Skip to main content

LAUNCH | A Taste of FELIX LA at Gusto 101's Private Wine Cellar

Last week felt like real Canadian winter in Toronto: snowy, slushy and dreadful. Thankfully I had a memorable dinner in the Private Wine Cellar at Gusto 101 - one of my favourite Italian restaurants in the city. The Prosecco, wines and of course the food left me and my tastebuds so satisfied that the cold was the last thing on my mind for the rest of the week.



What was the occasion, you ask? Gusto 54 restaurant group recently partnered with chef Evan Funke to open up their newest addition, Felix LA in L.A. this summer and we were getting a sneak peak at his pasta skills.

I'm personally a big fan of the restaurants under the Gusto 54 umbrella: Gusto 101, Trattoria Nervosa, and Pai, so I'm really excited for their numerous new openings this year in Toronto.

- Gusto 501 will open its doors in the East side
- Chubby's, a Jamaican kitchen will open across the street from Gusto 101

In the meantime, check out the feast prepared by Chef Evan Funke below:
Photo Credit: Nick Lee (Best of Toronto)

Carciofi Alla Giudia (deep fried artichokes)
Olive Marinate with orange, lemon & rosemay
Pizza Bianca with extra virgin olive oil & sea salt

Gnocchetti
Pesto genovese, pecorino stagionato

 Bucatini Cacio E Pepe
Black pepper & pecorino eomano

 
 Porchetta
Il segreto sta all'interno "The secret lies within"

Photo Credit: Nick Lee (Best of Toronto)
 Frutta, Ricotta di Pecora, Miele, Pistacchi

After the last bite of this dessert, I was in awe of Chef Evan Funke's dinner. Everything from the beginning to the end was perfection... except for the fact that I was too full to eat more porchetta!

His hand made pastas are the die-for. Both the Gnochetti and the Bucatini was one of the best pasta's I've had - each piece was bouncy. Although the dishes themselves look simple with little ingredients, each bite was packed with flavour.  Can these be added to the Gusto 101 menu?

Check out this video of Chef Evan Funke's story, how he ended up in Italy and how he mastered hand made pasta:


If you're in L.A. this summer, be sure to check out his & Gusto 54 group's newest addition to the empire, Felix LA, scheduled to open its doors in the coming months.


- Our meal was complimentary but opinions are our own -
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REVIEW | Cafeteria

[Guest Writer: Jonathan L.] For my first food blogging experience, I head over to a pre-opening at Cafeteria by Playa Cabana with Monica from the Food Sisterhood. The newest addition to the Mas Playas group is located on College and Dovercourt, an area with many up-and-coming restaurants.  We are seated at a table with fellow bloggers, Laney & Nick from  Best of Toronto , Jess from  Where Jess Ate , and Jess' fiance, Mike. While he refuses to contribute to her blog, he has at least put a sufficiently sizeable ring on her finger to warrant a few perks (ha ha).   Cafeteria boasts a lively ambiance.  Despite not being officially launched, the restaurant is bustling with walk-ins, undoubtedly attracted by the rustic charm of Cafeteria's decor.  The highlights are vintage wood and tile finishes throughout, and a set of floor to ceiling wrought-iron gates in the style of traditional Mexican courtyard architecture.   Before the meal begins, I warm my pa...
Post a Comment
Read more

RECIPE | Alokozay Tea - Cinnamon tea infused panna cotta

Matcha tea has been a long time favourite when making any type of dessert and now more recently, it's expanded to other teas such as Chai or Early Grey. We decided to try making a panna cotta using cinnamon tea from  Alokozay Tea.    If you're looking to buy it in a store, try the international food section in Metro, Bulk Barn, Food Basics, or Adonis. If all else fails, do what we did and order it directly from their website. The website is extremely easy to navigate and you can get free shipping if you spend $39 or more.  Customer service was amazing and replied to my emails within the same day! Click here to buy the tea online.  Panna Cotta is a pretty straight forward dessert to make but it never fails to impress at dinner parties where you can serve them in individual ramekins. Ingredients - 2 Alokozay cinnamon tea bags - 3/4 cup half and half cream -1/2 cup 2% milk - 2 tbsp sugar - 1 tsp gelatin -fruits of your choice  Method: 1. Mix the gelatin with ...
Post a Comment
Read more

REVIEW | Best Dragon Seafood Restaurant

In my opinion, Chinese restaurants usually tend to give the most bang for your buck. You can usually walk out of the restaurant feeling full and satisfied without a deep hole in your pocket. Best Dragon Seafood Restaurant is no exception especially since it's known for its seafood. The great thing about most Chinese restaurants is that they offer set meals, making dinner decisions quick and painless with a large group. Best Dragon offers a variety of set meals with different option whether you want to go with crab or lobster. Most meals will come with a veggie dish of some sort. Don't be worried that the meal isn't enough, it usually ends up being more than what they advertised but you can always order a la carte if you see something you want that's not part of the set. One thing that we have learned from eating seafood at Chinese restaurants is be careful of how they prepare the seafood. They can either just stir fry with garlic and keep it simple or they will fry it w...
Post a Comment
Read more