Buca

Cute interior and fun location.
The menu is interesting albeit overpriced.
We started with the cheese board and it was quite good.
I got gnocchi and it was fine, but definitely not special enough to warrant the steep price.
My boyfriend got the Branzino and that was amazing.
May or may not return.

What stood out was the really great service of all those involved here and my main course of gnocchi tasted excellent. It was just a small portion and I was still hungry even after the dessert. Really happy they carry Moscato D’asti a sweeter Italian wine it was divine. Disappointed with the deconstructed panna cotta — the meringues on top and lavender were not working for me and the fruit preserve inside didn’t help. Also wished they could split the bill. 5, stars for main course and wine, 4 star service, 2 stars dessert so I’ll round up to a 4.

Came here last night for a dinner with my friend. We ordered the bruschetta and crispy eggplant to start. The bruschetta was different, but really delicious, as for the eggplant it was delicious– one recommendation would be that it would be warmer when served. As and entrée I had the gnocchi, I was so rich and delicious. Cooked to perfection. We shared the brown butter adffogato as dessert, the ice cream was rich and delicious.
Overall the experience was great, very expensive, but delicious.

Our visit to Buca was extremely disappointing. I came here tonight with my two friends and we were extremely surprised as to how amazing the reviews are here. We ordered $ 130 of food with no drinks 3 entries and 1 appetizer so we were pretty pissed at our wallets being $ 130 light with terrible food and service. I’ve never minded spending money on food — as long as it serves up to it, but Buca did not. Our food was horrible and the pizza my friend had was the worst pizza shes had.
The service was good (when they were quick to take our coats) but our waiter was extremely rude up until we had to pay for our bill (she wanted a good tip).
I am so extremely disappointed in this restaurant especially with all the hype going around about it. I will not be back here and to all of you who are debating on «enjoying» some dinner who don’t bother. You’ll be $ 100 lighter and starving when you walk out that door.
Ps. The pictures I’ve uploaded might look good but don’t be fooled!

Delicious food and splendid service.
Started with the Bread Balls and Bruschetta. Followed by the Bulgogi Pasta, Branzino fish, and their Cauliflower dish.
Each dish was fresh, full of flavor, and creative. This was a great meal.

Came in on a Friday night to a pretty busy restaurant. Folks were really quick to check our coats. Tried the 3 cheese with bread knots. The bread knots had great flavor but were a bit too awkwardly hard. Cheese were very delicious. Great wine selection and grabbed a nice light bodied red. Our server recommended that we have try the blood pasta which was really quite spicy and the pizza. I thought it could have used more sauce. Nothing that special. For the price, I expected more from the food. Not running back anytime soon.

Place is alright, definitely not what everyone hypes it up to be.

I took my daughter here for her birthday and I have to say I haven’t had this high quality dining experience for a very long time. From the moment we walked in, we were treated extremely well. We were seated by the entrance and when we asked to move to another table because of the cold draft, they were so accomodating.
Our waiter was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions about the interesting dishes on the menu. He was also very helpful in pairing wines with our meal. We started with a bruschetta with warm fresh ricotta and figs. We knew right away when we tasted it that we were in for a superb meal.
As we waited for our selections to arrive, we felt very relaxed in the casual open dining area. Our waiter checked on us from time to time which was nice.
Our food arrived within a reasonable time. I had the sea bass with lentils with a beautiful glass of floral Pino Nero from Abbazia Di Novacella. My daughter had ravioli stuffed with goose. The guys both had a polenta dish with fall off the bone brisket served on a wooden board. All dishes were amazing. The flavours were intense and worked together perfectly. This is when food is art not just nourishment. This is fine dining not just a quick bite. This is food you savour and remember long after the evening is over.
But wait. It wasn’t over yet. This was a birthday celebration. We were going for the dessert menu! Just a few items but they all looked interesting. My husband couldn’t decide so asked our waiter from heaven, Steven, to choose one for him. He brought Sanguinaccio. It certainly wasn’t one I would have have chosen given one of the main ingredients was pig’s blood but when I had a taste, it was delicious. I’m serious! Just shows you should try to keep an open mind about food. This happens to be a very traditional Italian specialty.
I would have to say this was a perfect evening.

The funghi pizza is really good. I’d be interested in trying the tartufo pizza next.
The waiter didn’t seem to have an opinion about any of the dishes. If we asked him which dish he’d recommend over the other, he’d just say «apples and oranges». When we asked for a favourite or most popular dish, he’d respond with «it just really depends on what you like». I generally don’t love when waiters aren’t helpful with menu options, and this isn’t specific to Buca. I’m sure there are other waiters at Buca who are more helpful.
I gave it ³⁄₅ stars for the food we tried, but the funghi pizza is a ⁵⁄₅ (coming from someone who generally isn’t a fan of pizza).

