28Malena

The hottest spot in Toronto right now is that because it hits exactly the right notes – casual but clever, informal but with smooth service and fab food… and it’s the food of the moment: Malena’s turf is the Ionian Sea, the Mediterranean world of whole fresh bass, fritto misto and octopus, of impeccable pasta oftimes studded with more perfect sea creatures. The owners of L’Unita, who bring us Malena, are too clever to rely only on imported seafood. Instead they make good use of more local ingredients, using East Coast lobster to sweetened aromatic squid ink pasta jazzed with tomatoes and chiles, and perfectly braised local rabbit with creamy sheep's milk ricotta dumplings.