Il Posto

For Winterlicious this year, some friends and I decided to try out Il Posto, an Italian restaurant hidden in the corners of Yorkville. This was kind of a last minute/random decision since we weren't able to make reservations for the place we wanted to go. I must say, this place is quite a pleasant surprise to us all. 

One thing I must say about this place is that it is quite hard to find, since you have to walk through this tiny (easily missed) alley to get here.

Grilled calamari, roasted peppers, spicy olive oil dressing. 

This is the appetizer that everyone ordered. It is some of the best calamari I've had to date. It is seasoned perfectly; just the right amount of salt and pepper. There is nothing extravagant about the sauce or the way it is made, but the simplicity of it really compliments and brings out the freshness of the calamari. 

Pan seared salmon with balsamic reduction.  

I didn't actually get to try this, but my friend couldn't stop gushing about how good the salmon was while he was eating. So I guess I'll have to take his word for it. 

 Homemade veal and spinach ravioli with light tomato basil sauce. 

This is what I ordered. I was a little disappointed. As described on the menu, the sauce is light and fresh, since they used fresh tomatoes. The ravioli dough is very nice; unlike the ravioli in Sassafraz, the dough is very tender, keeps the fillings sealed inside the pocket, yet it is very easy to cut through. However, the filling is even lighter than the sauce, so not only is there no contrast, the dish is a bit bland. I appreciate them taking a different route and not over seasoning with a whole can of tomato paste, but there needs to be a balance between keeping the dish light yet flavourful. 

Homemade ravioli of spinach and ricotta cheese, in butter and sage sauce.

This pasta is so good I wanted to steal it from my friend. I don't know how they made it so creamy yet light at the same time. Everything is seasoned well, again, very tender ravioli dough, the flavours of spinach, sage and butter is well infused into the dish. This is a dish I would definitely order again.

Banana chocolate meringue cake. 

My weakness is wine and sponge cake, so this cake was delicious to me. The bottom layer of sponge cake is soaked in a dessert wine (Marsala possibly?), yet it is not too mushy, which takes a lot of skills. (This is the part in which I often fail whilst making Tiramisu.) The banana also brought dimensions to the cake, and since it added new textures to the cake. One tiny complaint I have is the meringue. It's a bit too heavy, it would've been better if it was more fluffy on the inside. 

Overall Review: 

Food: 9.5/10 

I took the fact that this is Winterlicious into consideration. (Food during the 'licious events are often not as good as the restaurants' usual quality). Even taken this into account, Il Posto is the second best Winterlicious restaurant I've been to (aside from Bodega). A friend of mine also came to the restaurant after Winterlicious was over and she couldn't stop telling me how good the food is. I really liked how they took a different direction with their pastas and not overwhelm/cover the dish with heavy flavours. It's refreshing. 

Ambience: 6/10

It's a pass, but everything is very generic looking and seem kind of outdated. 

Service: 9/10

They asked to take my coat right as I entered the restaurant (a very promising start). The waiters were very attentive, welcoming and polite despite the crowd not being their usual customers. We also stayed there for quite a while after we finished our lunch, yet they were very patient with us and did not try to rush us out in anyway (A+ for this)! The only thing is, it took a while for someone to bring me my coat. I had to hunt someone down to bring it to me (as I had no idea where they put it). 

Price: N/A 

Since it's Winterlicious, the price and food are adjusted, so I'd have to return on a regular day to see if the quality matches the price. 

Overall Verdict: 9/10

I would definitely come back since the food is outstanding. I've been craving for their calamari ever since I've had it. 

Address: 

148 Yorkville Avenue
Toronto, ON M5R 1C2

(416) 968-0469

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