Don’t believe the hype. The best thing place has going for it is the exceptionally maintained level of service from checking your coat to ordering the bill. They really set the bar high on customer accommodation.
As for the food… There’s something to be said when you walk out of a restaurant like this and you’re chowing down on tacos 30 minutes later because you are still hungry and already $ 200 light in your pocket.
We sampled the following (among a various wine offerings):
GNOCCHI AL POMODORO CRUDO
hand rolled ricotta dumplings, fresh tomato sauce, pesto genovese, fermented butter
— I do not recommend at all. Bland. Boring. Small Portion. High Price…
BEEF SHORT RIBS
— This was the best meal of the night by far. I would have this again, highly recommend it.
CHARCUTERIE BOARD
— This was good, but they delivered the board to the table barely empty. I thought there more was on the way, but I was wrong…
Everything that hit our table had a story appended to it. The staff seemed very passionate about their craft and the food they offer. But I think I will stick to Bar Buca should I offer up my patronage in the future.

This place is amazing.
+ Of course, the Bigoli ($ 21): Not sure if it is the the duck egg in this pasta or the chef’s impeccable timing but the chewiness of this pasta is al dente heaven
+ The service: from the host that enthusiastically answered my numerous questions on how to properly pronounce all the Italian words on their menu (did you know that Pesce is Pe-​SHAY, not Pes-​KAY?!) to the waiter that diligently offered to exchange my PORK BLOOD Chocolate Tart for a Lavender Peach Sorbet (both were equally weird but I didn’t want to trouble our friendly waiter for a return 2x. Just stick with the tried and true Tiramisu people)
+ Romantique and fun atmosphere

Buca is an absolute gem food-​wise, and the main reason why I take one star away is because I think the portions are too small for the price. I came here once in the summer and it was lovely sitting on their outdoor «patio» area which is tucked in a little alleyway. Service was pretty decent as well, they were knowledgeable and good about answering questions, of which we had many.
For starters, we ordered the nodini (warm bread knots, olive oil, rosemary, garlic) and the orrechio di maiale (crispy pig’s ears). A number of Unilocal reviews I read talked about how delicious the nodini was, and I thought it was pretty tasty, well-​seasoned bread, but end of the day it was just… bread. I enjoyed the crispy pig’s ears more, which were also well-​seasoned and felt kind of like eating chips and were just as addictive.
For mains, I ordered the bigoli (duck egg pasta) and my two friends got some kind of clam pasta and the vitello da latte (milk poached veal tenderloin.) First off, I really really enjoyed my pasta — there was a good balance of savoury and sweet flavours, the sauce was very creamy (probably because of the mascarpone), and the noodles were tougher than what is typical, but not in an unpleasant way; in fact, I actually quite enjoyed the texture of the noodles.
The clam pasta wasn’t bad, although my friend did comment that the flavour was kind of unexpected for her… not exactly the traditional clammy/​seafood flavour you normally find… maybe they used a different kind of sauce? The veal tenderloin, however, was such a standout dish, it was soooooo so soft and tender. To the point where my friend called it «euphoric.»
While absolutely delicious, the portions really were not that big, so we found ourselves sharing two desserts to end off our meal — tiramisu and a pork blood chocolate tart. One of Buca’s big things apparently is that they use unconventional and (for some) slightly frightening ingredients in their dishes, like pork blood, horse eye, lamb’s brain, etc. The pork blood didn’t really add any special flavour to the tart, but maybe changed the texture a little so that it seemed more gelatinous? Overall nothing to fear though. There were some nuts sprinkled on top, and the tart was very rich… something chocolate-​lovers would enjoy. From what I remember of the tiramisu (clearly wasn’t that memorable), it was good but I think didn’t have enough bread/​biscuit in it and was too liquid-​y for my liking.
Drinks-​wise, they have some decent cocktails, mine wasn’t memorable but my friend got one that had olive oil in it which made the texture super smooth and she loved it.
My first experience here was fabulous, and I would love to come back to try other menu items. Again, I just wish their portions were bigger because a) they’re delicious and b) I’m a growing woman with a healthy appetite, so Buca will definitely be more of a «treat yo’self» thing for me rather than a regular dining spot.

Buca is seen as a King West staple which is understandable. They produce consistently good food. I was expecting to taste something unreal, but sadly it really wasn’t that amazing. I’m not saying the food was bad, I just expected more.
The service was phenomenal, our server was knowledgable and friendly and he made the experience fantastic.

I’ve been here a couple times now and both times very satisfied.
The service is excellent and really attentive. Our server also made great recommendations.
This latest adventure we got pig ears, lamb brains, and bread knots. The pig ears were pig ears. The lamb brains and knots were super tasty.
For entrees we got the duck egg pasta and the pork blood pasta and both were delicious. The servers also explain each dish beforehand.
Dessert we shared the pork blood gnache tart and it had a rich flavour. My date was full before dessert but once she tasted this all of a sudden she was hungry again.
Overall an excellent experience.

