Out & About #931 | Italy is Eataly

​Due to an unforeseen "smudging" ceremony, my mandatory in-office presence were, thankfully, reduced to one day. The news had been received with glee, for spending time in the humid outdoors was the least preferred way to kick off a four-day work week.

On particularly sticky days, the frigid office space prevails as a source of relief, rather than torment. Over lunch, my time in the great, homeless-filled outdoors was limited, for I dove into the Eaton Centre at the first opportunity to continue embracing A/C-filled corridors.

Perusing the three-level retail centre, I confirmed the conclusion of back-to-school promotions and spotted schoolgirl-inspired ensembles at Mango. The pairing of a white button-down, tie, and loafers were very uniform-esque, offset only with the incorporation of light wash denim and a rosy pink blazer. Meanwhile, the pinstripe two-piece skirt-and-vest combo beckoned recollection of my middle school attire: a patterned - yet not graphic - tee, a fitted black vest (which remains in my possession, mind you), and simple bottoms of either skinny or boot cut jeans. History repeats itself, as does fashion, albeit with slight adjustments to indicate the decade change.

​Most notable during this mall trek was my stopover at the Adidas Toronto Lab. Beyond being embellished with LED screens, exclusive capsule collections, and colourful Toronto-exclusive artwork, the sports apparel store would also offer embroidery and graphic printing services on adidas-branded items.

​The store-wide 40% sale would tempt investment into a royal purple bucket hat and black tote bag, though my post-work agenda would persuade me against the purchase, as lugging additional baggage was far less attractive than acquisition of the new and shiny.

Unlike Muji and Uniqlo, personalization options were restricted to those appearing within a catalog. It was the sole caveat of the fixture: Custom designs were not permitted.

Despite the Buy 1 Get 1 Free promotion, I ultimately departed the store on the bases of price and insufficient intent. After all, twenty-five dollar patches were ridiculous, even if complimentary printing services were provided on site.

Prior to returning to the office, a swift detour towards Benkei Hime was executed. As per the Thai ahgase, the gaudy bubble tea shop's Lychee Pineapple Iced Tea had been satisfactory, and ideal for days where smoothie cravings surface.

Nearly all of the drinks on the menu had been priced steeply, ranging from $6.99 to $7.59 to $7.99 before the addition of toppings (an extra loonie) and taxes. The Daily Special menu would inform of a 20% discount off the Mochi Peach Breeze Milk Tea, whereto I would maximize for the occasion.

​The Mochi Peach Breeze Milk Tea was an interesting combination: Milkiness trumped complexity, and the inclusion of mochi had been a demure manner of introducing toppings without subjecting patrons to excessive chewiness. Its existence was barely noticeable, especially when compared to stiffer fruit jellies or tacky tapioca pearls, but provided enough substance to constitute a topping. Speaking strictly towards the beverage, neither peach nor "breeziness" were detected.

​After a brief period of gloominess, the skies cleared once more to yield sunny skies, without ever lessening in humidity.

With the early evening hours upon me, I bid farewell to the office and meandered my way to Bay and Hagerman, where I had intended to board the 19 bus northbound. Alas, even after its anticipated arrival time, the red-and-white vehicle was still nowhere in sight. In fear of further tardiness, I grudgingly commenced my trek towards Dundas station, otherwise known as the most repulsive, grimiest transit stop in existence.

In Toronto, TTC is both a painful and regrettably pivotal part of one's daily program. Rush hour meant chaotic, foul-smelling platforms and perpetually living as a ̶s̶e̶c̶o̶n̶d̶-̶r̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶h̶u̶m̶a̶n̶  sardine.

Eventually, after trekking in the wrong direction for at least five minutes, I reverted westward and laid eyes on Eataly. The department store was not a standalone structure as I had envisioned, and instead tucked within one wing of the Manulife Centre at Bay and Bloor.

The entrance to Eataly didn't exactly align with the location of their logo. Jaywalking across Balmuto was undertaken with some difficulty, given the low visibility of bike lanes caused by construction scaffolding. And even then, some further canvassing of the area was required.

At ground level, I found Il Gran Caffè. To the left of its entrance was an info board devoid of any further details; to its right was a street-level exit. Following a mother-daughter into the space, it dawned on me that the café would likely connect to other facets of the establishment, and I was right.

The seating area transcended into an open corridor, where visitors could access the upper floor via escalator or the lower level brewery of Birroteca by Indie Alehouse via a short stairwell descent. Without a moment's hesitation, I navigated towards the escalators, catching sight of the Italian grocer's limited-time offerings, appropriately named "Sale-tember".

