Agio

Agio is our favourite go to restaurant whenever we come to Toronto and Chef Marino never disappoints!! The casual, intimate atmosphere is fun and the food is always fresh and delicious. If you are a lobster fan, the Lobster Ravioli with Alfredo sauce is to die for!!!

We had a wonderful meal here on Valentine's Day. It was one of the best pasta dishes I have had in my entire life! Really nice atmosphere and the place is filled with these great illustrations of like 100 different people. You really get a sense of community there, and deep pride in what they do. Thanks so much for a lovely evening! See you soon!!

A wonderful surprise!. Never judge a book by it's cover. While wandering the Corso Italia on a Monday evening a sandwich board sign advertising Lobster Ravioli caught our eye. When we walked into Agio our first impression was: "Uh Oh, the place is empty and the guy in the chef's duds is Asian." Despite our apprehension we decided to stay, and thank goodness we did!!

The owner/chef - Marino - greeted us warmly and immediately engaged us in conversation. This was the next twist in the visit. The man's accent is very unusual, we just couldn't place it. Upon asking we learned that he had studied cooking and worked in Italy (for nine years), that his first language was Korean, his second was Japanese, and his third is Italian and his fourth is English. And that certainly explained why we couldn't place his accent.

Now on to the next twist. This Korean chef is a master of Italian cuisine. Upon his recommendation we ordered the Trio of Bruschetta, which included Grilled Mushroom, Roasted Peppers and a traditional Tomato Bruschetta. Each and every iteration of this classic Italian appetizer was marvelous. We could have sat there and eaten plate after plate accompanied by delicious pinot grigio all night long. Mushroom lovers will love the giant King Oyster mushrooms in a reduced balsamic sauce, the sweet peppers are drizzled in a fantastic olive oil and the tomato bruschetta was wonderfully balanced (not too soggy), all of this served on toasted baguette with a crunchy crust but soft, fluffy and buttered on the inside.

Then the star dish came out: the Lobster Ravioli. What can we say? There were five big pieces of ravioli generously stuffed with tender and sweet lobster meat, in a lovely cream sauce with pesto lightly drizzled on top and some fresh tomatoes. It was a symphony of perfectly balanced flavours.

Marino treated us at the end of our meal with a free Tiramisu for us to share, and it was one of the best we've ever had. Perfect lady fingers in coffee liqueur and heavenly mascarpone were matched perfectly by a delicious coffee to complete the dessert.

We loved it so much we had to return. Upon returning we enjoyed the sauteed mussels and clams as well as the seafood spaghetti. All his seafood is fresh and delicious, perfectly cooked so as never to be rubbery, and the tomato sauce is always balanced with no acidity and gently spiced to give it some body. We also learned the crème brûlée would be one of the best we've ever had. It had an incredibly thick crust, came out still warm, with a lightly sweet and velvety smooth interior.

This spot is a hidden gem in the neighborhood, one not to be missed by food lovers. ENJOY!