A Good Night

By / Food / January 31st, 2013 / 1

Copious amounts of traditional Italian food, flowing libations, and no shortage of beautiful people certainly made for a “good night” at the opening of the second location of Buonanotte in Toronto’s entertainment district.

A Montreal fixture for over 20 years, owner Massimo Lecas saw a Toronto version as a natural fit to the city’s downtown core.

“We are very excited to bring the Buonanotte experience to Toronto,” he says. “Being downtown in the heart of the city is exactly what Buonanotte represents – an energetic yet sophisticated atmosphere. It is the vitality of the community that drew us to Toronto, and we are eager to share what we have to offer.”

Buonanotte Toronto’s interior mimics the Montreal location, with an impressive copper ceiling, and vintage-photo feature walls. The venue combines elements of an upscale dining spot serving traditional Italian cuisine with those of a ritzy nightclub featuring a DJ and bottle service.

Born and raised in Gorgonzola, Italy, Head Chef Davide Iannaci refined his skills by studying at the Amerigo Vespucci culinary institute in Milan. The Buonanotte menu includes dishes such as Cappesante scallops and Agnolotti del Plin con Burro e Salvia as well as a host of other dishes, some of which follow the same recipes handed down from Iannaci’s mother and grandmother. Opening night fare included (among a plethora of others) pasta, pizza, risotto, gnocchi, salumi and other antipasto as well as spectacularly presented porchetta.

A range of fine Italian vino acts as a perfect complement to Iannaci’s cuisine featuring upscale numbers from such renowned houses as Altesino, Volpaia, and Renato Ratti to more wallet-friendly offerings like the Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva that was being poured on opening night.

And though there is much I could say about Buonanotte’s female servers, I’ll leave it at this: Ford Models may have closed its Toronto office, but its loss is Buonanotte’s gain.

Buonanotte • 19 Mercer St., Toronto • 416-599-7246 • buonanotte.com

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tod Stewart is the contributing editor at Quench. He's an award-winning Toronto-based wine/spirits/food/travel/lifestyle writer with over 35 years industry experience. He has contributed to newspapers, periodicals, and trade publications and has acted as a consultant to the hospitality industry. No matter what the subject matter, he aims to write an entertaining read. His book, 'Where The Spirits Moved Me' is now available on Amazon and Apple.

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