La Forchetta

[carswell]

Last November, after months of my bemoaning the city's lack of a decent Italian BYO, a participant on another board recommended La Forchetta, claiming it to be "of exceptional quality." Though I'd walked by the caterer/restaurant many times, I had no idea it was a bring-your-own.

A week or so later, I called to make a reservation. The phone was answered by, I assume, a kitchen hand who spoke little English and less French. He took my phone number and said the owner would call me back. The owner never did. Subsequent calls were picked up by an answering machine that instructed me to leave a name and number; I did and never heard back. On Friday the week before last, I called at around 4 p.m. and this time connected with an coherent Italian-accented francophone, who accepted a same-day reservation for two.

It's a pleasant high-ceilinged space, "warm and intimate" (around 30 seats) as my correspondent promised, with exposed brick walls and a dark green partial wall in the back that divides the dining room from the kitchen. One side of the room is dominated by a long low refrigerator case with an impressive array of beautifully presented "antipasti." The table settings are attractive: white linen tablecloths and napkins, tulip-shaped stemware (too small for big reds, though), a decked-out bud vase, a lampshaded candle holder and a flask of olive oil for bread dipping.

We were greeted at the door, relieved of our coats and shown to a cozy table for two. Service was friendly if rough around the edges. Two waiters served us. One, a young Italian, was cool and obliging. The other, a Québécois au boutte, would not have been out of place selling used cars in Sorrel. Within minutes of being seated, the former had uncorked my bottle, filled my companion's wine glass and poured my portion into an empty water goblet, not noticing his mistake or apologizing even after spilling wine down the side and onto the tablecloth. This was the only time our wine was poured for us—probably a good thing.

The Québécois handed us our menus and explained that we could order à la carte or choose the table d'hôte, which includes three appetizers, a main, dessert and tea or coffee, for $45, $50 or $55, depending on the main. The waiter was positively dithyrambic about two of the most expensive mains: guinea hen with figs and rabbit stuffed with veal and porcini mushrooms. Other mains included a three-cheese lasagna, osso bucco and "the best lamb shanks in town, guaranteed." We chose the hen and the rabbit.

After the waiter takes your order, you accompany him to the refrigerator case to pick your three starters from the 30 or so on display. Our waiter seemed bored stiff by the process, stopping his recitation upon reaching the end of the first case; had we not asked whether the antipasti in the adjacent case were included in the deal, I doubt he would have told us. After we made our selection, he took the plates to the kitchen for reheating.

On returning to our table, we found a basket with several stone cold slices of country-style bread. Minutes later, the appetizers were delivered. Any reheating that had been done was minimal. Arranged three to a plate around sprigs of baby arugula, the apps ranged from wonderful to unexceptional. The fresh date stuffed with foie gras and gorgonzola was a standout (I'll be trying this at home); grilled portobello mushrooms were overpowered by the pesto stuffing; the fig wrapped in prosciutto missed the point and was topped with something sugary (fig confit?), presumably to cover the out-of-season fig's lack of flavour and natural sweetness; vitello tonato on red endive leaves was lovely to look at but bland; a half pear stuffed with walnuts, gorgonzola and 40-year-old balsamic vinegar should have been a winner, but the pear was underripe and hard; red peppers stuffed with mozzarella were what you would expect, no more, no less.

If the appetizers were a mixed bag, the mains were an outright disappointment. Both had been prepared ahead of time and reheated, though neither was hot. The hen was overcooked—the breast unpalatably dry—and had zero depth of flavour. While the promised figs could be detected in the sweetness imparted to the flesh, none were actually sighted. The better of the two dishes was the rabbit, the meat moist but somewhat overwhelmed by the ground veal stuffing. Porcini were AWOL as far as I could tell. Both dishes were presented as pyramids sitting in large shallow bowls on a layer of grainy yet mushy lukewarm "risotto." The rabbit was incongruously topped with finely grated celeriac and both dishes were garnished with grated raw carrots and red pepper and an arugula leaf planted like a feather in a cap. While the crudités made for a colourful presentation, the flavours and textures were totally at odds with the rest of the dish.

To our relief, the restaurant partially redeemed itself with dessert. They were pushing tiramisu. Also offered, but only after we asked if tiramisu was it, were panforte, which they described as a walnut cake, and panna cotta topped with zabaglione. The tiramisu was tasty, unctuous and not oversweet, though more a mousse, as no ladyfinger or other substrate was to be found. Our two décas allongés were very good.

With a bottle of mineral water, taxes and tip, the meal came to $75 a person. While I might return to buy a few antipasti for take-out, I'm back to bemoaning the city's lack of a decent Italian BYO.

La Forchetta

234 Laurier West

514 279-9090

http://laforchetta.tripod.com/index.html

Edited April 3, 2005 by carswell (log)

[wattacetti]

Yow!

