Friday 7 February 2014

Cibo Wine Bar

It's a special foodie event that happens two times a year in Toronto... of course it's Winterlicious time! 
(*Items I would recommend and/or order again)
Rosemary focaccia with olives on the side


Black Tiger Shrimp in a Spicy Wine Garlic Tomato Sauce
Nice appetizer to start; it was like a shrimp martini (only without the classy martini glass). 

*Baked Eggplant with Melted Bocconcini + Parmigiano, Light Tomato Sauce
I really liked the eggplant parmigiana. It was soft and mushy inside with a light crust on the outside and the tomato sauce and cheese baked on top - Yum!

Arugula + Prosciutto di Parma with Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, Red Wine Vinegar, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 

 
Tonno Scottato + Caponata with Seared Ahi Tuna, Grape + Black Olive Salsa, Green Beans
The tuna was really nicely presented (although I wasn't a big fan of the spotted plate and small portion)
It wasn't quite big enough for an entree portion (more like an appetizer side), but the tuna was lovely and the green beans were crisp and the salsa was nice. 

*Chianti Braised Short Ribs with Porcini Crusted Beef Short Ribs with a Creamy Gorgonzola Polenta + Crispy Onions
Of the entrees we tried, I would probably choose the short ribs over the tuna. The short ribs were really tender and fell off the bone. I liked that it was served on top of a bed of smooth and creamy polenta with crispy onions on top to provide sweetness and contrast. Again, the portion size was definitely not dinner sized.

*Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Candied Blood Orange + Tangerine
Again, I wasn't particularly impressed with any of the desserts, but if I had to choose one I would go with the panna cotta. I'm not a fan, but I loved the concept of the candied blood orange and jelly panna cotta

Dark Chocolate Risotto Pudding and Hazelnut Brittle
The risotto pudding looked like mush, but there was a lot going on top of the pudding with the blueberries, raspberries, chocolate shavings and hazelnut brittle - it didn't really save it though. 

Tiramisu Martini: A Venetian Classic
Very powdery and lots of whipped cream. It doesn't really save the dessert when it's more fluffy than substance. The best tiramisu is still Paese.

Overall: For $25 (excluding tax and gratuity), I thought it was an okay meal, but it wasn't very substantial or filling. The inside was really nice and pretty busy on a Friday night - I guess you pay a premium for the King Street West location. 

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