Levetto (Chinatown location): Toronto, Ontario

Name: Levetto
Address: 382 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2G5, Canada
Website: Website
Phone: (647)748-8829
Wifi: No
Tender: Credit, Debit, Cash
Neighbourhood: Chinatown, Toronto
Type: Italian

I had the opportunity to visit Levetto’s newest and sixth location in Toronto’s Chinatown neighborhood. I have to say I was pretty excited about it as I’ve eaten at their other locations on numerous occasions, but having a new location that is way more centrally located in the Toronto core definitely means convenience.

The interior is keeping in style with their other locations, mostly neutral colors with warm wood furniture and pops of red. All their locations and logo are designed by a talented young 19 year old Toronto designer who builds their furniture by hand.

The designer originally wanted to paint the walls and floors red, something the owner was not necessarily keen on. As a compromise one corner of the space is colored red including one chair and 3/4 of one table which actually adds a fun and unique design element to the space.

We start with two salads:

• Arugula (Pictured top left below) – Goat’s cheese, dried apricot, white wine vinaigrette, pumpkin seed, $9 CDN + tax. A nice combination of flavors I enjoy how the sweetness of the apricot offsets the peppery notes of the arugula.
• Roasted Radicchio  (Pictured bottom right below) – Fruit, greens, toasted almond, white wine vinaigrette, $9 CDN +  tax. A perfect salad for summer. The fact that the radicchio is roasted adds a nice subtle smokey flavor which is balanced nicely by the fruit which may vary depending on the season. Being June  strawberries are used when we visit and add a nice sweetness.

 

Next is pizza and we are treated to three different types:

• Margherita – Fior di Latte, crushed tomato sauce, fresh basil, $7 CDN + tax (half size) or  $13 CDN + tax (full size). A simple classic that is just well done.
• Funghi – Portobello, oyster & cremini mushrooms with mascarpone, roasted garlic crema,  $8 CDN + tax (half size) or  $15 CDN + tax (full size). This pizza is the perfect medley of mushrooms which pair s well with the mascarpone and roasted garlic crema. As someone who hates mushrooms I strangely love this pizza. Maybe this pizza has even convinced me to give funghi another chance.
• Peking Duck – Peking Duck, scallions, hoisin sauce. This particular pizza is a special to this location and is a welcome and tasty addition that reflects the neighborhood in which it resides.

 

The meal is then followed up with four types of pastas:

• Carbonara – Smoked bacon, cracked black pepper, egg, scallion, grana padano,  $12.50 CDN + tax. I found this to be a little on the peppery side but overall it’s a solid dish if you’re looking for a luxuriously tasting and rich pasta
• Cavatelli – Pea pesto, roasted red pepper, baby spinach, white truffle oil, ricotta,  $13 CDN + tax. To be honest, I didn’t love this one. I found the truffle oil to be a bit heavy handed and I actually really love truffle. A lot. I’m also not quite sure how well a pea pesto works on pasta which is served warm, however I could potentially see it working as a cold pasta.
• Rigatoni – Slow-braised beef ragu, grana padano, chive, $14 CDN + tax. A classic staple that is executed well. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. A bowl of this rigatoni and Netflix is all I need for a perfect evening. Yes, I’m wild and crazy like that.
• Pomodoro – Tomato sauce, garlic infused olive oil, fresh basil, grana padano,  $9 CDN + tax. This was my favorite of the four. It’s Italian food showcased at it’s best with simple ingredients and freshness that can be tasted with each bite. At only $9 it offers exceptional value as well. Most combo meals at fast food chains cost upwards of $10 CDN these days so to be able to order a large portion of freshly made pasta (pictured below) with pure ingredients is something pretty phenomenal.

In addition, all of their pasta is made fresh in-house daily. Crazy. Crazy, good that is.

 

Lastly, we end with dessert:

• White Chocolate Tiramisu – Espresso soaked lady fingers, mascarpone cream, coulis, $6 CDN + tax. A classic Italian dessert the presentation was pretty while still maintaining a casual feel. I felt the lady fingers could have been soaked in espresso more but the dish was still flavorful without being overly sweet.
• Panna Cotta – Seasonal compote, crumbled amaretti cookie, cinnamon, $6 CDN + tax. This dish was definitely heavy on the cinnamon but paired quite well with the compote. I also loved the crunch from the amaretti cookies. The texture could be slightly creamier though.

 

 

Overall the newest location delivered what I have come to expect and love about Levetto – high quality, exceptional pricing, and a casual and relaxed atmosphere.  I can now happily expect to be able to eat here more frequently now that they have a location that is so central to the Toronto downtown core.

 

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, however the meal was complimentary. All opinions expressed are my own. All menu offerings and prices are accurate as of time of posting, please refer to restaurant/shop for most up to date information.

*All images are copyrighted Allons.Y Styling & Photography. Please do not use or re-post without written consent and provide credit where applicable