639013 Thu Jul 23 18:41:31 -0700 2009 6 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 4885713 IMO, a plate of spaghetti with clams is the quintessential summer dish, refreshingly good on a hot summer day. In the recent past, I have eaten some great tasting spaghetti/linguine alle vongole in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, NYC and last but not least Naples. Every dish I had, small fresh pasta clams in the shells were used. When cooked with fine white wine, good quality Olive oil and a generous amount of garlic and freshly chopped parsley, the end result can be mind blowingly good! Question: Where in Toronto can I find a great plate of this pasta with the chef NOT CUTTING CORNERS in preparing the dish that can satisfy my urge? Please, no 'clams in a can from Thailand' or I'll scream or cry! Got a hunch, I might have to make it at home myself! Sigh!! Thu Jul 23 18:41:31 -0700 2009 10810 Charles Yu 1 4885798 Via Allegro has a linguine alle vongole, I think, but it is one of the dishes I've had there that I didn't like. I guess you could maybe ask if they'd make the dish for you to your specifications, but I know that it's not your favourite restaurant, haha. I've tasted the one at Terroni, though I've never ordered it, and thought it was pretty good, though it's been a while (no canned clams from Thailand). There aren't a lot of really great Italian restaurants in Toronto, at least, not compared to the likes of well, Tokyo, NYC or Naples, etc., and the restaurants that are probably aren't willing to put really high quality ingredients into a dish as simple as spaghetti alle vongole, unfortunately. Thu Jul 23 19:17:12 -0700 2009 4885713 202405 tjr 1 4886117 Charles, have you tried the version at Il Mulino? There is a linguine alle vongole on their current menu, with a white wine sauce. I haven't tried their version, but I would think it's a good place to start. http://www.ilmulinorestaurant.com/ About 10 years ago, I had a good spaghettini alle vongole, again with a white wine sauce, at Il Posto when I worked in the neighbourhood. I haven't been back since then. I don't know if the chef has changed, and haven't heard anything about their food in a while. The spaghettini alle vongole is still on their lunch menu (but not mentioned on their dinner menu), and uses Manila clams: http://www.ilposto.ca/home.html Thu Jul 23 21:38:37 -0700 2009 4885713 10626 phoenikia 2 4886343 DIY. Without far closer proximity to fresh clams, it's a very tough dish for any TO resto to do well, great kitchen skills notwithstanding. Fri Jul 24 03:54:43 -0700 2009 4886117 16382 Kagemusha 2 4886431 Thank you for your recs, my Chowfriend!! I used to love Il posto as well. I once had a calves liver dish there which was simply out of this world!. If they can do pasta half as good as that liver dish, I'll be satisfied! Fri Jul 24 05:16:25 -0700 2009 4886117 10810 Charles Yu 3 5034659 Charles, did you end up finding a decent version of Spaghetti alle Vongole? Wed Sep 16 12:12:14 -0700 2009 4886431 10626 phoenikia 4 5035854 No! Not in TO! Guess I'll wait till next March to try out Hong Kong's Da Domenico's version! Best damn SAV east of Naples!! But will cost me Can$65 a plate though!! Wed Sep 16 20:34:01 -0700 2009 5034659 10810 Charles Yu