A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a media luncheon at Mistura. It's a lovely upscale restaurant that serves contemporary Italian cuisine. Mistura is run by a long-time restaurateur, Paolo Paolini, who has owned several restaurants throughout the years including the critically-acclaimed Splendido, which he sold in 1996. Soon after his departure from Splendido, he opened Mistura with Chef Massimo Capra in 1997 to positive reviews. The restaurant has been in business for 19 years, and is still thriving today as a result of their ever-changing menus, and warm hospitality.



Mistura is all about proving a pleasant dining experience, as they care about the quality of the food, and
hospitality. As a result of their efforts, Mistura was awarded the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina in December 2015 for their Italian cuisine.




Chef Massimo Capra no longer helms the kitchen, and has passed it on to Chef Klaus Rohrich, who has worked in the kitchen of Mistura and Sopra for several years. Chef Klaus Rohrich may not be Italian, but he certainly knows how to take simple Italian cooking methods, and elevate it. With that being said, the menu at Mistura draws inspiration from traditional Italian cooking, but combines it with local, seasonal ingredients when possible. The menu changes seasonally, and we got a taste of the new spring menu at the luncheon.

Prior to our meal, we were treated to an array of small bites including a selection of Chef Klaus' signature charcuterie, pistachio infused mortadella, capicollo, bresaola, lonza affumicata.



My favorite starter was the crispy gulf shrimp and cantaloupe trusses, which were delectable. The sweet sauce and cantaloupe trusses were the perfect complement to the lightly coated shrimp.




We were treated to a plate containing a trio of appetizers; the balsamic glazed Ontario lamb riblets coupled with minted yoghurt, Ontario wild boar agnolotti in sundried sour cherry jus, and crispy fried artichoke with "gribiche". I would definitely come back just to order a platter of the Ontario lamb riblets, as it was that good. Normally, I find lamb hard to eat, as it's quite tough and potent sometimes. However, the Ontario lamb riblets served at Mistura were surprisingly tender, and the sticky Balsamic glazed perfectly coated the ribs.



Next up was a refreshing salad, radicchio salad - with apples, Asiago, pomegranate, black walnuts, and empire apple cider vinaigrette. The richly scented Asiago cheese combined with the sweetness of the apples, and pomegranate make this a very interesting combination dish.



Chef Klaus Rohrich delivers a delicious entree; ballotine of organic free range chicken, squash puree, roasted brussels sprout leaves, roasted buttercup squash and butter sage crackling. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and sat in a layer of velvety-like squash puree. I also really enjoyed the butter sage crackling, as it provided a nice crunch to the dish.



Lunch was rather filling, but we ended the lunch with the Mistura Inverted Cassata for dessert. It was a refreshing dessert, and rather light as well. Great way to end a meal!


Despite it being a fine-dining establishment, Paolo Paolini prides himself on providing a warm and upscale atmosphere with no hint of pretentiousness. All of the staff members are friendly, quick without being too overbearing that you feel rushed. Private functions are also available as Mistura has two private dining rooms. Additionally, the upstairs level of the restaurant is Sopra, the second-floor event space which can seat up to 110 people.


Address: 265 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 1J9