La Forchetta was actually one of the restaurants several of my coworkers raved over during lunch at yesterday's team building exercise. When I first read your experiences, I thought that you might have gone early in the week but no, it was the start of the week-end ["on Friday… same-day reservation for two."].

That makes it 0 for 5 on office suggestions.

[larkhess]

For a home cooked Italian BYO may I suggest Il Piatto Pieno at 177 St. Zotique E.? It's in the heart of Little Italy. Yes it gets very full very fast but the portions are generous and the food is excellent.

The last time I was there I had a veal&prosciutto with an excellent gnocchi (one of the best gnocchi I've ever had).

Caveat: if your looking for a quiet place this might not be for you. I went on a Friday at 9:00 and it was packed and there was Italian karaoke going on. I love this place.

[carswell]

Yow!

La Forchetta was actually one of the restaurants several of my coworkers raved over during lunch at yesterday's team building exercise. When I first read your experiences, I thought that you might have gone early in the week but no, it was the start of the week-end ["on Friday… same-day reservation for two."].

←

You know, I just did a bit of googling and see that the resto is listed as a favourite by a couple of particpants in a discussion of BYOs over on the Crus et saveurs board. And La Presse gives it four stars, something I find hard to understand based on my single visit. The place does have a lot going for it: the cadre is appealing; the antipasti make for a gorgeous spread and fill you with anticipation; the dishes are attractively presented; the waitstaff and management are welcoming. But I get the feeling that, ultimately, it's more about the overall experience than the food, that their pitch is aimed at a bourgeois Quebeco-Canadian clientele, not gourmets and not Italians.

That makes it 0 for 5 on office suggestions.

Meaning their other suggestions were write-offs too? What were they?

Edited April 3, 2005 by carswell (log)

[carswell]

For a home cooked Italian BYO may I suggest Il Piatto Pieno at 177 St. Zotique E.?  It's in the heart of Little Italy. Yes it gets very full very fast but the portions are generous and the food is excellent.

The last time I was there I had a veal&prosciutto with an excellent gnocchi (one of the best gnocchi I've ever had).

Caveat: if your looking for a quiet place this might not be for you. I went on a Friday at 9:00 and it was packed and there was Italian karaoke going on. I love this place.

←

Thanks for the recco, larkhess. And welcome to eGullet.

To be frank, I'd been avoiding Il Piatto Pieno because of mixed reviews, though none of them come from people whose palates I trust unconditionally. Googling doesn't turn up much either. There's an Italian wine geek who gives it one out of four stars and complains about the klunky stemware. And Françoise Kayler in an August 2004 La Presse review is more positive, though she complains about the veal. (She also didn't give it a star rating; don't know why.)

Still, it's great to have another data point, and excellent gnocchi are probably all the inducement I need to give it a try.

[larkhess]

Thanks for the recco, larkhess. And welcome to eGullet.

To be frank, I'd been avoiding Il Piatto Pieno because of mixed reviews, though none of them come from people whose palates I trust unconditionally. Googling doesn't turn up much either. There's an Italian wine geek who gives it one out of four stars and complains about the klunky stemware. And Françoise Kayler in an August 2004 La Presse review is more positive, though she complains about the veal. (She also didn't give it a star rating; don't know why.)

Still, it's great to have another data point, and excellent gnocchi are probably all the inducement I need to give it a try.

←

Thanks for the welcome! I myself only found out about this place because my Italian co-workers (who are sterotypical "St. Leonard" Italians) assured me that this place is the closest I'll get to a home cooked meal in a restaurant. I've never had home-cooked Italian but the food was good.

[wattacetti]

That makes it 0 for 5 on office suggestions.

Meaning their other suggestions were write-offs too? What were they?

←

Wakamono, La Verlaine, Carambola Café and Cassis.

All misses for one reason or another, but the weirdest was the chef who was having a "Cocktail" (as in the movie) flashback while cooking.

[carswell]

Wakamono, La Verlaine, Carambola Café and Cassis.

All misses for one reason or another, but the weirdest was the chef who was having a "Cocktail" (as in the movie) flashback while cooking.

←

Thanks for the heads-up, wattacetti. A graphics person of my acquaintance is always pushing me to go to Wakamono and I've always suspected the place's appeal for her was as much the slick décor as the food. Guess you've just confirmed that.

[wattacetti]

Thanks for the heads-up, wattacetti. A graphics person of my acquaintance is always pushing me to go to Wakamono and I've always suspected the place's appeal for her was as much the slick décor as the food. Guess you've just confirmed that.

←

Wakamono is slick decor, so I can see why your graphics artist pal would like it (they've got a great-looking business card). Foodwise, everything tasted either of too much salt or too much shoyu; if you're looking for sushi, it was nondescript. The tea was pretty good (nice aroma and pleasant taste).