Call me a purist, but I’m tired of eating Japanese dishes at European restaurants. It’s not about cultural misappropriation or being a snob against fusion food, rather I want to taste traditional things and don’t want menus turning into the food form of beige.

DaNico is a light hue of beige. While their signature tasting menu ($225) looks Italian on paper, what arrives turns more Asian as the courses progress.

Their bread service is completely European featuring crispy flatbread, fluffy focaccia, and brioche studded with blue cheese and salami. Paired with a dish of intensely flavoured olive oil and soft churned butter… there’s no mistaken the origins of these carbs.

Even the aperitivo bites still lean traditional:

• A beautifully adorned oyster that’s covered in a slightly sweet foam that’s unexpected but good.
• A caprese salad formed into a liquid gel that brought me back to the molecular eats of Colborne Lane (may it R.I.P.).
• A cigar looking bite comprised of a crispy roll stuffed with monk fish liver, which DaNico calls “sea foie gras” that’s a balance of sweet and savoury.

While the granchio al gusto Mediterrandeo has a Thai or Indian aesthetic in its presentation, the wild red king crab salad is Mediterranean in flavour with the tiny chunks of olives. Pretty to look at but not the tastiest: the crab was tough, and the edible lace decal had a bitter undertone. At least the dish paired well with the wine ($120 for the classic pairing).

The anatra all’ arancia highlighted French influences. Even though the skin could be crispier, the slices of duck breast were so tender and cooked perfectly.  Using star anise and cinnamon may seem strange for duck, but the spices complimented the citrus taste of the pickled endive and held up against the stronger meat. My recommendation is to save a piece of focaccia to polish off the foie gras foam (served in the duck foot vessel) and the fennel purée, these great sauces should not be wasted.

Our table universally loved the spaghettoni ai funghi locali e tartufo nero and we were sad as three forkfuls was not enough. DaNico takes the high-end Pastificio dei Campi spaghetti, cooks it in mushroom broth, and finishes it with aged parmigiano Reggiano and black truffle shavings. For something cooked in broth I expected the pasta to be more flavourful. Perhaps, this would be even better made with a fresh pasta?

By the time we get to the merluzzo nero, vermouth caviale the menu starts leaning Japanese. The black cod would be fine served with a silky vermouth butter sauce and lovely chanterelle mushrooms. It really didn’t need miso, which barely registers on the tongue as it’s used to deglaze the pan rather than as a marinade.

I felt like we were eating in an izakaya once we reached the final dish – the il manzo. Individual charcoal grills were presented with one billowing so much smoke we eventually had to let it go. Its purpose: present the skewer of sweet potato slices and a grilled shishito pepper. I found it kitschy and out-of-place at a fine dining restaurant. Not to mention the sides were a bit of a bore.

There are better things to pair with kobe beef ($40 supplement; wagyu without substitution) – sautéed mushrooms, potato, or a stuffed zucchini blossom… what can be more Italian? At least the kobe was not overcooked (well done meat is sometimes a peril of Italian kitchens) and was tender and flavourful without feeling like you’re eating lard. Overall, the fat to meat ratio of the kobe was well balanced.

I love DaNico’s idea to let diners select a dessert from three options. While it would have made sense for us to order different items and share, the torta di mele sounded too delicious to split. What a great decision as the beautiful caramelized gala apple rose would be difficult to cut and best eaten by the “petal”. The fruit sat on a soften almond cookie topped with a cinnamon cream and a bourbon foam, which all worked well together. If the dessert was served warm, it’d be even more incredible.

It’s a tad disappointing that there weren’t enough petit fours to have one each… sadly, the hollowed cloche was only made with duos in mind, so an odd-person table is shafted.

• The Ferrero Rocher tasting cream puff was fantastic, one that shouldn’t be split.
• A log of white chocolate and pistachio cream was tame on its nuttiness, but the crunchy pretzel inside an interested contrast to the cream.
• While I enjoyed the chewy freshness of the macaron, its flavour was indiscernible and a lost opportunity to wow us with one last flavour.

Three months after opening and the restaurant still has service kinks to work out. For me, it was all about the wine pairings. Generally, the preferred order is having the sommelier pour and explain the wine, a brief pause so the diner can try a sip solo, and finally the dish arrives so the wine is tried with food.

At DaNico, the pairings were all over the place. The first two courses followed the preferred procession, but as the restaurant became busy the wine was served simultaneously with the food (meaning diners need to listen to two long explanations before eating) and by the meat course we had to flag down a server to ask them for wine. Not having wine when you have a piece of kobe… oh boy.

