You can go wrong with finding a classic Italian restaurant within the Little Italy. Impasto, locating on Dante St., is known for serving one of the best pasta in town. Stefano Faita, a TV chef and cookbook author (who’s family also owns the Quincaillerie Dante right across the restaurant), teamed up with Michele Forgione, who is the former executive chef at Osteria Venti. For the past few months before the holiday, I have heard my friends marvel about how amazing Impasto was. Therefore, I’ve been anticipated to give it a try.
Whenever I try a new restaurant, I would most likely to go during the lunch time, unless they only open for dinner services. The menu is short and simple. It consists of 2 appetizers, 3 mains, and 2 desserts for customers to choose from. It didn’t take long for my friend and I to decide what we want.
Appetizer: Celery and duck prosciutto soup – Since the weather is cold, I opted for the soup. The soup was thick and heartwarming. The flavors all blended really well, with a bit of smokey taste from the prosciutto.
Appetizer: Smoked salmon crostini – The crostini are topped with pickled celery and watercress. The pickled celery added extra flavor to the crostini. The saltiness kind of enhanced the natural sweetness from the salmon.
Main: Fusili with beans, chickpea, kale, and pecorino – The fusili were a bit softer than I was expecting. Moreover, the flavor was a bit bland, though the parmesan did help to save the dish a bit. The portion was just right for ladies, but I’m afraid that it would be a bit small for gentlemen.
Main: Squid ink tagliatelle with scallops and lemon pangratatto – The tagliatelle was better than the fusili, at least the pasta was al dante. Unlike the fusili was too bland, this was too salty.
Dessert: Panna cotta – We both opted for the panna cotta as dessert. It definitely saved the entire dining experience. It is light and silky, with the sweet and sour taste from the apples were just right on the spot. Definitely a great one to finish the meal.
The ambiance of Impasto is rather laid back and casual. Though the mains did not quite lived up to our expectations, we can still feel that the top quality fresh local market ingredients are used, and well-prepared. Would I come back again? Yes. I would still like to try out other items on their menu before I make any final judgements.
Impasto
48 Rue Dante, Montreal
Tel: (514) 508-6508
To never miss a post, follow Eat with Eva on Facebook and Instagram or simply subscribe! 🙂
I like how you mentioned that it is a good choice to try a new restaurant during lunchtime. My sister mentioned to me last night that she is planning to try Italian cuisine for her birthday next week asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I’ll be sure to tell her that we can try the Italian restaurant that I know as they have good reviews.