What’s on the menu at La Palma, a new Italian restaurant from the people behind Campagnolo
Name: La Palma
Contact: 849 Dundas St. W., 416-368-4567, lapalma.ca, @lapalmato
Neighbourhood: Trinity Bellwoods
Previously: Caffe Brasiliano
Owners: Craig Harding and Alexandra Hutchison (Campagnolo)
Chef: Craig Harding
The food
More on Craig Harding
Light, vegetable-heavy Italian cooking enlivened with international ingredients (sesame, feta, miso), and a few classics like oxtail ragu gnocchi. A grab-and-go menu of hot (Roman-style pizzas, ratatouille) and cold (salads, mackerel escabeche) plates is perfect for Trinity Bellwoods picnickers. There’s also an impressive pastry program with doughnuts, zeppole and tarts, which are all made in house.
The drinks
A half-dozen variations on the spritz, and boozy but refreshing house cocktails, like the eponymous La Palma. Wines are mostly from Old World regions, with bottles starting at $39 (for a rose from Abruzzo).
The space
Hutchison’s SoCal–inspired makeover of the space includes San Francisco-imported cement bathroom tiles, a slate green epoxy-coated floor and a copper-framed kitchen. “The copper highlights the heart of the space,” explains Hutchison. “It’s like one big dinner party in here,” says in her husband, Harding.
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
