This Review article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
With both Drake and DJ Khaled recently showing some love for the Italian restaurant Sotto Sotto in Toronto, I decided I needed to give it a try myself.
The much-loved spot is located in the heart of Yorkville and is definitely on the pricier side, but with my boyfriend and I's one year anniversary coming up, we decided it was worth the splurge.
Here's what our experience was like:
The food
We decided to order the antipasto gordonia ($28.95) and the beef carpaccio ($24.95) to start, and while I enjoyed both, the antipasto was the star.
It came with a deliciously smokey grilled tiger shrimp, calamari, Caprese salad, grilled eggplant, zucchini, mushroom and Asiago cheese.
This might sound like a weird thing to say, but the zucchini was my favourite thing we ate all night! Prior to this experience, I was pretty ambivalent about the vegetable, but something about how they cooked it made it sing. It was bright, acidic, well seasoned and truly an experience.
For our mains, we got two pasta dishes: the pennete via frattina ($27.95), which is penne in a rose sauce with asparagus and vodka-infused salmon, and l'amatriciana ($27.95), which is bucatini in a tomato sauce with crispy pork cheek.
Both were delicious and came in pretty hefty portion sizes. Since the restaurant is fancy, I low-key expected a small portion but it was so generous I couldn't actually finish my meal.
In total before the tip, our bill came to $152.83 for two drinks, two starters, and two pasta dishes. It's a little on the pricier side of what we'd usually spend on date night, but given the quality of the food and the experience, it was absolutely worth it.
The drinks
My boyfriend ordered a "French 75" gin-based cocktail that cost about $20, and the presentation was very nicely done.
I personally ordered a limonata (a lemon soda) and it was pleasantly zingy.
The wine menu is incredibly extensive and while you can pick up a bottle for around $60, I also saw a listing for a bottle that costs almost $3,000!
Maybe that can fit Drake's budget, but I'll stick to my $6 soda for now!
The vibes
Upon arriving at the restaurant, there was a Porsche parked out front in the valet area, so the fancy vibes were there right away.
The hostess area is beautifully decorated and we were greeted right away. Before being seated, we had a chance to peek at the bar where it appeared solo diners could have a seat, which is a great option if you're having a date night with yourself.
The seating area had romantic lighting — dim, but not so dark that it was a struggle to see — and fairy lights that added a lil' whimsy to the whole feel.
As well, the dining area didn't have a ton of seats, so it also had a rather intimate ambience.
The service
Our waiter Zeno was an absolute gem and made our experience at the restaurant so lovely. His eye for detail and his passion for what he does is readily apparent and I can't speak more highly of just how darn nice to us he was.
From making sure our water was filled, to trying to tempt us into getting a tiramisu (we were too full, but next time!), I hope to see him again when we go back for another special occasion.
Everyone we interacted with was very kind, but shoutout to Zeno for being the best!
Overall experience
I thoroughly enjoyed our anniversary dinner at Sotto Sotto and I've already nailed down what I want to try next time.
For our next visit, I'm thinking we're going to split the charcuterie board, split the cacio e pepe, and, of course, try the tiramisu that Zeno so highly recommended.
In terms of getting a reservation, I couldn't actually book online, but when I called on a Sunday I was able to get a reservation for Tuesday, so I'd recommend contacting them directly.
All in all, I totally see why it's a hotspot for celebs — who knows, maybe we'll run into Drake next time we're there!
Sotto Sotto
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 120 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: To try out the fancy food that Drake and DJ Khaled can't get enough of.
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible
I Tried Drake & DJ Khaled's Favourite Toronto Resto & I'm Already Planning My Next Trip
Source: News Article Viral
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