Toronto’s long-term love affair with sushi has segued into a poké obsession. But Italy’s pesce crudo — the lesser known sibling of carpaccio — is another crushworthy take on raw fish.
Venetian theatre
Those who like dinner with a show need look no further than Rob Gentile’s Buca Yorkville. Following one very memorable Venetian meal at Do Farai a few years back, chef knew he had to put his own spin on their branzino crudo. “It was an exceptional experience in its simplicity,” Gentile says. In a bit of tableside theatre, a server trots out a tray fit with an ethically farmed Cypriot whole fish ($49). The head and tail are removed, and slices of the fish are slowly papered over a large plate. Once drizzled with unfiltered Sicilian olive oil, prosecco, lemon and just-grated Sale di Cervia sea salt (the famed stuff used to cure Prosciutto di Parma) it’s ready to eat. Buca Yorkville, 53 Scollard St., 416-962-2822
Southern sentiment
When it comes to Italian fare, one tends to think of meat- (and wine-) soaked dinners. But at Little Portugal’s Ufficio, it’s all about the fish (and cocktails). In a stylish space done up by Commute Design, chef Frank Venditti (Bar Buca) turns out responsibly harvested seafood dishes to diners looking for a lighter take on Italian. The pesce spada — swordfish — pays homage to Sicily ($16). It emerges from the kitchen so bathed in EVOO and so finely sliced that one almost suspects it’s missing from the plate. With swordfish sourced from Honest Weight, the paper-thin pieces are kicked up with slivers of chili, pine nuts, freshly torn mint and rosemary. Ufficio, 1214 Dundas St. W., 416-535-8888
Iconic Italian
At Figo, Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji’s Entertainment District spot, chef Anna Chen (Zucca, Scaramouche) spins out contemporary Italian eats. The upscale space is all whites, greys and blond woods, with a ceiling that looks like a modern day fresco of roses. The rainbow trout crudo’s orange-hued flesh stands out in its minimalist presentation ($14). Chef Chen opted for Goossens’ trout as it’s both light and local. “Our supplier brings the fish to us fresh while it is still in rigor mortis stage,” she says. Topping the fish is a crema made from sea buckthorns puréed with extra virgin olive oil. Sea salt, pink peppercorns and sprigs of fresh basil provide the final touches. Figo, 295 Adelaide St. W., 647-748-3446
Tuscan tempo
Uptown diners can sate their crudo cravings at Yonge ’n’ Eg’s Cibo Wine Bar. In the former Centro space — a sprawling 10,000-square-foot dining room — rustic Italian fare is dished out to a jubilant crowd. Executive chef Saverio Marci, a Calabrese-Canadian, spent his early years training in Tuscany where the local flavours and cooking methods permeated his cuisine. With Marci’s pesce crudo, slips of pink-hued raw tuna are decorated with orange wedges and slivers of fennel, imbuing the fish with hits of freshness and acidity ($18). The colourful affair receives lashings of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice along with capers, finishing the dish off. Cibo Wine Bar, 2472 Yonge St., 416-925-0016
