On a dim street, set between nightclubs, Buonanotte’s
exterior isn’t overly flashy, until entering and you’re met with high ceilings,
glitzy décor and a large statement bar. The venue is normally a resto lounge,
yet easily transforms into an event space for corporate parties or even a
cocktail/food station style wedding.
Their third anniversary party simply promised “eats”, but
when a whole roasted pig gleamed from a warming station, I knew we were in for
a treat. Especially, when I scored an extra piece of its crispy skin to tuck
into a bun loaded will chunks of pork slathered with truffle aioli and arugula.
A large pizza oven churned out blistered thin crust pizza.
The slice of margherita was too heavily sauced, creating tons of flavour but
rendered the crust soggy, but did have adequate amounts of gooey fior di latte
and basil.
Having gone to a growing number of large-scale media
parties, I commend Karyzma and Buonanotte for thoughtfully situating the food.
The stations’ layout helped avoid lineups and allowed guests to sample “like”
items together. Moreover, when food was first brought out, servers also circulated
with hors d'oeuvres of tuna spoons, grilled octopus and other canapés; so most
guests continued to sip their drinks and chat, alleviating the crowds forming
at the buffet areas.
After some lighter bites, my friend and I made our way to
the food stations finding a great selection. Heartier options such as the
farfalle del Mediterraneo, a cheesy ragu-stype pasta, and sizeable meatballs
were delicious. The risotto, a daring item to serve as a buffet, retained a
creamy consistency but was overly salted.
Buonanotte certainly knows how to prepare seafood. The
branzino was graced with a crisp skin and salted enough for flavour without consuming
the fish. Crisp lightly floured rings of fried calamari were popular amongst
the crowd and addicting to munch on.
Yet it was the perfectly cooked and seasoned prawns that
impressed me most, a wonderful compliment to the roast beef (a nice medium
doneness for such a large crowd) allowing me to do a take on surf and turf.
It’s a great venue for large groups. With two bars and
numerous servers circulating, I was never without a drink or left with dirty
plates. Plus, the restaurant gives a vibe that it’ll morph into a loungier
locale after dinner service dies down; a DJ perhaps even enticing diners to
dance and work off all those calories. Whether you’re there for food, drinks or
the atmosphere, just go with a good attitude ready for fun – after all, as
Buonanotte’s name implies, they’re wishing you a “good night”.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 19 Mercer Street
Address: 19 Mercer Street
Website: http://www.buonanottetoronto.com/
Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
Is That It? I Want More!
Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
