Introducing: Ceno, Av and Dav’s latest spin on haute Italian
To set up a new Italian restaurant in the epicentre of Yorkville’s Mini Italy—that short stretch of Avenue where L’Unita, Sotto Sotto, Maléna and Spuntini pretty much join hands—is quite a gambit. And it’s a good thing for Ceno, which opened up here last month, because despite pervasive trappings of Italian-ness, this is not exactly an Italian restaurant. It’s close, though: nearly all the staff hail from the motherland (maitre d’ Juri Giannelli uses his mother’s maiden name to prove his authenticity), its moniker is Latin for “to dine” and service is based on the old-world tradition of schooled waiters.
The menu, too, is based on Italian standards, but spruced up with features from other cuisines. The gnocchi ($35), for example, is handmade and doused in crustacean bisque, making it more French than Italian. The Italese carpaccio ($18), is laid out like a standard Caprese salad, but with smoked Canadian salmon instead of tomato. And while venison may be perfectly common in North Italy, it is rarely grilled bone-in ($38) and accompanied by blueberry compote like it is here. “If you served that in Italy, they’d look at you like you’re crazy,” says co-owner Silvio Spano. His executive chef and co-owner Mario Feola should know. He once headed up a restaurant in Italy known as U Pazz (which roughly translates to “the crazy one” in a Neapolitan dialect).
Gustave Dore lithographs are scattered about the place, but otherwise decor is contemporary and simple (halogen lights, crackle glass and a copper bar with a granite top). But the focus is on food and service anyway, with most of the staff having earned their stripes at high-end restaurants around the world. The Ceno team eschews pre-made food items, so nearly everything is made in-house, including bread, charcuterie, pickles and tofu (as part of the cosmopolitan tapas menu). As sous chef Bruno Soleri puts it, “passion is the main ingredient.” And with no shortage of well-established restaurants in the vicinity, Ceno will need as much of that ingredient as it can spare.
Ceno, 137 Avenue Rd. (at Bernard Ave.), 647-352-8822, ceno.ca.
This is good to see. I went to this resto a week ago while with friend’s after shopping at Whole Foods. The food was spot-on. I’m a bit of a fussy eater in the sense that i tend to get my food comp’d because often it’s just pretentious or tries to be something it shouldn’t.
The food was great.. i had the wild boar ragu, and with the truffle oil on top it had so much depth of flavour.
It’s also nice to go to a place where the front of house staff are also very genuine and are interested and passionate about the food. They’re so invested in it.
You demand to get your food comp’d if it’s pretentious?
No – he’s pretentious and he complains his way to getting free food.
No. Having traveled the world and eaten everywhere, I refuse to pay for food that is crappy, and not up to the quality I expect. I only complain if there’s a problem with it.. if there is, I won’t eat it. That was one of my points about the CENO place.. it was just spot on, and the quality was there. It’s one of those places (and i have a few i go to here in TO) where you know you’re going to get some stellar quality cuisine and great service.. as opposed to touristy places which treat you just as a nobody.
Rob, where else in Toronto do you eat?
Rob, you sir are a douche.
I live really close to this restaurant and went in the other night. I had a fantastic time, great service and the food….it really was amazing. I had the Venison and it was so tasty! The truffled potatoes and the Italian plums were fantastic as we had some tapas to start.
I’d recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food, service and atmosphere.
I totally love both the food and the ambiance at this restaurant. Any serious chocoholic must try their “flourless chocolate cake” – probably the closest I will ever get to divinity!
From the service to the food to the aroma, everything is perfect! The salmon was amazing, perfectly cooked and in one of the best sauces I’ve ever tasted. I will definitely be going back here!
Dined here the other night and it was a very pleasant surprise! Great atmosphere, attentive staff and the food was really tasty. Would highly recommend the trip! Best risotto I’ve had in a very long time….better than in Italy!
So great to see Italian classics with a twist! My experience here the other night was second to none and I plan to return very soon! the flourless chocolate cake was a total treat with a nice little “surprise” :)
I think that if someone has high standards for food and experienced fine cuisine .. then yes, the restaurant should meet its expectations. Sounds like people are happy with this place.. and no, I don’t that Rob is a douche!
