Viva Italia! A Trip To Allegro Ristorante
In a past life, I am certain that I was Italian. My appreciation for sweet wine, ripe tomatoes, garlic, cheeses and strong herbs cause me to question my own heritage as a Polish Canadian and have me lingering at many of the storefronts and restaurants in Ottawa's Italian district.
In my quest to find the perfect Italian restaurant serving up the freshest of Italian ingredients, I came upon the beautifully staged Allegro Ristorante. Located on Preston Street in the heart of Little Italy, Allegro Ristorante lives up to it's slogan as being the "Finest of Italian Cuisine". I had the privilege of sitting down at the newly renovated venue while indulging on Allgro's most requested Italian fare. I was not disappointed.
Allegro Ristorante has long been listed as one of Ottawa's top Italian food destinations for the past nineteen years. Patrons have come to know the restaurant's unique approach to serving up mouth-watering Italian fare, one that is centred upon the traditional, takes its time and delivers impeccable results.
A year and four months ago, owner Steven Clyne made it his mission to take Allegro Ristorante to the next level in Italian cuisine. Eager to create the type of ambiance and warmth that is synonymous with the Italian culture, Mr. Clyne has brought about positive changes to the restaurant's atmosphere that is much appreciated by its regular patrons. I know that I appreciated it, when I entered the front doors and was at once taken by the new architecture which plays upon the notion of being inside a wine barrel, a warm and inviting feeling that reflects the service of the restaurant.
Thankfully for me, though changes have been made, Allegro Ristorante still serves up mouth- watering Italian fare, courtesy of Jason Low, head chef. I was amazed at the pride this chef took in creating his plates; each was more delicious than the last. Below is a recount of a delicious night out.
Calamari and Zucchini Fritti were promptly delivered with accompanying sauces. I must confess that I usually dislike fried zucchini sticks as I find most venues will saturate the vegetable in oil to the point beyond recognition and I was hesitant to subject my palette to the inevitable oil slick. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the lightness of the batter, the slight crunch of the zucchini skin and the zesty lemon and dill taste. I was shocked to find that my staff and I ate the entire platter! Scrumptious!
My colleague, being a self-professed connoisseur of all things calamari, delighted in the beautifully crispy overlay and the deliciously fleshy centre. Allegro was on a roll, however, we wondered if they would continue their success.
They did. I ordered the insalata di cecare and was not disappointed. The freshness of the house-made croutons perfectly accompanied the richness of the dressing. My colleague, who had ordered the insalata mista, a house salad, marvelled at the sweetness of the red peppers that perfectly complimented the acidity of the red wine dressing.
Our expectations, and hunger, grew as we each chose our main. I chose the Pollo Portafolio, chicken stuffed with cheese and prosciutto with fettuccini alfredo on the side and my colleague decided upon the Mignonette dello Chef, veal stuffed with ham and cheese in a black peppercorn sauce. The Pollo Portafolio was simply delicious and was visually stunning.
A crispy skin made way for tender chicken and melt-in-your mouth cheese. I was in heaven. The fettuccini was the perfect cook (al dente) and the alfredo sauce was rich and tasty. The tomato sauce that accompanied the chicken was fresh and sweet. My colleague marvelled at the tenderness of his veal and the thick bolognase that accompanied his side of spaghetti. After a full five minutes of deliberation and pessimistic thinking, my colleague and I could find nothing (nothing!) wrong with either of our plates. The sauces were perfectly suited and did not overpower the taste of the meat, the pasta was cooked to perfection...we were both extremely satisfied.
There are times when my colleague and I tend to skip dessert. Allegro, however, had served up such a feast that we couldn't possibly turn down a third round. My staff ordered the Torta al Fromaggio, a decadent, homemade Bailey's Expresso Cheese cake and I decided upon a desert that I normally dislike, the creme carmellata as a test to Allegro's ability to serve up the perfect creme brulee.
To say that the deserts were superior is an understatement. I, having disliked so many of the burnt offerings that pass themselves as creme brulee at so many restaurants, marvelled at the mouth-watering taste of the pumpkin spiced confection A true indulgence, I devoured every last drop. The cheesecake was exquisite. Fluffy and creamy with just the right amount of sumptuous, my colleague ate the entire thing in a matter of seconds. These were the best desserts we have had in a very long time.
Allegro Ristorante was one of the finest Italian restaurants we have visited in the Ottawa region. The food was delicious and the staff was very accommodating. It is sometimes difficult to find an Italian restaurant that succeeds in delivering the generosity and love that is so inherent to the Italian culture. However, Allegro's passion for Italian flavours and warm hospitality make it a staple in Italian cuisine. If you are like me and consider yourself a lover of all things Italian, Allegro Ristorante is for you. Now that's amore!
