Carisma — Restaurant in Toronto

Holy smokes this restaurant is good!

Look, there are tons of options if you want to go out for Italian food, right? And many of them are good. After all, Italian food is delicious and so commonly done well. But Carisma is next level. No. That’s not it. They’re not even playing the same game.

My wife and I had a 7:00 pm reservation. This was our first time there and it’s quite a drive for us (over an hour) so we were really hoping it would be worth it. There’s an underground parking garage next door, but we found easy street parking. We arrived and were seated immediately at a nice table for two. We were struck immediately by the ambience. Comfortable, clean, and roomy even though there are a lot of tables relatively close together.

Our server showed up immediately and was friendly without being overbearing, informative without being condescending, and for the entire dinner was attentive to what we needed (ready to clear dishes, replace cutlery and clean the table between courses) and what we might want next, all without that sometimes “I’m too posh for you” vibe that you can get with that level of service at high end restaurants. In other words, the perfect server.

Let’s talk about the food though. Wow.

First they bring bread for the table. The bread seemed like a really nice pizza dough kind of bread that was crunchy on the outside but amazingly tender inside. The crunch was just right. Crunchy enough to satisfy but stopping just shy of shredding the top of your mouth. It’s topped with a garlic butter and rosemary combination that made it something we ate too quickly. But all is well. We ordered more!

For our mains, my wife wanted the raviolini, which is stuffed with braised veal, but it comes in a tomato sauce which she doesn’t generally like. We fully expected the common “we don’t make substitutions” refrain you get, usually with disdain, at quality restaurants. Not here! Our server was quick to let us know that they can make any substitutions you want - different pasta, different sauce - and they are happy to do it. They want you to get your food the way you want it! Such a great attitude. So my wife went with the alfredo sauce. I chose the papardelle ragu, which is a wild boar ragu.

First of all, the raviolini. The veal filling was so well seasoned, and so well ground. The texture and taste were perfect, and the pasta was delicious and perfectly cooked. The alfredo sauce was actually light while still holding full alfredo flavour. A trick that almost seems like magic because alfredo sauce is usually so heavy. My papardelle was also perfectly cooked. And that wild boar ragu had such deep flavour I wanted to devour it but ate slowly so I could savour it.

Many really nice Italian restaurants we go to have not the greatest choices for dessert. But not here! I had an apple strudel that was fantastic, and my wife had strawberry sorbet. Perfect finish.

They have gluten-free pasta as an option, so for people with that requirement, you’re covered! We will be returning with our kids at our earliest...

Nestled in an intimate space adorned with elegant design elements and verdant potted plants, including charming small olive trees, this quaint establishment exudes a refined ambiance.

From the moment we stepped in, it became evident that exceptional service was the cornerstone of our dining experience—a rarity in Toronto's bustling culinary scene of recent years. Our expectations were set high, and they were met with flying colors.

We commenced our culinary journey with a delightful gesture—a complimentary offering of fresh, warm bread infused with fragrant rosemary and drizzled with luscious olive oil. A promising start indeed.

We informed a server that we'll share an appetizer, and opted for the Calamari Alla Griglia ($22), a dish that arrived elegantly presented on two plates (a standard practice these days that an extra plate or two are brought as well, but properly and nicely presented smaller portions were a great gesture!). The grilled calamari, cooked to perfection, boasted a tender texture, complemented exquisitely by the warmth of Moroccan black olives and the vibrant scallion tomato salsa. Each bite was a harmonious blend of flavors, with the olives providing a pleasing hint of bitterness to balance the dish.

Moving on to the main course, the Filetto Di Manzo ($65) stole the spotlight—a grilled beef tenderloin adorned with a decadent foie gras torchon and drizzled with a rich Barolo wine reduction. Paired with creamy mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables, every element of this dish danced on the palate. The steak, cooked to a flawless medium-rare, melted in the mouth, while the seared foie gras added a luxurious touch with its velvety texture and subtle sweetness, perfectly offsetting the bitterness of the wine reduction. It was a culinary masterpiece, surpassing even our most recent steak experiences.

The Osso Bucco Alla Milanese ($50), served with risotto, proved to be another delightful surprise. Though not our usual choice, this rendition impressed with its tender, flavorful meat and a tantalizing addition of bone marrow, expertly highlighted by a special spoon provided for maximum enjoyment.

As we concluded our meal, the desserts did not disappoint. The Tiramisu and Crème Brûlée were both standout desserts, with the Tiramisu being the best in Toronto in the last five years (although, I have to admit that about a year ago tasted even a better one in Florida, and the Crème Brûlée is taking the top spot in our dessert list for the same period.

In summary, this dining experience transcended mere gastronomy—it was a symphony of flavors orchestrated to perfection - in addition to its elegant ambiance - left an indelible mark on our palates...

TAKES ADVANTAGE OF YOUR MONEY - DO NOT GO HERE!

This place is garbage. My partner and I went here for a nice celebratory dinner since open table was promoting the location and the reviews were good. Do not be fooled! This place was cunning and the food was completely bland and overpriced. We got there and no waiter came to us for a significant amount of time. After a while, the hostess came over to take our order because she noticed no one was coming to service our table. I ask her for a recommendation for a plate and bottle and she said “close your eyes and point to something, it’ll be good” so I was disappointed in the service to say the least. I then asked the next waiter to come to our table about wine and she came back to tell me that an $80 bottle of wine would be perfect, even though I originally asked what the profile of a $65 bottle was. She then told me that she would give me the $80 for $70 as a deal. When they brought the wine to our table I cross referenced the label with the menu and it was $65!! So we got our food and I double checked before ordering that it was good and the waiter said great choice. I got the tagliolini pasta with duck confit, mushrooms and truffles and by partner got the veal limone. Both were completely horrible! The pasta I got tasted like plain store bough noodles without sauce and a couple of mushrooms and was extremely bland. My partner didn’t even get close to eating half of his meal before turning it away. What veal limone comes with bell peppers? We ended up getting some creme brûlée for dessert since we always love it and thought it would bring up our mood. Man were we disappointed. A creme brûlée with a couple berries sounds good, but when you take a bit of severe acidity of the lemon custard in the creme makes you so disappointed. The dessert was just as bad as the entire meal. And here comes the bill with the “$70” bottle of wine which by the menu was cheaper than what they charged us. We paid and got out of there as soon as possible. The people try to condescend you into thinking you had a great time, but it was a completely horrible experience. Take it from us, this place is not worth spending your time on, let alone...