Came here as part of a large party for dinner, so was able to try several items off the menu. I wasn’t blown away by the food. I don’t think this place lives up to the hype.
First off, before discussing the food, I want to note that I found a hair in my rainbow trout (which I know was definitely not my own). Another person in our group also found a hair in her food. This was quite off-​putting.
Onto the food — I really enjoyed the appetizers, but the mains and desserts didn’t impress me much. For the appetizers, the branzino (thinly sliced raw fish) was great. Nice texture, with tastes of lemon and olive oil. the deep fried seafood was also really nice. The seafood tasted really fresh. Charcuterie, squid pockets and oysters were good too.
For the mains, we tried duck yolk and black truffle pizza. I found the pizza to be too crispy and some parts were burnt. We tried two different pastas (one with tomato sauce and the other with duck in it), and while I enjoyed the texture of the pasta (you can tell its freshly made), I wasn’t overly excited about the flavour of the sauces. The rainbow trout was very nicely done and prepared. They open it in front of you — it’s covered in salt, basil and thyme (I think) and slowly cooked at a very slow temp. Side of green beans were good and flavourful. The zuchinni side was quite sour.
Desserts — the panna cotta was the hit at our table. Light and fluffy with sorbet underneath. Very nice light dessert. The olive oil cake was too dry and grainy. The semifreddo was really chocolaty and alcohol-​y (which could be a good thing if that’s what you’re after!). Tiramisu was too dense/​creamy for my liking.

Buca has a quaint beautiful patio tucked away from the main street that makes you feel like you’re in some alleyway in Europe. The atmosphere is beautiful and the service is attentive.
I went with some friends that ordered various pasta dishes and we got a wide array in portion size. I ordered the duck egg pasta ($ 21) that looked small at first but it turned out to be a decent portion. The cream and egg yolk sauce made it quite filling as well. The pasta was chewy and the sauce was delicious.
However, my friends that ordered the tortellini and raviolo did not receive that big of a portion. One piece of pasta for $ 24 is quite pricey, despite the fact that they got the yolk to ooze out when you cut into the pasta. Even though Buca uses the freshest ingredients, it can become an expensive meal if you want to get full (depending on what you order).
Overall, Buca is a great place to go if you’re looking for elevated culinary skills that showcase fine ingredients! I will definitely check it out again.

Come here for a nice date, special occasion, or just because you’re the man/​woman and want to treat yourself to an awesome meal
–Great wine selection
–CHARCUTERIE — They have amazing meat and cheese
–Home made pastas (home made everything actually)
–Wonderful environment
–Waitstaff treat you like a king/​queen
I arrived early and was waiting for my date, so the bar tender helped me choose what kind of wine to order. Before I even asked for his help he was asking me what kind of wine I was looking for (Red or White) and started guiding me through the wine list. I ended up choosing the Spumente because I love sparkling wines, and it was perfectly refreshing and a wonderful way to start the meal.
We got a cheese and charcuterie board to start, with a bread basket. He ordered the Duck Egg Pasta, while I got the Tortellini. Everything tasted amazingly fresh and was clearly made in house. Portions are small so you don’t feel overly full afterwards.
The tiramisu was our dessert but it was just O.K., nothing special so I would recommend you try something else instead of that.
Overall a wonderful dining experience – better than some other pricey restaurants in Toronto like Canoe. We can’t wait to come back here!

I find myself frequenting Buca whenever I’m in the mood for Italian.
My favourite things to get here are the Crispy pig ears, Bigoli duck egg/​ragu pasta and the Pomodoro Tartufo pizza.
The pig ears are crisp and salty. While the portion is on the smaller side, the Bigoli duck pasta is cooked perfectly al dente and the ragu has so much flavour and depth to it. And my absolute favourite dish is the Pomodoro Tartugo pizza. The ingredients are simple but everything comes together so well — the crust is crisp, the burrata cheese is light and runny, and the shaved truffle/​truffle oil tops off the entire thing.
Along with great ambiance/​décor and impeccable service, it easily makes Buca my go-​to restaurant for date night or really any occasion.

Our visit to Buca was deeply disappointing. After reading much reviews, we bought into the notion this was a great place for dinner. Sadly it is over-​hyped to be called one of the Top Restaurants in Canada.
Service was rude, derogatory and pejorative. Our server snickered when we declined to order wine. He questioned why we wanted to share appetizers, pizza and an entrée instead of offering us share plates.
Our Branzino took over 30 mins to arrive after we had almost finished our pizza.
I would not recommend Buca to anyone local nor visiting.
There are too many choices than to endure bad service.

I wonder if Hannibal Lecter eats here?
Lamb brains, anyone?
Sensing my curiosity, the charming waiter talked me into it by saying that it was «just a tiny bite».
Well, a tiny bite it wasn’t. In fact, two egg-​roll sized, bacon-​wrapped «lamb brains» showed up, with a side of (I think) pesto sauce.
It tasted like… monk fish liver.
If you don’t think about what you’re eating… it’s not off-​putting at all. I’m glad I tried it… and it’s now at the top of the «the weirdest things I’ve eaten» list, replacing kangaroo meat pizza (those Australians weren’t kidding).
Anyway — aside from that, I’d highly recommend the pig ears — a bit addicting, though too salty for my taste.
I’d skip the pig blood spaghetti — chewy, but no sense in paying $ 22 for pure shock value in food.
As for wine, if you like full bodied reds without tannins, try the 2011 Montalbera Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato L’Accento. Smooth!