This one hits close to home not only because it’s literally down the street from us but because it made me feel like I was home with my grandparents in their restaurant.
Down by a quiet, otherwise forgotten street, in Queens Park lies a Victorian, sage coloured restaurant. Decorated with half cut lined-curtains, and windows holding Italian liquors and beers.
Reminiscent of my grandparents old restaurant Pacino’s, before we moved to our new location.
@idarestaurant feels like how old school Italy would have been. Step inside to darkness with the only exception of light bouncing from the tabletop candles situated on the steamed pressed, white tablecloths, & fresh flowers to match. It’s cosy, and super romantic with its walls consumed by eclectic vintage posters, hanging paintings of various renaissance works, & fiat 500 drawings to name a few.
Husband, Avi, an IT engineer & wife, Wenkert, a writer, named Ida after Avi’s Italian grandmother. Where both having no experience of owning a restaurant began cooking dishes inspired by her. Still today they pride themselves on cookings things rustic, not otherwise mirroring the latest pasta craze. All their pasta is made fresh everyday and rolled by hand.
The menu reads like a countryside restaurant, in Umbria, Italy. Think bresaola, shaved Grana Padano & rocket for starters, pappardelle Ragu for Primi and a cut of meat and potatoes for mains. Of course dessert comes easy with either tiramisu & affogato.
You could taste the love and effort that went into creating every bite, sauces tasted like hours of simmering, and pasta chewy almost al dente nods to how fresh it is. Truly authentic and gorgeous experience and we can’t believe we get to have this as our local.