Restaurant Rating: * * * * *
Anastasia
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| Yours Truly, at Allegro Ristorante. |
In my quest to find the perfect Italian restaurant serving up the freshest of Italian ingredients, I came upon the beautifully staged Allegro Ristorante. Located on Preston Street in the heart of Little Italy, Allegro Ristorante lives up to it's slogan as being the "Finest of Italian Cuisine". I had the privilege of sitting down at the newly renovated venue while indulging on Allgro's most requested Italian fare. I was not disappointed.
 |
| Allegro Ristorante, Ottawa, Ontario. |
Allegro Ristorante has long been listed as one of Ottawa's top Italian food destinations for the past nineteen years. Patrons have come to know the restaurant's unique approach to serving up mouth-watering Italian fare, one that is centred upon the traditional, takes its time and delivers impeccable results.
A year and four months ago, owner Steven Clyne made it his mission to take Allegro Ristorante to the next level in Italian cuisine. Eager to create the type of ambiance and warmth that is synonymous with the Italian culture, Mr. Clyne has brought about positive changes to the restaurant's atmosphere that is much appreciated by its regular patrons. I know that I appreciated it, when I entered the front doors and was at once taken by the new architecture which plays upon the notion of being inside a wine barrel, a warm and inviting feeling that reflects the service of the restaurant.
 |
| Steven Clyne, Owner, Allegro Ristorante. |
Thankfully for me, though changes have been made, Allegro Ristorante still serves up mouth- watering Italian fare, courtesy of Jason Low, head chef. I was amazed at the pride this chef took in creating his plates; each was more delicious than the last. Below is a recount of a delicious night out.
That's Amore
We were at once greeted by a gracious and attentive host, Mme. Marie Frédérique Ouellet, whose bright smile and soothing accent made us feel comfortable and well taken care of. To fight off the chill of a crisp, fall night, we started with glasses of the sweet house Pinot Grigio Chardonnay and ordered off the antipasti caldi menu.Calamari and Zucchini Fritti were promptly delivered with accompanying sauces. I must confess that I usually dislike fried zucchini sticks as I find most venues will saturate the vegetable in oil to the point beyond recognition and I was hesitant to subject my palette to the inevitable oil slick. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the lightness of the batter, the slight crunch of the zucchini skin and the zesty lemon and dill taste. I was shocked to find that my staff and I ate the entire platter! Scrumptious!
 |
| Zucchini Fritti, Allegro Ristorante. |
My colleague, being a self-professed connoisseur of all things calamari, delighted in the beautifully crispy overlay and the deliciously fleshy centre. Allegro was on a roll, however, we wondered if they would continue their success.
They did. I ordered the insalata di cecare and was not disappointed. The freshness of the house-made croutons perfectly accompanied the richness of the dressing. My colleague, who had ordered the insalata mista, a house salad, marvelled at the sweetness of the red peppers that perfectly complimented the acidity of the red wine dressing.
Our expectations, and hunger, grew as we each chose our main. I chose the Pollo Portafolio, chicken stuffed with cheese and prosciutto with fettuccini alfredo on the side and my colleague decided upon the Mignonette dello Chef, veal stuffed with ham and cheese in a black peppercorn sauce. The Pollo Portafolio was simply delicious and was visually stunning.
 |
| Pollo Portifolio, Allegro Ristorante. |
A crispy skin made way for tender chicken and melt-in-your mouth cheese. I was in heaven. The fettuccini was the perfect cook (al dente) and the alfredo sauce was rich and tasty. The tomato sauce that accompanied the chicken was fresh and sweet. My colleague marvelled at the tenderness of his veal and the thick bolognase that accompanied his side of spaghetti. After a full five minutes of deliberation and pessimistic thinking, my colleague and I could find nothing (nothing!) wrong with either of our plates. The sauces were perfectly suited and did not overpower the taste of the meat, the pasta was cooked to perfection...we were both extremely satisfied.
There are times when my colleague and I tend to skip dessert. Allegro, however, had served up such a feast that we couldn't possibly turn down a third round. My staff ordered the Torta al Fromaggio, a decadent, homemade Bailey's Expresso Cheese cake and I decided upon a desert that I normally dislike, the creme carmellata as a test to Allegro's ability to serve up the perfect creme brulee.
To say that the deserts were superior is an understatement. I, having disliked so many of the burnt offerings that pass themselves as creme brulee at so many restaurants, marvelled at the mouth-watering taste of the pumpkin spiced confection A true indulgence, I devoured every last drop. The cheesecake was exquisite. Fluffy and creamy with just the right amount of sumptuous, my colleague ate the entire thing in a matter of seconds. These were the best desserts we have had in a very long time.
 |
| Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulée, Allegro Ristorante. |
Allegro Ristorante was one of the finest Italian restaurants we have visited in the Ottawa region. The food was delicious and the staff was very accommodating. It is sometimes difficult to find an Italian restaurant that succeeds in delivering the generosity and love that is so inherent to the Italian culture. However, Allegro's passion for Italian flavours and warm hospitality make it a staple in Italian cuisine. If you are like me and consider yourself a lover of all things Italian, Allegro Ristorante is for you. Now that's amore!
Restaurant Rating: * * * * *
Anastasia
