Paisano's Original Italian Garden Cafe, located in Willowdale, has been serving traditional Italian…read morecuisine for over 50 years. I'm just surprised I hadn't heard about this place before, and now I won't forget it!
To be honest, driving in, I wasn't expecting much from this plain grey building with a patio running past the length of the structure on the street side. Stepping inside revealed a whole different story. It was a lot more intimate and charming. Very nice!
While pondering the menu, we enjoyed some coffee - Cappuccino and Latte.
Our meal started with fresh bread, served with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and butter. Next was Antipasto, Escargot, and Calamari Frites. Everything was nicely presented and very tasty, with the calamari being one of the best I've ever had.
Our mains included a beautifully presented Halibut with Nori, Smoked Duck Parpadelle, and Italian Carbonara. Wow! If we ate only with our eyes, these dishes were already winners. The flavours, however, spoke even louder. Everything was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious, impossible to pick a favourite.
Of course, we couldn't come to an Italian restaurant without trying their pizza so we ordered one topped with Pepperoni. It was excellent, with a great crust and lots of pepperoni.
For dessert, we had their Tiramisu, an excellent finish to a very delicious meal.
This was another great outing, another great meal with dear friends. Kudos to our host, Jason, Chef Sri Sella, and the staff at Paisano's for the exceptional food and service! We'll definitely be back!