Awaiting me on the upper floor was a combined marketplace and restaurant space. Lining the perimeter were meat and seafood counters, Italian wine and beer, premium produce (think Heirloom tomatoes and potted basil), a bakery retailing several varieties of Foccacia, and at least four eateries. La Piazza and La Pescheria were spotted first, reasonable given their spacious seating area and colossal menus, followed by the less remarkable Trattoria Milano, whose dim seating quadrants and flimsy, sticky menu brochure were telling of popularity level.

After locating my fellow Nam Nation near the cheese section, we giddily began to review our options for supper. We made one round about the space before returning back to La Piazza/La Pescheria. My watch read 5:56 PM - it was already time for dinner!

The elaborately named Mafaldine al Nero di Seppia con Frutti di Mare had piqued my interest from the getgo, prompting us to relay our seat request for La Pescheria to the hostess. She appeared to manage customer entry for both eateries, and handed us over towards a member of the serving team within minutes of our expression of interest.

We were guided towards a two-person table by the window, allowing for a spectacular view of Bay and Bloor into the twilight hours. Underneath the table was a single hook, where I immediately hung my laptop bag. I placed my backpack on the seat behind me, while my dining partner on the window sill, next to her freshly-procured two-pack of Pistachio and Ruby Chocolate cannoli.

As we begun to glaze over the menus placed before us, a Prix Fixe Dinner menu entered into view. The unexpected three-course set led to an exchange of wide-eyed excitement. Our server, a smiley gentleman, appeared shortly after we were seated to inquire of beverage choices.
"Water please." came the collective response.
"Tap, sparkling, or flat?" he inquired.
"..Flat" I responded, without much thought. Seconds later, I realized the implications of my answer, then assured that the addition couldn't possibly exceed eight dollars - right?

Wrong. The glass bottle of Lurisia water induced a hefty nine-dollar charge. For refills, we settled for tap instead, embracing the calcium-rich qualities unique to Ontario.

Bread bowls were an additional three dollars instead of being complimentary, leading us to forego the sourdough slices entirely.

While I had enthusiastically began delving into my out-of-town pal's vacation course thus far, the menus before me had been neglected. After the server's two failed attempts at order placement, I begun to solicit recommendations for reference. From the three-course prix fixe dinner, we took to the following:

1. Antipasti (Appetizer): Carne Cruda, Arancini Di Prosciutto E Piselli
2. Piatti (Main): Mafaldine al Nero di Seppia con Frutti di Mare, Tagliatelle Al Ragu Di Manzo
3. Dolci (Dessert): Tiramisù, Budino Al Cioccolato

​In response to my request for the Carne Cruda, the server clarified acceptance of the dish being comprised of raw beef. I nodded in acknowledgement, for I had intentionally sought out a beef tartare dish for iron needs and contrast against my seafood-laden entrée. The action led me to contemplate whether other patrons had expressed reluctance or aversion to the starter. Meanwhile, my partner-in-crime declared "indulgence" to be her theme, opting for arancini made with risotto.

The Carne Cruda was presented in the shape of disc, resting atop a noticeable puddle of olive oil and topped with chives bits of non-uniform length. Eight crispy, porous crackers lined half of its circumference, each round embodying savoury specks of cheesiness. Exceptionally generous was the portion size, unlike the sneaky tri-layer composition offered by Lonely Mouth. Flavourful and well-textured, there was an obvious difference from the largely soy-and-sesame-oil-based mounds of Menami and partially frozen threads of Mikaku, which were both notably beefy in profile. La Pescheria's rendition was textured, yet spreadable, rather than stringy and chewy. Depth had been been achieved with additions of a creamy caper aioli at its base, a hint of olive oil for smoothness, and wispy thin crackers for crunch.
I enjoyed roughly one third of this dish, then reserved my appetite for the subsequent courses.

Arancini Di Prosciutto E Piselli emerged in small saucepan fitted with a gold handle. The single serving was composed of three jian dui-sized spheres, lightly breaded then fried to a golden brown hue. Encased within the crispy exterior were luscious, soft grains of rice - a splendid risotto! - accompanied by peas and just enough cheese to induce stringiness. In spite of being deep fried, there was but a hint of greasiness discernible in its consumption.

