Little Italy welcomes Garrison Creek – a show-stopping dining space specializing in traditional Italian cuisine boasting recipes made from scratch. The luxurious interior contrasts sleek white and black marble tables with luminated wood-panelled floors and velvet seating to bring together an approachable ambience that boasts both comfort and privacy. Garrison Creek welcomes both families, with their plentiful seating sections and an exclusive children’s menu, as well as lavish dinners with friends in their exquisite 8-seater private booth and live DJ.

Named after the creek that once existed in this exact location, owner Marianna Peluso Andreacchi and head chef Dino Cordileone pay tribute to the historical site by offering a rotating, vibrant menu to commemorate future momentous occasions for visitors. Garrison Creek’s vast array of apertivos, carne e pesce, pasta, and ravioli set the standards high for the culinary scene in Little Italy.

Apertivos like Carpaccio Di Manszo, Arancini Di Aragosta, and Olive Calde are classic dishes that bring a delicate taste of Italy by incorporating cheeses (like parmesan), bread, and house-pickled vegetables to start off the palate. Contrarily, the modern Italian appetizer, Gnocchi Poutine has a lighter flavour compared to the original Canadian version. Ricotta fries are tossed with buffalo mozzarella and 16-hour-reduced vino cotto gravy.

Garrison Creek also serves a wide selection of meats – Carne e Pesce – ranging from chicken breast, pork chops, fresh fish, mussels, and filet mignon. The Costine de Manzo is a slow-cooked braised beef short rib over a bed of mash potato puree and drizzled with a cabernet-spiced wine reduction – a tender and juicy combination.

The 10 unconventional types of hand-crafted ravioli have become the talk of the town. The ravioli itself is cooked to perfection; it carries an al dente texture with a hint of tenderness. My favourite is the Aragosta ravioli, which is stuffed with Atlantic lobster, mascarpone, sweet corn, and is elevated with a decadent lobster bisque and a lobster tail. For a more bold-flavoured ravioli, the porchetta ravioli is doused with a creamy parmesan sauce and contrasted with sweet maple pancetta.

Aragosta Ravioli stuffed with Atlantic lobster, mascarpone, sweet corn, lobster bisque and a lobster tail.

 

Porchetta Ravioli is doused with a creamy parmesan sauce and contrasted with sweet maple pancetta

Porchetta Ravioli is doused with a creamy parmesan sauce and contrasted with sweet maple pancetta

 

Mezza Luna Ravioli – deep fried ravioli, oozing with sweetened ricotta and chocolate stuffing and finished with organic honey

 

The list of wines and cocktails also do not fall short, especially with the expertise of mixologist Mana Moghadam (of Bar Reyna and Blowfish). The Alba is a pretty rose concoction with edible petals that resembles a sunrise. Pesca, a combination of gin, aperol, aperitivo rosato, and saffron oleosaccharum, is complimented with a dehydrated peach garnish, and gives off an effervescent peachy flavour despite its lack-of such ingredient. These drinks provide a magical linger on one’s taste buds and perfectly compliment the richer flavours of the pasta.

Using a modern-and-traditional culinary style that lets the ingredients speak for itself, as well as generous portion sizes, the newly-opened Garrison Creek distinguishes themselves amongst the restaurants in Little Italy as a delectable and classy choice for the community.

Photos by Nick Lee

http://garrisoncreekto.com/
760 College St
Instagram: @garrisoncreekto
Facebook: /garrisoncreekto

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