Adega Restaurante
33 Elm St.
416-977-9339
www.adegarestaurante.ca
Rating: ****
Dinner & drinks for 2: $65
While Portuguese food is varied, you are bound to find fresh fish and seafood on the menu.
Tonight, we want to elevate our palates and get away from the comfort foods of the season. Here at Adega (translation: wine cellar), we want to revel in delicacies from the sea.
Freshly made bread and olives are brought right after we’ve been seated and given menus, highlighting fresh fish from Portugal & Azores Islands, Canadian Maritime Lobster, Norwegian Cod, Tunisian Octopus and Thai Tiger Shrimp.
We decide to sample a bit of everything with the Oceano Platter ($35.00) — shrimp in piri-piri sauce, in-house smoked salmon, boneless butterflied grilled sardines, octopus carpaccio and squid atop grilled vegetables and pineapple. Salty sardines with tender meat, velvety salmon, squid that’s cooked to perfection.
Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon ($17.95) in a light leek cream sauce follows. The salmon is made in-house as are the noodles, which are thick and heavy. It’s a surprisingly hearty meal, thanks to the cream and dense noodles. And Adega’s Signature Mediterranean Octopus ($$26.95) features two humongous brick-hued arms, grilled and garnished with a tangy tomato, red onion and caper salsa.
It’s simply a seafood lover’s delight.
Dining out
Save Your Money
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to cut back on spending, don’t worry; you can still eat out and have a great meal. At Java House (537 Queen St. W.), you can have a good meal for under $10. Dishes to note? Its homemade tomato chickpea soup served with garlic toast, sandwiches and anything with noodles. Call 416-504-3025
Go Veggie!
Trying to incorporate more veggies into your diet? One of the best ways is to eat at Jean’s Vegetarian Kitchen (1262 Danforth Ave.). This Malaysian/Thai casual spot serves up hot, crisp spring rolls, fresh papaya and mango salads, comforting, nourishing soups and curries and noodle dishes that are health-conscious as well as delicious.
