy and dense - one second on the lips means forever on the hips. Luckily I'm not a 40 year old woman with a thyroid problem so I can pound this dish back without regret. The tomato sauce was so light and tangy it worked perfectly with the gnocchi. The ricotta on top added a creamy saltiness that brought it all together. I liked the cracked black pepper on this to add a little kick.
June 5th, 2012. It's been a while since I've been back here. After an evening of hard drinking, I headed to Grazie's for a late night snack and a drink. Something from the antipasto menu seemed appropriate. The baked goat cheese salad ($12) hit the spot. A light phyllo pastry pie filled with warm goat cheese and roasted vegetables. Very rich. Went straight to my spare tire so to speak. It was served on top of an arugula salad and some fresh tomatoes in a light oil and vinegar dressing.
The Review:
By the time this blog on Grazie's is officially finished, I'd have tried everything on the menu. The Grazie menu is heavily focused on fresh pastas and thin crust pizzas. A shame I'm only starting now - but a hungry man has got to start somewhere. This is one of two Italian restaurants in the area (the other is La Vecchia) that is consistently busy - day or night, 7 days a week. Expect to wait at least 20 minutes to get seated for dinner on weekdays, longer on weekends. All pasta is fresh, made daily.
My co-drinkie and Comet girl stopped by on the weekend (February 17, 2012). What to eat? C'mon, get outta here!
K girl went with the Penza ($15) - rigatoni with vodka, pancetta, green onions and a hint of chili pepper.
 |
| Penza |
Over-sized rigatoni with a creamy tomato vodka sauce. Pancetta (cured bacon) to add a salty fattiness, green onion for a little sharpness and chili for a touch of heat. I'd prefer smaller rigatoni and a little more pancetta with more herbs, but overall it's a nice combo.
Comet girl went with Amalia ($15) - spinach filled ravioli with prosciutto, green onions and asparagus. *Disclaimer: eating asparagus makes your pee smell like rubber!
 |
| Amalia |
Hand-made stuffed ravioli. The spinach and ricotta inside the ravioli had a nice balance of bitter and creaminess. The prosciutto fed the saltiness factor, the cream sauce smoothed it out and the sharpness of the green onions and semi-bitter asparagus added a little crunch texture to even things out. I found the mildness of the cream sauce got over powered by cracked black pepper the waiter offers to add on after serving. I'd skip the pepper next time.
I dove in for some heavy hitter carbs - Gnocchi ($14.75) potato dumplings.
 |
| Gnocchi |
Topped with ricotta, bathed in a light tomato sauce it hit the spot. Gnocchi is always heavy and dense - one second on the lips means forever on the hips. Luckily I'm not a 40 year old woman with a thyroid problem so I can pound this dish back without regret. The tomato sauce was so light and tangy it worked perfectly with the gnocchi. The ricotta on top added a creamy saltiness that brought it all together. I liked the cracked black pepper on this to add a little kick.
 |
| Baked Goat Cheese Salad
|
The Verdict:
The service at Grazie's is fantastic. The servers are friendly and always attentive. For people like me who get off on instant gratification, the food comes out lightning fast after ordering. Great wine selection. This bustling Italian joint gets a solid 9 out of 10. Three dishes down... fifty-two to go.
The service at Grazie's is fantastic. The servers are friendly and always attentive. For people like me who get off on instant gratification, the food comes out lightning fast after ordering. Great wine selection. This bustling Italian joint gets a solid 9 out of 10. Three dishes down... fifty-two to go.
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