Prime Time

Toronto's steakhouse scene is sizzling with fresh new takes on an old-school indulgence

- BY JESSICA HURAS

FOR THEIR latest project, the team behind Giulietta and Osteria Giulia borrows American chophouse bones—prime cuts, tableside touches, stiff martinis—but swaps the usual dishes for ones rooted in Italian tradition.

Out goes the caesar, in comes gem and bibb lettuces in a yogurt-herb vinaigrette. Carne cruda topped with Cantabrian anchovy replaces tartare, and patate al formaggio stands in for potatoes au gratin.

Instead of a laundry list of cuts from a dozen farms, chef Rob Rossi keeps his menu focused: four cuts, all from Cumbrae’s, aged in-house for at least 60 days, trimmed, seasoned simply with salt, pepper and olive oil, and charbroiled. And five pages of the wine menu are devoted to standout Niagara producers. After all, you won't find a restaurant in Tuscany sourcing its supplies from overseas.

As for the space, it blends chophouse structure with Italian warmth. Oxblood leather booths and dark wood are softened by terrazzo flooring that unintentionally mimics cobbled streets. Overhead, a glowing orb anchors a ceiling that fans out like a Tuscan sunset.

But Sammarco provides old-school steakhouse service through and through, with tablecloths ironed before service and servers in pressed white shirts and black ties. The martini cart plays its part, but the negronis, mixed tableside to order, are pure Italian theatre.

For comfort food-craving carnivores

LINNY'S 176 Ossington Ave., linnysrestaurant.​com

AT LINNY’S, nostalgia isn't a gimmick; it's the foundation. Co-owner David Schwartz—best known for his Chinese cooking at Sunnys and Mimi—shifts gears here, returning to the eastern European flavours of his childhood. Linny's is named for his late mother, Linda, whose presence is felt in subtle details including her handwritten recipes, framed and hanging on the walls.