Restaurant Review: Via Vai

Having lived and worked in the Bay and Wellesley neighbourhood for years, I always found myself heading north, south or east in pursuit of solid dining. A few months ago, I stopped in my tracks as I zipped by Grosvenor: something had changed. What was once merely the base of the Burano condos is now one of Toronto’s most beautiful restaurants. Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn inside…

The new resto on Bay St is stunning. Floor-to-ceiling windows, a striking mural (attn: Pollock fans), white leather benches and a futuristic wine display (which I deemed the “spine of wine”) all combine to create a modern and edgy space. No detail is spared. This, my friends, is Via Vai…

The elevated Italian joint isn’t just pretty: the kitchen (headed up by Executive Chef Joe Friday) puts out dishes that’ll have your taste buds jumping for joy. But if – and when – you go, skip the pizzas and go straight for the antipasti, insalate and secondi menu items. You won’t regret it. These guys are serious about their Italian ingredients which really shine through in the following dishes…

Parmigiana di Melanzane ($9) – Eggplant, fior di latte, the freshest and most fragrant basil peste I’ve had in a while, creamy ricotta (a tad salty for my palate) and a rich, chunky tomato sauce. Try pairing the antipasti with Pecorino (the wine, not the cheese).

Insalata Panarea ($12) – Crisp celery and fennel topped with delicious tuna (flown in from Italy), taggiasche olives and DOP parmigiano. The chickpeas add great texture and colour to the dish. This salad can stand alone as lunch or a light dinner.

Insalata Caprese ($14) – Simple, beautifully-plated and delicious. The heirloom tomatoes are packed with flavour and served with basil pesto, DOP buffalo mozzarella and a balsamic glaze.

Branzino ($26) – Do not leave without trying their perfectly-cooked sea bass. Stuffed with rosemary and topped with parsley, lemon and fennel, the dish had me reminiscing about our meals by the Mediterranean. Deboned tableside, this fish is reason alone to visit Via Vai.

Caramel Panna Cotta ($7) – Creamy, velvety panna cotta topped with thick caramel. This was the perfect dolci to end our meal with. Oh, and the Tortina Alla Pistocchi is basically heaven served on a board. Delightfully rich, moist and sitting on a bed of raspberry coulis, this dessert will have me coming back time and time again.

Hope you guys get a chance to check out Via Vai. The service is on point (which was not the case when the resto first opened), the dishes are unpretentious and pay homage to simple, Italian fare and the restaurant itself is breathtaking. I’m heading back soon to devour their brunch! But for now, I shall daydream about the branzino…

Special thanks to Via Vai for hosting us. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own.