where jess ate

There’s been a lot of action at the Yonge and Gerrard intersection in recent months with the opening of Reds Wine Tavern, Duke’s Refresher and now, Scaddabush (@SCADDABUSH). The restaurants are found in the recently-built Aura condos, so those condo-dwellers will definitely be well fed if they ever find their fridge empty!

This is actually Scaddabush’s second location. The first location is located in Mississauga (Square One) and only opened up this past summer. I’ve never been to the original location for comparison but I loved the space here.

This location occupies an enormous 6,500 sq ft space that can seat up to 300 guests. I loved the warm and rustic feel of the place with its brick walls, reclaimed wood furniture and antique lighting. The restaurant features three distinct spaces – a bar/lounge area with tv’s mounted along the walls and bar, an upper level dining area and the main dining room which features a long “Kitchen Table” which is perfect for large groups.

The restaurant features an extensive menu of comforting Italian fare with executive chef Steve Silvestro at the helm. They really promote sharing here and many dinner dishes are offered in a “social size” to encourage family-style sharing – they want you to feel like you’re eating at Nonna’s house!

Last week, I attended a media preview to check out some of their offerings. Here’s a look at what we tried (all served family-style):

Pappardelle Chips – with rosemary honey chili parm

Chicken Parmesan Bites – SCADDABUSH spice, parmesan aioli & Sunday Sauce

Tuscan Salad – baby red and green kale, arugula, marinated raisins, toasted pumpkin seeds, semi sundried tomatoes, cipollini onions, pecorino cheese and balsamic lemon vinaigrette

Caesar Salad – romaine, crispy pancetta, croutons, Grana Padano & house-made dressing

Burrata – infused with honey and truffle and served with focaccia crostini

Pingue Prosciutto – focaccia crostini, fig jam, extra virgin olive oil & sea salt

Bruschetta Rustica – focaccia, roasted garlic, Roma tomatoes, Grana Padano, basil & balsamic reduction

Meatballs – shareable on a focaccia crostini, cheese sauce, garlic chips & fresh basil

The Butcher Pizza – bacon, Niagara Berkshire sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, roasted garlic, red onions, San Marzano tomato sauce

Diavlo Pizza – spicy chicken, mozzarella, pecorino, caramelized onions, roasted tiny tomatoes, balsamic reduction

Margherita Pizza – fresh mozzarella, San Marzano tomato sauce & basil

Pesto Pollo – fresh fettuccine, sautéed chicken, baby spinach, semi sundried tomatoes & basil pesto cream sauce

Ravioli Zucca – butternut squash ravioli, grated Grana Padano cheese, hazelnut butter cream sauce, roasted squash & fried sage

Zeppole – deep fried sweet dough dusted with citrus sugar & served with chocolate hazelnut sauce for dipping

Tiramisu – lady fingers, sweet marsala, espresso, mascarpone & cocoa

Apple Ravioli – sweet pastry, caramel apple filling, icing sugar & caramel sauce

Needless to say, we had quite the meal and each one of us left stuffed to the brim. Just like eating at Nonna’s, right?

One of the highlights for me was their fresh mozzarella which is made daily in-house from 5pm to 11pm. Nothing beats fresh mozzarella – don’t miss out!

The Ravioli Zucca was another favourite of the meal. I loved the butternut squash filling and really appreciated the fact that it was lightly sauced. I’m a big meat eater but this vegetarian ravioli was a winner!

I was also a big fan of the Pesto Pollo. We were told that it’s by far their most popular dish. One bite and it’s easy to see why. The fresh fettuccine had a wonderful texture – a nice chew to it and the basil pesto cream sauce was delicious. Despite how full I was after powering through the appetizers and pizzas, I found myself going back for more.

We were treated to a trio of desserts. My personal favourite was the Apple Ravioli which was essentially a hand pie. It had a delicious filling which wasn’t overly sweet and pairing it with a scoop of ice cream made it the perfect ending to the feast!

*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post, as always, are my own.*