Il Giardino: “The Ultimate in Italian Food and Fun,” 344 – 17 Ave S.W. I was fortunate enough to receive a gift certificate to write a restaurant spotlight. I took my parents, who were very excited. I’m glad I took them, since my dad is quite the cuisine connoisseur and his enthusiasm for the restaurant was an impressive indicator of its quality.
Appetizer
We ordered the Calamari al Giardino- crispy fried with bell peppers, banana peppers, onions and lemon. Served with zesty tomato sauce on the side.
It was delicious! With a tender and wholesome, full-body taste, it was cooked just right. The sauce complimented the calamari extremely well: tangy, rich, but not overpowering.
My cuisine connoisseur father’s opinion? “5/5 stars!”
Entrees
We got a complimentary salad/soup and some bruschetta with each entree. The bruschetta was amazing, I found myself wanting to ask for the recipe. My dad order the Scaloppine Milanese- breaded veal served Milanese style. He was very impressed, again, and gave it a 9.5/10, saying that the vegetables were “crispy, not overdone,” and the meat “tender and succulent.”
I ordered the Linguine Mediterranea- mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp and sea scallops in red or white wine sauce. My family eats a lot of seafood, so I was ready to judge the quality of the fish, expecting the taste of packaged shrimp, but I was delighted to find the taste exquisite – the shrimp was juicy and fresh, the mussels were full of flavour, everything was up to my standards. The linguine itself added to the seafood supreme dish beautifully.
My mother ordered the Linguine con Salmone- Salmon in zesty white wine cream sauce. She is very sensitive to richness, and had to get part of it to go, but when I ate some of the left overs, I thought it was some of the best pasta I had ever eaten. I preferred the rich, creamy flavour and will likely order that the next time my family dines at Il Giardino.
Location
Right on 17th Ave and at the edge of downtown, it’s an ideal spot for an after-shopping dinner. In fact, it’s great for any special occasion. Its decor is fitting and classy, and, at this time of year, pleasantly festive. There are ornamental candles on each table for ambiance and tasteful, thematic music plays at a nice volume during your dinner. The dining area is roomy, bright, open, and warm.
The restaurant also features a beautiful patio I intend to return for this summer. Other diners we bumped into by chance said the patio was their favourite feature, in fact.
Friendly Establishment
Without knowing I was spotlighting his restaurant, the owner, Mike Ciccaglione, came by to introduce himself. He shook our hands and welcomed us to the restaurant graciously. We introduced ourselves, and, when he found out I was writing about his restaurant, he humbly said, “We’re not perfect, we make mistakes, but we do our best.” Mike spoke graciously of the restaurant business, his experiences in business and his opinion of the city and its community. He offered us complimentary desert (Tiramisu) cooked by his wife, and we accepted enthusiastically. It was fantastic, I’ll definitely be ordering that next time. As Mr. Ciccaglione returned to business, my father and I agreed that that was how to run a successful, friendly business.
All in all…
My family loved it, it was reasonable priced for a wonderful dining experience. The food was quality, the establishment was friendly, and the restaurant itself is a part of the community. We look forward to dining there again.
Il Giardino… Call to make reservations: 403-541-0088