If you’re trying to satisfy a picky eater or a crowd with varying tastes, Azarias is a good choice for an Etobicoke restaurant. Although the establishment sounds Greek (on account of being named after the owner), their menu has a diverse array of dishes to choose from. Most are shared plates, but if you’re over the trend, you can easily pick and choose salads and larger plates to create a traditional meal as well.

Stumped on what to order? Azarias provides a top ten list to guide you through the process. The first half of this post will focus on these popular dishes.

Topping the list is the spicy shrimp tacos ($15), a let-down unless you enjoy overly battered seafood that hasn’t been drained properly. The only saving grace was the shrimp’s large size, lending itself to stay plump and juicy. But then it’s laden with oil and a “spicy” sauce that’s surely just Frank’s Red Hot out of the bottle. Plain cabbage with a bit of corn lines the bottom of the flour tortilla, hardly the salsa fresca you’d expect as described on the menu.

Go with the #2 option instead: Montreal smoked meat sliders ($10). Overlooking the dense bun, the thickly sliced meat was tender incorporating enough fat for taste without getting heavy. Served warm, you get a bit of spice with each bite and despite being full flavoured, the smoked meat wasn’t too salty and went well with the mustard. Paired with a juicy pickle wedge, it’s a dish that could make a Jewish deli proud.

When Brussels sprouts ($9) are done right, they are so good. Azarias’ version is fine but runs into the pitfall of relying too heavily on other ingredients – in their case, sun dried tomatoes and bacon. Since both are such strong flavours, the actual sprouts get drowned out. If I want bacon, I’d order bacon. For a vegetable, I want Brussels sprouts!

Their Kung Pao chicken ($14) was a popular dish that many tables order. The sauce has a wonderful spicy kick, a sweet chili Thai enhanced with garlic sauce, so it’s a shame that the miniscule chicken pieces were so overly battered. Personally, I’d prefer the chicken to be simply tossed in flour (rather than a full-on batter) and cut into larger pieces so that you can actually taste the meat. The jalapenos, on the other hand, were a nice touch.

Surprisingly, their short ribs ($18) were only #7 on the top 10 list. It was certainly one of the better dishes I tried that evening and deserves a top three ranking. The large bone-in rib is braised until tender and glazed in a wonderful reduced beef jus. With the roasted carrots, this could easily be a main dish for those who don’t feel like sharing.

Bacon seared jumbo scallops ($15) was the last top 10 dish we tried. With a lovely caramelized crust and their large size, the scallops remained tender and meaty. Instead of being wrapped in bacon, it was nice that the meat was on the bottom so you can break chunks off with the scallop or have it as a crispy meaty chip to end.

In terms of the dishes that didn’t make the list, there were some hit and misses. The Caprese salad ($11) was heavily slathered with pesto but needed more salt. Interestingly, the kitchen tosses the cheese and tomato slices in the sauce (rather than pouring over top), which is a good idea allowing every bite to get an even coating of flavour.

Although the macaroni and cheese ($9) looked watery, the flavours were spot on and the light dusting of buttery gratin on top was fantastic. Pair these with the short ribs and you can easily build a decadent plate.

The green beans ($8) were fantastic and much better than the Brussels sprouts. Since they were cooked on a grill, they retained a great crunch and the roasted garlic and dusting of parmesan added enough flavours without taking away from the actual vegetables.

For the low price, you get a hefty portion of potatoes with the sea salted fries ($5). They are piping hot and have the essential freshly cut potato essence. Combine the fries with the Montreal smoked meat sliders and you have a great meal.

Despite already having an extensive menu, Azarias also offers daily specials. Having tried two of the dishes, they’re definitely worth ordering. The osso bucco with penne ($18) could easily be a pasta main dish given its large size, but since the garlicky cream sauce is pretty rich, it also ideal for sharing. Dollops of goat cheese combine with plump mushrooms and chunks of soft lamb to make a great meal, I would have been happy with just a plate of this to myself.

They baby back pork ribs ($14) where glazed in honey garlic and very tender and meaty. They’re sticky and messy, everything you want ribs to be.

Azarias resourcefully uses pots of herbs as décor on tables, while also including a pair of scissors so diners can actually use the herbs. Our waiter suggested we cut up the basil to infuse the olive oil for dipping bread into. What a delicious idea that enticed me to devour two slices of soft crusty bread – much to the demise of stomach for the rest of dinner. Let that be a warning when you visit… just one slice.

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!

• Spice Lounge and Tapas
• Carmen

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!

• La Cascina
• Piazzetta Trattoria 

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!