When my wife and I were going to be making a random stop in Belleville for a couple nights, I did…read moremy thing and looked up what to do and eat while in town. I'm from an even smaller town, so I'm used to short lists for those things, but I was glad when I randomly came across The Lark. It wasn't on one of the review sites or a travel blog, but just simply perusing the downtown landscape on Google Maps.
Their space on Bridge Street is airy and spacious, but the small footprint keeps things intimate, with a stunning bar that beckons to slake your thirst.
Although the restaurant's name isn't on-the-nose Italian, the menu is very much so. With a handful each of primi, secondi and dolci, chances are that you won't suffer from choice paralysis while ordering, but what they have is nonetheless quite enticing.
Burrata is always an easy choice, especially at a restaurant like The Lark where you know you're going to get good quality cheese and accoutrements. They didn't disappoint! The milky, semi-solid cheese paired well with tender hunks of sweet butternut squash and the crisp savouriness of fried sage. Pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts brought some sweetness and crunch, while house-made sourdough was good enough to be eaten on its own.
For my main, I went with the beef cheek pappardelle. The succulent shreds of cheek took the place of ground beef in the rich Bolognese, and my taste buds were all the better for it. The fresh pappardelle was luxuriously tender, with its delicate folds sopping up all that delicious sauce. Rounded out with parm and basil, it shows that you don't have to recreate the wheel to make an excellent dish.
My wife's brown butter gnocchi was no slouch either, with a decadent cream sauce, and nice hint of char to the lovely and light pasta pillows.
Not to be beaten, the apple cobbler was absolutely amazing. Definitely sized for two, but no judgment if you solo it, every part was fall dessert perfection.
Service was wonderfully knowledgeable on the food and drink side, as well as friendly and easygoing. I was getting strong owner-vibes, but I'm too lazy to do the amount of Googling required for a confirm.
The Lark is getting done dirty by the algorithm on the major review sites and if they won't loudly announce their possession of the title as "best restaurant in Belleville", I sure will.
