4Zucca Trattoria

Andrew Milne-Allan’s carrot-top may have dimmed slightly in the three decades that he’s been producing superlative edible Italiana in Toronto, but his cooking has not. And nor has his commitment to the craft. Most chefs of his age and stature would have passed off the nightly grind to a sous-chef long ago, but go to Zucca, and you can see the string-bean carrot-top in the kitchen — every night. Which explains why Zucca is still delectable after 15 years. Chef makes his own pastas, and sauces them according to the season. Spring brings sweet little fava beans and local wild mushrooms with fresh ricotta. Winter is Berkshire sausage spiked with pecorino and rapini. His grilled orata is superlative, its skin crackling crisp, its flesh sweet and moist. His meats are always perfectly cooked and often with throwaway lines like a stuffing of fresh mozzarella and greens. For dessert his cornmeal pudding with lemon curd and blueberry is irresistible. Add the suave and attentive service to that mix, inhale deeply, and swoon.