Grazie

Grazie Ristorante 2373 Yonge St 416 488 0822 I adore my dinner and lunch experiences with my grandson, Alex. Grazie was his suggestion and I was happy to comply. At dinner he proudly announced to me he had received a scholarship for the next two years for his Master’s Program at the Manhattan School of Music. A bitter sweet celebration. I will miss him and our outings but know that a future great jazz player will be the result. Joseph is the front end man who greeted us and made sure we were happy with our table. This is a busy restaurant. At lunch you can make a reservation. In the evening you take your chances. This is a large restaurant and always fully booked. The patrons just kept coming in. Yet, we immediately got a table and we were never rushed. It was friendly service and it was obvious that others were also enjoying the total package. One room has large art works on the wall. The other room features mirrors for a dramatic effect. I don’t even mind sitting at the large bar for lunch or dinner. It also was full. The Bruschetta was amazing.($6.00) My only complaint was we ate too much. The crisp toast was a great platform for the freshly cut tomatoes. I could taste fine olive oil, garlic and herbs. Delicious. We knew we couldn’t manage a salad as well as pasta. We salivated over the beautiful bowls of fresh salad being served to other patrons. On my last visit I did enjoy a tasty salad for lunch. The Baked Goat Cheese Salad is a combination of goat cheese, roasted red pepper, grilled eggplant wrapped in phyllo with fresh arugula enhanced with sherry vinaigrette. ($12.00) We both decided on Pasta this evening. Alex chose the Penza.($16.00) Penne was prepared al dente and mixed with vodka, pancetta, green onions and chili pepper. The portion was enormous but there was no difficulty in finishing everything The Teramo is prepared with spaghetti, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, parsley and olive oil.($15.00) I ordered Quattro Stagioni.($14.00) The mixed vegetables in the rigatoni were tossed in a most delicious lightly flavored sauce. There was just enough to flavor the food and not overwhelm it. The food was served piping hot. This made me very happy. It is difficult to keep pasta hot. I enjoyed it so much. The portion was enormous. Thankfully Alex helped me to finish it all. Tomato Sauce, Creamy Tomato Sauce, Extra Virgin Oil and Garlic and Cream Sauce are choices available to compliment a variety of pastas. We admired the Pizza being demolished at the next table. We actually set out to have a pizza but then changed our mind. The Giardina is prepared with plum tomatoes, mozzarella, eggplant, zucchini, fresh peppers and ricotta cheese.($14.00) Elena is a popular selection with tomato sauce, mozzarella, grilled chicken, goat cheese and spinach.($18.00) Secondi Piatti offers four choices of main courses. Grilled Salmon is served with new potatoes and an arugula salad with black olives and capers.($21.00) There is a bustling energy in the air. The crowds keep coming. Service is pleasant and the food is exceptional. The prices are affordable. It was a happy dining experience.