Restaurant Review - Café Cinquecento
May 2008
Articles
Café Cinquecento
791 King St. W.
Toronto, M5V 1N4
416-203-9390
www.cafecinquecento.com
It has been a very long time since I have enjoyed a dining experience as much as my recent visit to Café Cinquecento on King West. Bright and cheerful, the dining room boasts an open kitchen at the back and an adjustable garage door ‘window wall’ streetside which adjoins the popular patio.
The combination of owner Lili Mancini’s effervescent personality and the magic of Chef Luis Valenzuela’s talent, plus an entire staff who strive to please, make this little gem a winner. The friendly banter of servers and patrons and the overall sincerity of the place remind me of enchanting neighbourhood cafes in Italy; we feel instantly comfortable and welcome.
Cinquecento’s simple menu presents classic northern Italian dishes with a few culinary twists. My dinner companions elect to share the Antipasto Misto of the day ($11) and I can’t resist trying the cauliflower soup ($7). The antipasto platter offers a little taste of mozzarella and provolone cheeses, salami, mushrooms and artichoke hearts with arugula, radicchio and mini-toasts. Colourful, fresh, and in perfect company with a glass of Italian vino. My soup is close-your-eyes-and-sigh good. Velvety but very light.
Today’s bruschetta features a blend of grilled eggplant, zucchini, parsley, garlic and white wine. We drool when it arrives at a neighbouring table, but debate and decide not to indulge as we have a feast arriving momentarily!
We try the Rustica and Bietole salads to start. Rustica ($9.50) offers the timeless marriage of mixed greens, goat cheese, spiced walnuts and candied pear tossed in vinaigrette made with 12-year-old Balsamic. This combination is a personal favourite of mine. Bietole ($9.85) arrives from the kitchen courtesy of Chef Luis himself, who makes a cameo appearance to entertain us with stories about the origins of his recipes. The Bietole is as delicious as it is festive: a rainbow showcase of finely sliced beets, fennel, onions, celery and garlic. Yummy and healthy!
The pasta and pizza as well as the mains (also known as “secondi”) are appealing. We could happily order one of everything on the menu. At last we go for the Risotto, the Ravioli, and ... well ok, the Tortellini too. No pizza today – we’ll be back for that.
The mouth-watering risotto ($17) is at once gentle and sharp, laced with field mushrooms, gorgonzola and parmesan with a whisper of truffle oil. The presentation was made all the more special when Chef Luis again popped by to share his secret of how a great risotto is made (he uses water instead of chicken stock, in the classic style of traditional Italian cooking). Both the Ravioli ($14.75) and Tortellini deliver as promised: perfectly executed, with hints of fragrant basil, thyme, oregano and garlic goodness.
The Pollo al Forno (roasted free range chicken with grilled veggies) gets rave reviews from neighbouring diners, but we have elected to try the Grilled Trout, one of the featured dishes today. Who can resist grilled rainbow trout? We are not disappointed. It is served solo and a second plate accompanies with a selection of grilled vegetables. Our server checks back frequently to ensure we are lacking nada. We are happy.
Owner Lili arrives for a visit and brings us a bottle of Bomba Italiana to accompany our meal. This special treat, one of the several delights sold onsite, is a piquant enhancing sauce made by Lili’s family in Italy featuring olives, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, capers and red peppers. Lili explains that she uses it often on a wide variety of dishes. My dinner companion, Alex, is more adventurous than I. He tries the sauce and we laugh as he reaches for a glass of water.
We learn that special dietary requests are easily handled in the kitchen and that many of the dishes, if not already vegetarian, can be altered to suit. In fact, patrons with wheat allergies can call ahead and the kitchen will prepare customized spelt or kamut pasta dishes.
Dessert? It just gets better. We can’t decide between the famed Tiramisu and the Chocolate Molten Soufflé, so we splurge and order both. My friend Lisa proclaims the soufflé to be the best chocolate dessert she has ever “inhaled”! All desserts are created daily in the busy open kitchen.
Daily dinner specials are determined by a morning visit to local markets. Direct Delivery Service (DDS) may be of interest to some Vitality readers. Café Cinquecento offers tasty and healthy meals for pick-up or home delivery. Also available are consultations with a nutritionist to determine menu selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner meals.
Lili tells us about a special project here at the Café – La Notte Delle Mamme (Mamma’s Night), which usually takes place on the last Monday of each month. On this special evening, patrons are invited to a dinner cooked by the family’s moms, aunts, friends and sometimes also an invited guest chef. The menu? Something fabulous I’m sure. I love surprises! The cost is $60.00 per person (all profits are divided between the Heart & Stroke and Prostate Cancer Research Foundations). I can’t wait to go! Imagine a room filled with happy and hungry diners enjoying a meal prepared with all the heart and soul of the Italian culture! The next Mamma’s Night will take place on June 1st.
In conclusion, I have to agree with the website description: “It’s simple food, done well, and serviced with charm.”
