Spacco Restaurant Bar - Yonge and Eglinton

Spacco
2415 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON
M4P 2E7

The word Spacco in Italian literally translates to 'crack' or 'slit' in English. How fitting - seeing how to get to this little Yonge and Eglinton restaurant-pool-hall-bar you need to look for the narrow slit of an opening tucked between The Cupcake Shoppe and several other local establishments. This opening leads to a long, dark alley where you'll also find a local jazz bar - and ends at the large patio entrance of Spacco's. 

Review:

The sleek, modern decor combined with diffused lighting and sheer curtains dividing the pool tables from the restaurant makes this a perfect place to bring a date. In my case; it's just one of my local watering holes I like to frequent with friends when we're not in the mood for the standard pub fare that surrounds my domain. On Friday and Saturday nights, this hidden joint slowly transforms from a quiet restaurant, into a full blown bar lounge by slowly dimming the lights and methodically pumping up the volume of the music from the DJ who seems to magically appear at the end of the bar. 

With a quick glance at the menu - we opt to go with a trio of appetizers to silence the grumbling belly. First up is the Seared Beef ($13), sliced paper thin on a bed of arugula mixed with honey mushrooms and finished with olive oil and some shaved parmigiano. With a small squeeze of lemon on top, it's a simple dish with minimal components that emphasize the textures of each ingredient without any overpowering flavors.

Seared Beef

The Grilled Calamari ($13) came with a melody of perfectly cooked vegetables that were seasoned with black pepper and a small drizzle of olive oil. The crunch of the vegetables complimented the tenderness of the calamari, which was grilled and covered with a robust mixture of  roasted tomatoes, olives and garlic which created a hearty and pungent smell to make the mouth water. The flavors and textures were fantastic, but the presentation made the dish look like it was thrown together with a large, slotted spoon. 

The third dish of the trio was the Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms ($13). Two large, hearty portobello mushrooms stuffed with a mixture of  seafood (lobster, shrimp and scallop mousse). Beautifully presented, the meaty texture of the mushroom went hand in hand with the richness of the creamy texture of the filling... but the richness of the scallop mousse made the other filling ingredients indistinguishable. 

The Verdict:

Overall, this semi hidden resto-lounge is a great place to go for food and drinks. 7 out of 10.