Introducing: Buonanotte, Charles Khabouth’s Toronto version of the Montreal night-life fixture
Introducing: Buonanotte, Charles Khabouth’s Toronto version of the Montreal night-life fixture
By Karolyne Ellacott | January 14, 2013
By Karolyne Ellacott | 01/14/2013
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
After 21 years on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal supper club Buonanotte has expanded to Toronto courtesy of Charles Khabouth, who licensed the name and recipes from the restaurant’s owners (they remain in charge of the management). Executive chef Davide Ianacci serves a menu of Italian comfort food in Ame’ s former space, which has been outfitted with tufted white banquettes, a copper grid ceiling and a huge black-and-white photo of an Italian street scene. The food from the original Montreal restaurant has been adapted for Toronto palates, with dishes like potato gnocchi with Bolognese ragu ($21) and Cotoletta alla Milanese, a fried 16-ounce veal chop ($37) (more house-made pastas and wood-oven pizzas will join the menu as equipment arrives). The wine list focusses on bottles from Italy—the majority are private imports—and includes some big-spender options like the 2006 Madonna del Piano Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, which sells for $1,000. The restaurant is currently serving dinner only, but will launch a lunch menu in the coming weeks.
186024 Profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce ($12) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-19-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-19.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-19/ jan13-buonanotte-19 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186023 Chocolate budino with peanut butter cream and caramelized bananas topped with hazelnuts ($12) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-18.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-18/ jan13-buonanotte-18 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186019 Cotoletta alla Milanese ($37): breaded veal chop fried in clarified butter and served with mache, tomato and rosemary potatoes (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-14/ jan13-buonanotte-14 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186018 Beef tenderloin with crushed potatoes, tomato chips, grainy mustard and roasted red pepper sauce ($34) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-13/ jan13-buonanotte-13 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186017 Halibut with lemon caper sauce, sautéed kale and fennel and garlic chips ($32) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-12/ jan13-buonanotte-12 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186020 Gnocchi di patate alla Bolognese ($21): house-made potato gnocchi with Bolognese ragu (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-15/ jan13-buonanotte-15 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186015 Handmade agnolotti filled with beef, pork and rabbit with butter, sage and Parmigiano-Reggiano ($23) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-10/ jan13-buonanotte-10 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186014 Soft polenta with wild mushrooms and artisanal Italian sausage ($15) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-9.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-9/ jan13-buonanotte-9 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186022 Fresh house-made burratta on prosciutto with olive oil and sea salt (special, $45)<br />
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-17.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-17/ jan13-buonanotte-17 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186021 Salmon tartare topped with candied lemon, dried capers, curls of red onion and avocado coulis ($16) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-16/ jan13-buonanotte-16 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186016 Salumi misti di Paganelli ($27): charcuterie board with speck, pancetta, coppa, salame gentile, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano and house-made breadsticks (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-11/ jan13-buonanotte-11 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186013 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-8.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-8/ jan13-buonanotte-8 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186012 Executive chef Davide Ianacci (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-7.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-7/ jan13-buonanotte-7 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186010 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-5.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-5/ jan13-buonanotte-5 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186011 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-6.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-6/ jan13-buonanotte-6 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186008 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-3.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-3/ jan13-buonanotte-3 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186006 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-1.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-1/ jan13-buonanotte-1 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
186025 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Buonanotte Introducing: Buonanotte https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-buonanotte-intro.jpg 656 420 [] https://torontolife.com/food/buonanotte/slide/jan13-buonanotte-intro/ jan13-buonanotte-intro 0 0
(Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
Buonanotte, 19 Mercer St., 416-599-7246, buonanotte.com
The food in Montreal is okay and the wine list quite good, and it’s another of those big dimly lit places where it’s too loud to have a conversation, but everybody knows it’s the incomparable prettiness of the servers in their tight little black dresses that draws the clientele and provides the evening’s entertainment. That will be the standard for Toronto’s branch plant to meet.