Thank god it’s not a terroni where service is the pits and god forbid you complain. Go CENO! all the best
I LOVE this new restaurant! The tapas are superb. The mixtures of flavours are out of this world. The menu is imaginative and varied — including equine tartare! And, yes. No wonder that everyone raved about the chocolate cake. It is unforgettable. I can still close my eyes and savour it. By Louise
Good job on reviewing this restaurant, Toronto Life…I went to Ceno last Friday and totally agree.
We found the food to be amazing, the service attentive and animated (these guys make you feel like you’re in Italy!!)and they even have live music on weekends, which really made our anniversary dinner even more special!
Looking forward to making my way through the menu!
Well the foods from what I have read seems delish, I must try this place out. I just want a recap on the $35 gnoochi? A lot of places make it home made but thats a tad expensive. Also, Northern Italy fortunate enough to have worked there and game meats are def very delish so that bison does tickle ones fancy. Maybe I can do a Rob and complain. Oh, and bc you eat around the world doesn’t mean you know food and what it should be. Sorry but thats just a ridiculous thing to say. I will take what all has written and go have a wonderful dinner with my significant other….
If you think the $35 gnocchi that is handmade and totally inundated with lobster isn’t worth the cost, you should go across the street and try the $45 so-so risotto!
Wow, I guess us poor folk don’t get to eat at fancy restaurants. I will just see if I can make my own version, Hot diggity damn $45 for risotto? Whats is going on here. Umm I think the pursuit of making good food cheap has to begin in this city.
A group of friends and I went to this restaurant last night. We each ordered something different so we could try different dishes.
The appetizers were pretty standard, no complaints at all. We had equine tartare, calamari, and scallops.
Our mains were equine filet mignon, quail, venison, lobster, and lamb shank.
The steak was PERFECTLY done, rare. No complaints. Nice and tender, no after taste (like with beef), and somewhat sweeter than a beef steak.
The quail was done with a unique combination of spices and I was expecting it to be dry (most places over cook the small birds) but it was surprising moist and flavourful. My friend practically licked his plate clean.
We had the venison, medium rare. I really liked the venison. It retained that delicious game-y taste and was a perfect combination of chewiness and tenderness!
Lobster was superb! A lot of places overcook lobster but this lobster was so soft and just right. When we got it at our table it wasn’t chewy and over done! YUMMY!
I’m not a lamb fan so I didn’t try any of the lamb. Unfortunately, I can’t comment on it.
DESSERT!
Hands down, this place has the best dessert any of us had ever tried! Between the 6 of us, we tried all of the desserts except for the cheese platter.
The chocolate cake is like sex in your mouth. It was soooo rich and smooth! I loved it. If you’re a fan of sweet desserts and chocolates, this is for you.
Red wine sorbet with coffee foam: we were all really curious how red wine sorbet would taste, and it turned out amazingly well done! The sorbet has a natural fruity sweetness (not sugary!), combined with the coffee, it’s an indescribable sensation! TRY IT!
The stewed pear was amazing! We imagined it being served warm but it came out chilled with a side of french vanilla ice cream (makes sense, because the ice cream would melt super fast in a warm dessert). I think it was a great idea, because the pear tasted crispier and juicier, served cold! The pear was a beautiful, brilliant garnet colour (it must have been stewed thoroughly!!). We loved this one.
For ppl who don’t like desserts that are overly sweet, I recommend the lemongrass panna cotta or the ricotta and almond cake. The lemongrass panna cotta had the definite hint of lemon grass but was also very creamy and just a hint of sweetness. It’s not so creamy that it will make you sick; it was just right!
The ricotta and almond cake has a texture similar to rice pudding, but where rice pudding is super sweet, the ricotta was sweetened just right! I think this is a more filling dessert that won’t turn you off with sugariness.
Overall, i really like this new restaurant and will definitely be coming back and bringing more friends! I’m looking forward to trying the gnocchi next time, and having more of the absolutely amazing desserts.
i went to this place yesterday. I eat at the best restaurants in the world and if i don’t like my food somewhere then I send it back and demand my whole meal is comp’d and a free bottle of dom perignon. i went to this place and everything was perfect. the gnocchi for 35 dollars was amazing and a total bargain. the desserts were the best the city has ever seen. the meats were perfectly cooked. perfectly. perfectly. it’s much better than the place across the street which charges so much more – somehow – for everything. and better than terroni, because comparing a place that does 15$ pizzas with a place that does $35 pastas totally makes sense.
this may be the worst comment thread ever.
Rob in Metal Mickey clothing
Best dessert in the city… Earth Rosedale, the French Toast. OMG. Nuff said.