Bar Prima — Restaurant in Toronto

Had the pleasure of dining here the other night and oh my god what a wonderful experience! This would be such a cute date-night spot! (But worry not, if you’re solo like I was, still a divine time!) Absolutely 10/10, everything was exceptional! Gorgeous ambiance, beautifully decorated, attentive & knowledgeable staff, super clean and absolutely delicious. This menu has been curated to perfection… I have no doubts anything you order from here would be divine. I asked for some suggestions; what’s popular among guests and what do the staff like (I find asking what the staff enjoy usually yields great recommendations!) My waiter suggested I start with the bluefin tuna crudo and the artichoke fritti! Always love a crudo but the fritti aren’t something I’d normally choose but boy am I glad I went with his recommendations! The crudo was amazing, fresh and light while the fritti on the other hand, were a perfect, crispy, salty contrast! Not greasy or oily, didn’t taste deep fried (if anything they were more similar to an “air fryer” texture). The crispy crunch and texture of the fritti were absolutely to die for! You’d have sworn it was chicken! Not overly salty, perfectly seasoned, all you need is a squeeze of lemon and it’s perfect! The restaurant provided house bread & butter, on the house. Another great addition! Who can resist freshly baked, warm bread? The butter and olive oil accompaniment was chefs kiss perfect. For my main, I opted for another suggestion, the staff favourite: paccheri al ragu. Not only was the pasta absolutely gorgeous but it tasted incredible! House, hand-made noodles were cooked to the perfect al-dente texture and the sauce & cheese provided a perfect marriage of flavours. It was hard not to lick the plate clean. Nothing overpowered this dish, every flavour was its own star of the show. Noodles, sauce, meat, cheese, a perfect amalgamation of flavours and textures. I was also pleased to see there were a few non-alcoholic mocktail options! I opted for the Autumn Sky as i’m a sucker for espresso martinis and I’ve been missing them while I’m off the sauce. Delicious! If you want a chic date-night spot or somewhere to wow some family or friends, THIS IS THE PLACE! Do not walk, RUN here! I’d also recommend making a reservation as the restaurant stayed full almost all night! As a solo diner I typically opt for the bar and the seating was incredibly comfortable! If they offer you a bar seat, fear not! Your booty will be comfortable. Also, having a bar seat secured you the perfect spot to watch all the craft cocktails being made! Win/win! Absolutely divine experience all around, excellent food, service, staff and space. I cannot wait to come back here with some friends and show them what it’s all about! Keep doing what you’re doing, keep up the fantastic work and thank you for a lovely...

We took our friends here tonight as a wedding gift. Our server was lovely she was very personable easy to talk to and attentive. We started off with the Tramezzini, Maritozzi, and Zeppole. All of these bites were enjoyable and tasty. The tramezzini and zeppole would be the standouts very tasty bites. Then we followed with the Scallops rockefeller and striped bass crudo. The scallops were cooked nicely presented in the shell in a tasty herbaceous sauce. We were also accidentally sent a citrus caprese which we were told to keep on the house and it was well balanced and tasty if that is your thing. The striped bass crudo was a nice balance of sweetness and heat.

So far the meal has gone quite well but this is where unfortunately where the let downs begin. For mains we had ordered Gnocchi rapieni, lobster fra diavola, swordfish piccata, and finally the iberian pork pampanella. The pasta was dropped off first and sad to say the lobster fra diavola was cold. slightly warmer than room temperature at best. for 54 dollars it was a total disappointment. The gnocchi ripieni held a bit more heat but not much. it was very fresh and bright with a delicious balance of creaminess from the cheese. Finally we got the pork chop and the sword fish. We were told not to have the pork chop cooked past (medium I believe) it was definitely on the lower side of medium rare and again cold. with how fatty this kind of pork chop is there was a lot of fat that was not rendered enough and had started to get stiff as cold food does. The sword fish was a hit as far as the flavor profile goes but again lacking much heat and the sauce was cold. none of the mains were "hot". I brought this up with the server and her response to me was "I hear that all of the time". "You should let the chef know if you see him again" As the chef was the one who had dropped the pasta course at our table. I thought that was a very odd thing to say and that honestly... that part is the servers job to go advocate the concerns of the table to the kitchen and potentially come back with some sort of response. We had no such follow up.

I don't drink alcohol but the table seemed to enjoy the cocktails and only had good things to say. if it was my dining with just my partner I would have sent the cold food right back to the kitchen but because the food was being shared family style and it was a special evening I really wasn't up to dampen the mood. We spent a significant amount of money on a dinner for 4 people.

Sadly I cannot say that I would recommend Bar Prima if cold food is a regularity to the point that it isn't worth mentioning to the kitchen. I really wanted to...

Upscale restaurant located west of Downtown Toronto serving excellent Italian food. Ingredients are fresh and high quality achieving top flavor in each plate.

Menu offers antipasti, pasta, mains, sides and dessert. Not a large variety of options, but good enough to make it hard for your decision since all of them have signs of good care and details from the Chef.

I tried their famous scallops rockefeller and they have been one of the tasteful dishes I’ve tried in the area. Fresh seafood cooked right to the tender point, accompanied either a succulent sauce topped with melted cheese creates the perfect combination for your taste buds. They come three, good amount to share with another person.

For pasta, I chose the pappardelle al ragu. Long strips al dente pasta with ragu meat and sauce, sprinkled with cheese and a hint of truffle. They also offer a veggie option which is the agnolotti, that seems to have an excellent flavor. Continuing with the mains, I selected the octopus alla griglia. The cooking point of octopus is a tough one, and they made it possible here, achieving that tenderness and juicy inside, but crispy on the outside that is reinforced by the nuts topping . I recommend ordering a side with this plate so it does not get too monotonous when eating. I inclined for the potato pave which didn’t disappoint.

To finish with a dessert, I was recommended the prima opera cake. I have to admit that when it came to the table, it felt disappointing due to the presentation. However, the taste made me regret that first impression. If you like pistachio and white chocolate, with a hint of berry , this is your plate.

My only critique is the cocktails. They are fine, but not as good as the quality of food. I would order a glass or bottle of wine to pair with the food.

The ambience of this restaurant is very quiet, warm lights, not too many tables , calling for a romantic meal. Staff and service is excellent, being knowledgeable of the menu and offering correct recommendations according guests tastes.

I definitely recommend this restaurant for a special meal to celebrate, or even if you crave an elegant and authentic upscale Italian restaurant. Expect high prices, costing more than...