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Anthony’s On Elgin
We decided that back to basics was the way to go.
Lynn had recovered from a month long battle with her flu and was ready to step out again for a dinner date.
Go somewhere we knew was her thought, somewhere downtown. Her suggestion was the Ritz on Elgin between Somerset and MacLaren.
This restaurant has occupied its thin narrow space on Elgin Street for 25 years. It began as the Ritz number three, part of the Ritz Restaurant Empire. That Empire has since fallen but remaining is Anthony’s On Elgin, same address, same staff and the same cook/owner, and more importantly the same dedication to great food.
Nothing beats the three basics of a successful dining experience: excellently prepared and presented food, seamless service and a comfortable space to tie everything together.
The room resembles the dimensions of a dining car on a train. Instead choosing a paint color to open the room up owner Anthony Ford went the other way picking a milk chocolate brown which makes the room even more intimate. The space is designed to focus on the food and the company you are sharing it with. There are no distractions to divert ones attention to anything other than taste.
Anthony’s is an Italian restaurant – sort of. Pasta is its mainstay, made fresh daily on site as are the desserts.
But Pasta Alla Jambalaya or Spaghetti with Curried Seafood Marinara isn’t the kind of fare you would find in Mama Teresa’s kitchen.
Chef Ford adds contemporary twists to his dishes while remaining true the basics of Italian culinary tradition.
To start we decided to share two appetizers. Lynn ordered the Inslatta Al Antonio. A fabulous light salad of Pear, Provolone, Walnuts and Mixed Greens splashed with red wine vinaigrette. (7.95) Also try the house standard, Inslatta Mista which has to be the best in the city. (5.95)
I ordered the Mussels. They are two options, either cream or tomato based. I have had both but this night I opted for the tomato, tarragon and ginger sauce version. (8.95) The plumpest mussels available peek out from a perfectly balanced sauce with a hint of butter to bind it all together.
Lynn and I are both small eaters and at this point I was satisfied, almost ready for a cognac and a cigar but we decided to press on.
And lo and behold salvation was at hand in that the first three pasta dishes on the menu came in half sizes.
Lynn chose the Pasta Alla Calabrese which was a spicy tomato sauce with Calabrese sausage. (9.95) I decided on the Pasta Con Pesto, fettuccine with a basil pesto, a dollop of Goat Cheese and sprinkled with freshly cut tomato. (9.95) Although each dish was different the sauces were both superb. Each held a delicate balance that gave each of its ingredients a voice.
The real success, however, was the freshly made pasta. Even though pasta seems like a simple thing to cook, and it is, it is the quality, the right mix of egg and flour that makes a truely great pasta a real treat. Anthony makes truely great pasta.
The half sizes we were served amounted to pretty substantial portions. Now I was definitely ready for that cognac.
If there if a fault with Anthony’s it is that you don’t want to leave. I actually felt like ordering more if only to just get a taste. I wanted to try some of days specials like the Grilled Trout with black and green olives, and cherry tomatoes with garlic. (16.95)
We decided that coming back was the better idea than ordering more and asked for our bill. That was another treat $54.00 for two with a juice and a glass of wine. It was the half orders that dropped the price but even still I felt guilty knowing that we would have paid double that amount without question.
The basics work every time.
Anthony’s On Elgin
Monday to Friday 11:30 – 10:00
Weekend 5:00 – 10:00
613-235-7027
We decided that back to basics was the way to go.
Lynn had recovered from a month long battle with her flu and was ready to step out again for a dinner date.
Go somewhere we knew was her thought, somewhere downtown. Her suggestion was the Ritz on Elgin between Somerset and MacLaren.
This restaurant has occupied its thin narrow space on Elgin Street for 25 years. It began as the Ritz number three, part of the Ritz Restaurant Empire. That Empire has since fallen but remaining is Anthony’s On Elgin, same address, same staff and the same cook/owner, and more importantly the same dedication to great food.
Nothing beats the three basics of a successful dining experience: excellently prepared and presented food, seamless service and a comfortable space to tie everything together.
The room resembles the dimensions of a dining car on a train. Instead choosing a paint color to open the room up owner Anthony Ford went the other way picking a milk chocolate brown which makes the room even more intimate. The space is designed to focus on the food and the company you are sharing it with. There are no distractions to divert ones attention to anything other than taste.
Anthony’s is an Italian restaurant – sort of. Pasta is its mainstay, made fresh daily on site as are the desserts.
But Pasta Alla Jambalaya or Spaghetti with Curried Seafood Marinara isn’t the kind of fare you would find in Mama Teresa’s kitchen.
Chef Ford adds contemporary twists to his dishes while remaining true the basics of Italian culinary tradition.
To start we decided to share two appetizers. Lynn ordered the Inslatta Al Antonio. A fabulous light salad of Pear, Provolone, Walnuts and Mixed Greens splashed with red wine vinaigrette. (7.95) Also try the house standard, Inslatta Mista which has to be the best in the city. (5.95)
I ordered the Mussels. They are two options, either cream or tomato based. I have had both but this night I opted for the tomato, tarragon and ginger sauce version. (8.95) The plumpest mussels available peek out from a perfectly balanced sauce with a hint of butter to bind it all together.
Lynn and I are both small eaters and at this point I was satisfied, almost ready for a cognac and a cigar but we decided to press on.
And lo and behold salvation was at hand in that the first three pasta dishes on the menu came in half sizes.
Lynn chose the Pasta Alla Calabrese which was a spicy tomato sauce with Calabrese sausage. (9.95) I decided on the Pasta Con Pesto, fettuccine with a basil pesto, a dollop of Goat Cheese and sprinkled with freshly cut tomato. (9.95) Although each dish was different the sauces were both superb. Each held a delicate balance that gave each of its ingredients a voice.
The real success, however, was the freshly made pasta. Even though pasta seems like a simple thing to cook, and it is, it is the quality, the right mix of egg and flour that makes a truely great pasta a real treat. Anthony makes truely great pasta.
The half sizes we were served amounted to pretty substantial portions. Now I was definitely ready for that cognac.
If there if a fault with Anthony’s it is that you don’t want to leave. I actually felt like ordering more if only to just get a taste. I wanted to try some of days specials like the Grilled Trout with black and green olives, and cherry tomatoes with garlic. (16.95)
We decided that coming back was the better idea than ordering more and asked for our bill. That was another treat $54.00 for two with a juice and a glass of wine. It was the half orders that dropped the price but even still I felt guilty knowing that we would have paid double that amount without question.
The basics work every time.
Anthony’s On Elgin
Monday to Friday 11:30 – 10:00
Weekend 5:00 – 10:00
613-235-7027