Having strayed not from my original pick of Mafaldine al Nero di Seppia con Frutti di Mare, I relinquished the eight-dollar add-on fee in exchange for a sampling opportunity. Mussels, clams, and a handful of baby scallops would present themselves about charcoal-hued strands of pasta coated comprehensively in an herby tomato sauce. Threads of fresh basil and wonderfully robust bits of Taggiasca olives would nestle their way into the dish inconspicuously, then announce their deserving inclusion amidst the tasting process. Seasoning components was considerably well-balanced and enjoyable, though the mafaldine wasn't entirely uniform. Some strands were thinner, some curlier, and some outright floury, which distracted from the overall dining experience. The mussels and clams were, admittedly, found to be on the smaller side, though the plump, impeccable tenderness of the baby scallops compensated for the other components' reduction in size.

My partner-in-crime's pick of Tagliatelle Al Ragu Di Manzo was an intriguing take on ragù. Used in place of the traditional minced meat was braised short rib, making for hearty, textured threads and noticeable "cow-iness" - "beefiness", in other words. In contrast to my own mafaldine, the tagliatelle boasted optimal texture - it was chewy, springy, and coated perfectly in sauce, sparking delighted "Mmm!"s from the first forkful.

Amongst the server's suggestions had been Insalata di Pomodoro made with heirloom tomatoes, Burrata con Uva made with housemade burrata (of which I was not a fan since the Trattoria Timone incident), Ravioli al Funghi, and the decadent Budino al Cioccolato. The final recommendation had made its way to the table across from me, while I adhered to the fan favourite of Tiramisù.

Both desserts were served in stout, cynlindrical glasses - chilled and likely prepared well in advance.

​The Budino Al Cioccolato exuded utmost richness, resisting intrusions of spoons along its depth. When I had heard it being depicted as "liquid cake", I was met with slight confusion. Upon obtaining a scoop of the specimen, I learned of the accuracy of that description. The combination of dark chocolate mousse, chocolate glaze, and unsweetened (or lightly sweetened) whipped cream was astounding. One could liken the experience to consumption of a ganache, though the dessert was far from one-dimensional and, ultimately, still featured the airiness of a mousse. The Budino al Cioccolato embodied an indescribable complexity, bridging the gap between ganache, mousse, and cake, offering a truly unique sensory adventure.

Of course, the Tiramisù did not pale in comparison. Its top layer of cocoa powder was dark and luscious, paving the way to a solid dessert. Too often are variations of this treat found to be excessively creamy, cakey, sweet, or repetitive. I've sampled many a tiramisu in my day, yet this compact cup was the first to emerge as being utterly balanced in terms of creaminess, sponge, and moistness in recent memory.

​Service was attentive throughout the meal, in spite of increased customer volumes easing into the late evening hours. Our server checked in with us at least three times, while the manager expressed gratitude at the time of payment. Majority of our interactions were made with our server, for there was a noticeable difference in attitude and knowledge in the meal delivery staff.

Washrooms were located beyond the restaurant seating area, in the general space shared with other occupants of Eataly's second floor.

​Concluding our meal, we proceeded to explore the numerous shelves spanning Eataly's grocery and merchandise selection. Pasta, biscotti, and jars upon jars of pesto and olive oil were frequently spotted. I eagerly filled our cart with packs of discounted Italian biscuits, tri-colour pasta in funky shapes, Illy ground coffee, and a 250 ml bottle of balsamic vinegar.

Given the rush of the morning, I had forgotten my KCON tote in the trunk. At checkout, my options ranged between budget-friendly, washable bags with cringe-worthy designs and a sizable canvas tote adorned with Eataly Toronto-specific designs on each side. The latter set me back $19.90 plus tax, though was later deemed a great investment on the bases of exclusivity and functionality.

We rounded off the Eataly visit with a quick gander at the concourse-level Birroteca, which was mostly vacant beyond the bartender and two chatty guests.

​Only after arriving home did I realize my blunder of forgetting the balsamic vinegar at the self-checkout. The evening was filled with shock and regret, which translated into repetitive dreams of engaging with Eataly staff.

The next morning, I dialed into the Guest Relations portal and stated my case. Thankful was I to receive overwhelming understanding in response. Not only did the staff offer to set aside a new bottle of balsamic for pick-up, but was more than willing to conduct a refund over the phone. The payment was processed immediately, with an image of the refund receipt emailed for my reference - talk about efficiency! While I hadn't stepped foot into Eataly since its 2019 opening, this exchange alone was enough to establish my status as an eager repeat customer.