We checked out the popular casual Italian dining destination, Levetto, for a Sunday Feast at the Sudbury St. location situated across from 99 Sudbury St.
Taking on the approach that Italian food doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated to be good, we sampled a smorgasborg of fresh Italian salads, pastas and pizzas all made from scratch in a family style setting.
Our Sunday Feast at Levetto’s Sudbury St location was led by Chef Shahir Massoud – recognizing me first from somewhere and it took me some checking to remember exactly where.
It turns out I first met him at Diner en Blanc 2012 where he was hosting a group of friends at a table alongside Chef Scott from Culinary Adventures Co. Seeing that I was roaming around taking pictures of the event, they were friendly enough to insist that I take a break from photos and enjoy some of their chicken liver pate. Great hospitality (and memory!) by nature.
Take for example, Margherita Pizza, an Italian classic that’s stood the test of time with so few ingredients that technique and freshness of the components: fresh basil, tomato sauce and Fior de Latte have to take centre stage and that they all do.
The crust is generously thick but fluffy with light air bubbles.
Margherita pizza with Fior de Latte, crushed tomato sauce, fresh basil
Levetto seems to definitely be generous with their using olive oil as you can see it puddling in the fresh basil leaf in this Pollo Toscano pizza. Bring it on.
Pollo Tuscano with seasoned chicken breast, tomato pesto, Fior de Latte, red onion, sundried tomato, fresh basil
Don’t forget about Levetto’s pastas. I really enjoyed the Carbonara and Trecce pasta dishes.
Carbonara pasta with smoked bacon, cracked black pepper, egg, scallion, grana padano
Trecce pasta with garlic infused olive oil, chili flake, sundried tomato, goat’s cheese, arugula
A bonus was the delectable desserts including Warm Brown Butter and Coconut Semolina Cake topped with coconut icing and toasted pistachio. Only $6.
Warm Brown Butter and Coconut Semolina Cake with coconut icing, toasted pistachio
I also really enjoyed this Tiramisu with lady fingers soaked in espresso.
Tiramisu with espresso soaked lady fingers, mascarpone cream, coulis, shaved chocolate
On their website, Levetto boasts “authentic Roman cuisine at fast food prices”. It seems to work well – while the shop was officially closed for dining during our private Sunday Feast, many customers were still happily coming in to order take out.
Also check out Shahir Massoud on Cityline demonstrating a recipe for blackberry mostarda.
I would definitely visit again for casual Italian comfort food at reasonable prices.
Levetto currently has 5 locations including 68 Sudbury Street and 940 College Street as well as Vaughan, Waterloo and Baden.
For more info visit levetto.com
Photos by Nick Lee
-
- Chef Shahir Massoud making fresh pasta
-
- Chef Shahir Massoud teaching guest, Mara Shapiro, how to make fresh pasta
-
- Arugula salad with goat cheese, dried apricot, white wine vinagrette, pumpkin seed
-
- Arugula salad with goat cheese, dried apricot, white wine vinagrette, pumpkin seed
-
- Panzanella with grape tomato, Fior de latte, shaved red onion, house-baked focaccia crouton, baby spinach, fresh basil
-
- Smoked Proscuitto with speck, sweet medjool date sauce, fresh arugula, Fior de Latte, toasted almond
-
- Rigatoni with slow-braised beef ragu, grana padano, chive
-
- Funghi pizza with portobello, oyster, and cremini mushrooms and mascarpone, roasted garlic crema
-
- Funghi pizza with portobello, oyster, and cremini mushrooms and mascarpone, roasted garlic crema
-
- Carbonara pasta with smoked bacon, cracked black pepper, egg, scallion, grana padano
-
- Trecce pasta with garlic infused olive oil, chili flake, sundried tomato, goat’s cheese, arugula
-
- Pollo Tuscano with seasoned chicken breast, tomato pesto, Fior de Latte, red onion, sundried tomato, fresh basil
-
- Raddichio with fresh fruit (strawberries here), toasted almond, white wine vinaigrette
-
- Margherita pizza with Fior de Latte, crushed tomato sauce, fresh basil
-
- Gluten free pasta
-
- Warm Brown Butter and Coconut Semolina Cake with coconut icing, toasted pistachio
-
- Panna cotta with seasonal compote, crumbled amaretti cookie, cinnamon
-
- Tiramisu with espresso soaked lady fingers, mascarpone cream, coulis, shaved chocolate