Review by Carol Little
Café Cinquecento791 King St. W.
Toronto, M5V 1N4
416-203-9390
www.cafecinquecento.com
It has been a very long time since I have enjoyed a dining experience as much as my recent visit to Café Cinquecento on King West. Bright and cheerful, the dining room boasts an open kitchen at the back and an adjustable garage door ‘window wall’ streetside which adjoins the popular patio.
The combination of owner Lili Mancini’s effervescent personality and the magic of Chef Luis Valenzuela’s talent, plus an entire staff who strive to please, make this little gem a winner. The friendly banter of servers and patrons and the overall sincerity of the place remind me of enchanting neighbourhood cafes in Italy; we feel instantly comfortable and welcome.
Cinquecento’s simple menu presents classic northern Italian dishes with a few culinary twists. My dinner companions elect to share the Antipasto Misto of the day ($11) and I can’t resist trying the cauliflower soup ($7). The antipasto platter offers a little taste of mozzarella and provolone cheeses, salami, mushrooms and artichoke hearts with arugula, radicchio and mini-toasts. Colourful, fresh, and in perfect company with a glass of Italian vino. My soup is close-your-eyes-and-sigh good. Velvety but very light.
Today’s bruschetta features a blend of grilled eggplant, zucchini, parsley, garlic and white wine. We drool when it arrives at a neighbouring table, but debate and decide not to indulge as we have a feast arriving momentarily!
We try the Rustica and Bietole salads to start. Rustica ($9.50) offers the timeless marriage of mixed greens, goat cheese, spiced walnuts and candied pear tossed in vinaigrette made with 12-year-old Balsamic. This combination is a personal favourite of mine. Bietole ($9.85) arrives from the kitchen courtesy of Chef Luis himself, who makes a cameo appearance to entertain us with stories about the origins of his recipes. The Bietole is as delicious as it is festive: a rainbow showcase of finely sliced beets, fennel, onions, celery and garlic. Yummy and healthy!
The pasta and pizza as well as the mains (also known as “secondi”) are appealing. We could happily order one of everything on the menu. At last we go for the Risotto, the Ravioli, and ... well ok, the Tortellini too. No pizza today – we’ll be back for that.
The mouth-watering risotto ($17) is at once gentle and sharp, laced with field mushrooms, gorgonzola and parmesan with a whisper of truffle oil. The presentation was made all the more special when Chef Luis again popped by to share his secret of how a great risotto is made (he uses water instead of chicken stock, in the classic style of traditional Italian cooking). Both the Ravioli ($14.75) and Tortellini deliver as promised: perfectly executed, with hints of fragrant basil, thyme, oregano and garlic goodness. The Pollo al Forno (roasted free range chicken with grilled veggies) gets rave reviews from neighbouring diners, but we have elected to try the Grilled Trout, one of the featured dishes today. Who can resist grilled rainbow trout? We are not disappointed. It is served solo and a second plate accompanies with a selection of grilled vegetables. Our server checks back frequently to ensure we are lacking nada. We are happy.
Owner Lili arrives for a visit and brings us a bottle of Bomba Italiana to accompany our meal. This special treat, one of the several delights sold onsite, is a piquant enhancing sauce made by Lili’s family in Italy featuring olives, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, capers and red peppers. Lili explains that she uses it often on a wide variety of dishes. My dinner companion, Alex, is more adventurous than I. He tries the sauce and we laugh as he reaches for a glass of water.
We learn that special dietary requests are easily handled in the kitchen and that many of the dishes, if not already vegetarian, can be altered to suit. In fact, patrons with wheat allergies can call ahead and the kitchen will prepare customized spelt or kamut pasta dishes.
Dessert? It just gets better. We can’t decide between the famed Tiramisu and the Chocolate Molten Soufflé, so we splurge and order both. My friend Lisa proclaims the soufflé to be the best chocolate dessert she has ever “inhaled”! All desserts are created daily in the busy open kitchen.
Daily dinner specials are determined by a morning visit to local markets. Direct Delivery Service (DDS) may be of interest to some Vitality readers. Café Cinquecento offers tasty and healthy meals for pick-up or home delivery. Also available are consultations with a nutritionist to determine menu selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner meals.
Lili tells us about a special project here at the Café – La Notte Delle Mamme (Mamma’s Night), which usually takes place on the last Monday of each month. On this special evening, patrons are invited to a dinner cooked by the family’s moms, aunts, friends and sometimes also an invited guest chef. The menu? Something fabulous I’m sure. I love surprises! The cost is $60.00 per person (all profits are divided between the Heart & Stroke and Prostate Cancer Research Foundations). I can’t wait to go! Imagine a room filled with happy and hungry diners enjoying a meal prepared with all the heart and soul of the Italian culture! The next Mamma’s Night will take place on June 1st.
In conclusion, I have to agree with the website description: “It’s simple food, done well, and serviced with charm.”
Review by Carol Little