Il Covo Cicchetti E Vino, Toronto

I wish the lighting for the photos was better but the ambient lighting was very difficult for good photography.

This wonderful new Italian influenced cuisine is one of the best Italian dining experiences in Canada.

West Coast oysters topped with lemon pearles and Ligurian taggiasca olive oil. Very fresh and quite delicious.

Tremezzino frito: fried bread, B.C. side striped shrimp and bay scallop with smoked lemon mayo.

Tomato braised black cod  with basil, capers, Italian pine nuts and olive alle monacale.

Braised snail and mushroom stuffed house made pasta, cow's cream, goat butter and rosemary. The earthy flavour of the snails, mushrooms and rosemary contrasted well with the cream and goat butter.

Stella in brodo, a Sicilian inspired roasted buffalo ricotta dumpling in aromatic hen's broth.

Perhaps my favourite dish of the night, a truly delicious Calabrian nerizia liquorice braised beef brisket, cooked so perfectly juicy and tender, the perfect texture for this cut, accompanied by black salsify.

Fried potatoes, red onion, oregano and crisp peppers from Basilicata.

Grilled bone-in rack of lamb, cooked perfectly med rare-rare with graffiti eggplant, smoked potato and rosemary. The rendered fat of the meat was used to cook the crispy paper-thin slices of layers of potato, a great work of craft in itself.

Carrots roasted with Iberico (acorn fed pig) pork fat, with crisp lentils flavoured with "winter spice".

A mini cassata: sweet sheep's milk ricotta cake, pistachio, preserved cherry an citrus.

Fiorellino: a crisp pastry floret: presentation.

The Pastry floret being sauced with braised quince and caramelized white chocolate. A great finish to an exceptional eating experience.