IF THE FIRST rule of assessing a restaurant’s chance of success is location, location, location, what to think about a place that is below ground on a rather desolate stretch of Dupont Street? This is not the first eatery at this address, so it does give me pause.
However, on the other side of the scale is that this new project is owned by Joe and Mike Ferraro, the most wellentrenched dining spot on the stretch of Eglinton between Avenue Road and Bathurst Street. These guys are not novices, having racked up 16 solid years.
On this particular drizzly Saturday evening, I am cheered to see many occupied tables. If you have dined at Ferraro, you barely need to glance at the menu at Diverso. The usual appetizers, salads, pastas and pizzas are offered, but that is a good thing. The management is wisely building on a successful formula.
Once again, I test the kitchen’s rendition of grilled calamari. Eureka — they get it right! A huge mound of arms and tentacles arrive, properly charred on the outside yet escaping the tough-asrubber- bands trap that ensnares so many chefs ($14).
Cozze seducente (mussels) arrive as another huge serving — way beyond appetizer proportions.
They can be ordered with either a white wine or tomato broth with garlic and fresh herbs. We choose the latter, and they are fabulous: plump, juicy and zesty. At $12, one could easily make this a dinner. It occurs to me, not for the first time, that simply because something is not novel does not make it unremarkable. Anything done well is worthy of praise, and these mussels succeed in their mission.
The spaghetti with lamb ragù evokes a brilliant meal in Tuscany.
The addition of green peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms provided lacks texture, but I would have enjoyed a little more lamb in this ragù ($17).
There are 20 pizzas listed, and it takes a Herculean effort to stick to one. Sofia beckons with her offerings of the mandatory tomato sauce with mozzarella elevated with the addition of portobello mushrooms, fire-roasted onions, smoked bacon and fresh herbs and spices.More than a mere nod, these ingredients are bold.
Big chunks of portobello impart an earthiness that enhances the underlying sauce.The bacon used is diced and semi-crisp. As for the crust, well, I am a thin crust gal. Thicker around the edges and slightly blackened by the oven, but sturdy enough to barely hold the toppings, I cannot find anything not to love ($13).
After such a meal, dessert is to be shared — and the ubiquitous tiramisù is the chosen one. It is so good I can hardly stop ($7). But, will it work here? Diverso seems to be courting the university crowd and offers some spectacular specials.We see lots of young folks around, so it seems to be working.