La Passione Italiana
Posted on February 19, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Deer Park
4 stars
- La Passione is a dimly lit and intimately decorated restaurant on Yonge, just south of St. Clair, where you can get your fill of any and all your Italian favourites and a (huge) glass of wine.
Their extensive menu holds everything from Calamari Fritti, Insalata Arugula, Papparedelle al Salmone and Penna alla Vodka to Gnocchi with a choice of four sauces, Pollo alla Jolly (chicken in rose sauce) and Margherita pizza (a simple delight of mozzarella, olive oil and oregano).
La Passione balances the traditional with some modern comforts; you can peruse the thorough and interactive website and check out their Facebook page, then go and grab a classic white-clothed, candle-lit table and dip your focaccia in olive oil and balsamic before ordering gluten-free or whole wheat pasta.
The atmosphere is warm and inviting and, as I found out while waiting for my dinner guests who were running late, it is a very comfortable space to sit and relax with a glass of red.
From start to finish, it was delightful. For such a moderately-priced Italian restaurant, they surely hold their own.
I was ecstatic to find that my penne side dish with the Pollo alla Fiorentina – chicken sautéed with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in smooth and rich cream sauce – could be replaced with tender gnocchi. I truly could eat pasta every day, but gnocchi is my new favourite indulgence. I’m on the hunt for the best in the city and will devour any potato pasta nugget that comes my way in the process.
The veal Marsala entree is adorned with tons of sautéed mushrooms, the vegetables were cut large and almost put the roasted potatoes to shame; it was true Italian comfort food.
And as for the Papparedelle al Salmone, the wide threads of pasta are covered all over with a pink Salmon-infused cream sauce. Rich and smooth, this was definitely the star of our table.
Personally, I can’t go to an Italian restaurant that has Tartufo on the menu and not order it – no matter how full dinner has left me. A few flavours are offered, but I finally landed on Tartufo Royale, a tart and sweet pairing of raspberry and chocolate ice creams covered in cocoa and drizzled with chocolate sauce. I also happened to snag a scoop of pistachio gelato, but it didn’t hold a candle to the aforementioned chocolate indulgence.
La Passione was a nice surprise, with entrees coming in around $15-$20 and a wide-range of choices on the menu, it is sure to satisfy. They also occasionally post deals on Groupon – it makes for the perfect opportunity to get out and try something new.
- Nicole
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