Support group dines out
Bonnie Sandler
Carmine’s Tuscany Grill, (formerly Amazona)
5525 Côte St. Luc Rd.
Our support group visited Carmine’s this week for the first time since the restaurant’s reincarnation.
The décor is fresh, modern and minimalist, the furnishings are comfortable, and the air conditioning is set for the diner and not the staff.
We ordered a bottle of the house Chardonnay, which arrived in a corked bottle rather than a carafe. Well priced at $21, it was nicely chilled and tasted, pleasantly, like a Pinot Grigio.
We ordered from the ‘special of the week’ menu, which includes salad or soup and tea or coffee.
Some chose the house salad, a colourful mixture of greens, purple cabbage, tomatoes and carrots, served with simple Italian dressing. The other choice we made was the house Cesar salad, crispy romaine with a very creamy dressing, well sized for an appetizer. Generous baskets of very fresh bread were served along with side plates of seasoned olive oil.
Our choices from the main courses included the Pollo alla Griglia ($14.95), a grilled chicken filet in lemon oregano sauce, served with vegetables. The generous portion was well seasoned and very tender. Some of us tried the Scaloppini Lemonato ($17.95), lightly battered veal covered in lemon and dill sauce, with artichokes and the pasta of the day. The vegetables were lightly steamed, the veal very tender and the lemonato sauce was piquant and delicious.
The Pesce del Giorno, or catch of the day ($16.95), was Tilapia, served with wild rice and fresh, steamed vegetables. The fish, unfortunately, was a bit too oily, masking the taste of the lemon sauce that it was supposedly served with – a little disappointing.
We also ordered the Linguini Vongole, served in a marinara (tomato based) sauce with garlic, white wine and shallots, priced at $12.95. The serving was gene rous and well seasoned but, alas, the clams were scarce.
Desserts were not sampled and all chose tea or coffee to complete the evening.
Service throughout was efficient, friendly and, in spite of the little and few shortcomings of some of our choices, the evening was a happy experience.
The restaurant has parking at the rear of the building and overflow is accommodated by the lot next door. The first floor is wheel chair accessible. Notes on the evening by Beryl Watson, member of the group.
