New restaurant flexes its mussels on Ronscesvalles

Review by Michael Vaughan
(Published January 14 , 2000)

It was exactly a year ago that restaurant manager Frank Colanardi and chef Najib Konyar were convinced by a Roncesvalles-area property owner to become partners in Domani, a new restaurant in the increasingly popular High Park east area.

For the past five years, Colanardi, who once studied chemical engineering, successfully managed the Annex's trendy Serra at Bloor and Spadina with chef Najib at the stoves. Originally from Afghanistan, Najib loves Italian, having worked at Aqua, Bellini's and Verona. Wearing his baseball cap backwards, he and his two sous-chefs tackle his kitchen in a most enthusiastic manner.

Construction began in January 1999. But unreliable contractors and a maze of by-laws held the opening up until the fall, giving "Domani", Italian for tomorrow, some ironic flavour. Fortunately, there's nothing "domani" about the prompt and pleasant service. Better still, prices are reasonable and portions adequately sized -- all ingredients in a recipe for success.

Bistro-like, the seating is quite comfortable despite firm, modern minimalist chairs. And this is one place that really takes care of its non-smokers. Smokers are relegated to a small downstairs lounge.

Oil and balsamic sit tastefully on each table. Three types of bread are served (warm on one visit, cold on the others) accompanied by a delicious homemade spread. My visit brought with it a wonderful, pungent, tangy black olive tapenade; my second time around, a very tasty purée of olive-oil-infused, garlic-laced, white kidney beans.

There are nine salads and appetizers. At $5.50 is a rather creative, crisp romaine lettuce with Caesar dressing, pickled garlic, sundried tomatoes and shaved Parmesan. At the upper end is a warm, hazelnut-crusted goat cheese with oven-dried tomatoes, baby spinach and Domani's own dressing ($7.95). For squid lovers, there's a reasonably priced ($7.50), so-so tender, grilled, spice-rubbed calamari with Cajun tomato salsa and balsamic dressing -- a tad small.

But the blue ribbon gets pinned on the large bowl of steamed, exceedingly fresh, plump PEI mussels ($7.50) in white wine, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, scallions, and hordes of fresh basil in a tangy tomato broth. I've already been back three times just for the mussels. So excruciatingly tasty, not even a few bad ones can keep me away.  

Six pastas are competently prepared: they range from a well-executed penne ($9.95) with smoked jalapeno, kalamata olives, garlic olive oil and fresh basil plum tomato sauce, to a good-to-excellent fusilli with roasted chicken, grilled eggplant and sweet peppers in a basil pesto tomato goat cheese cream sauce -- a mouthful to say never mind eat. The linguine with four medium-sized, black tiger shrimp (shell on to seal in the favour) and four mussels in a mint pecan pesto ($13.50) is worthy of mention -- even if it, too, didn't exactly err on the side of generosity.

Pizza fans have a choice of four 11-inch, thin-crust pizzas, from hot Italian sausage, charred onions, assorted peppers, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese ($9.95) to tomato sauce, grilled chicken, baby spinach, oyster mushrooms and mozz ($10.95).

And for the non-pasta-or-pizza person, a moist, baked Cornish hen ($13.95) with oyster mushrooms, roasted garlic mash potatoes, and sautéed rapini and mustard jus just hits the spot. Seen, but not sampled: a mango and apricot glazed Atlantic salmon with seasonal grilled vegetables ($15.50) and an attractive plate of seared sea scallops, tiger shrimp, and Portobello mushrooms with tomato orange and veal jus ($17.95).

A fairly reasonably priced wine list features mostly well-known LCBO General List items, but doesn't contain many must-trys. I'd pass on the bottle of Ecco Domani Chard ($23) and go for an identically-priced refreshing Henry of Pelham Riesling or, better yet, the New Zealand Wairau River Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($30).

Desserts ($5.50) include a fine honey crème brulée, an acceptable, if perhaps somewhat unexciting homemade Tiramisu, and a fairly rich, toffee apple cheesecake with a shortbread crust, topped with apple slices, caramel and a hazelnut buttercrunch. Your best bet, unfortunately is not from Domani's kitchen, but from Dufflet Pastry -- a rich, dense, flourless, chocolate mousse cake, sporting a side of sweet mango slices and sauce, whole strawberries, blackberries and a large fresh sprig of mint. So good, I return for it.

Locals are flocking here. Even though it can get somewhat noisy, you feel the positive rush of people enjoying themselves. Food fares from good to very good (three stars plus, really). If all dishes shined like the mussels, Domani could be five star. And while the total dining experience is somewhat casual, it definitely has an attractive flair. Yet one more reason to re-visit Roncesvalles.

Photo by Marijke Leupen
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