Anniversary dinner suggestions

[HelloBeautiful]

Hi All,

My SO and I will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary in about a month's time. I was just wondering if you could offer some suggestions on where we should go for dinner. We are both adventurous and really appreciate good food. Italian is always a favourite but I'm definitely willing to expand my horizons. Ambiance is a plus as well, somewhere lively if possible (we went to Il Posto in Yorkville a few months ago and found it a little stuffy...) but the food definitely comes first! We're on a bit of a budget so ideally somewhere that we can do 2-3 courses and a bottle of wine, tax + tip for no more than $200.

The 2 places I have as potential candidates are Scaramouche Pasta bar and Enoteca Sociale... Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Charles Yu]

The tasting menu at Grove should meet your 'great food and budget' criteria!! Book early and ask for the 'window seat' - Cozy and away from it all!!

[JennaBean]

Charles - The OP made a decision and booked at Buca and was looking for suggestions on what to order. Thoughts? :-)

[Charles Yu]

Oops!! Didn't check ALL the postings! Sorry!!
I enjoyed the thin crust 'floor mat look' pizza and loved the 'Hand Cranked Duck egg pasta with Duck Ragu'. Don't know whether the latter is still on the current menu? Oh, and the Sweetbread was pretty nice too. But then I love almost all sweetbread dishes when the SB was cooked crispy!

[JennaBean]

Yes the sweetbread as very good! I forgot about those little lovelies!

[jerryann]

I love Ruby Watchco in Leslieville! It's run by Chef Lynn and does a 4 course Prix fixe meal for $49 per person (it changes daily!) but you can customize it if you have any dietary preferences or restrictions. The drinks are fabulous (last time I went I was pregnant, and the bartender created a FABULOUS non-alcoholic drink for me!) and the vibe is low key and fun. The service is wonderful too and you can watch the chefs cook, which is always fun. Just make reservations quickly!

[HelloBeautiful]

Great! Thanks for the suggestions!

[HelloBeautiful]

We made a reservation at Buca for next Friday. Any recommendations on what we should try? They don't have a menu on their website!

[JennaBean]

I tend to have better luck with the smaller dishes and the pizzas. I would skip the pasta as the last two times I've been disappointed.

The white pizza with mushroom, the cured meat and cheese place, the dough knots all regular items for me.

Oh the only pizza I didn't like is the one with the braised pork. Too greasy and too rich for my liking.

[fickle]

I actually really like that braised pork flatbread. But then I love all things pork :) Mmm, crispy fried pig ears, those are really good at Buca too.

[JennaBean]

I too rather like the crispy pig ears but the last time I had the pork pizza/flatbread it was so greasy the crust was basically translucent! I ate one small slice and nothing more - and I love rich food and am a big pork fan. I just found there was nothing much too it besides too much fat.

[JennaBean]

Tutti Matti may fit the bill but may be a bit too quite. I think that both Campagnolo and Buca are good suggestions as well.

[Sadistick]

Scaramouche Pasta Bar is a good bet - and if you want to splurge a bit, order their truffle/mushroom pasta off the dining room menu for a main, and thank me later :)

[Jakis]

I would suggest campagnolo on dundas west. My favorite restaurant in Toronto right now. If you go you must get the burrata and grapes appetizer. http://campagnolotoronto.com/

[brushfire]

yes i totally forgot about this one although the admin has deleted my previous suggestions. Campagnolo is great!

[brushfire]

buca might be good too