In my previous life, back in the day, when I lived on Queen West, pre-Drake, pre-hipsters, I used to go to Noce all the time. Man, I miss those days: they're coloured in my memory with golden afternoons in Trinity Bellwoods Park, discovering Alternative Grounds at the local health food store, running up to Balfour on College for books before Type opened… How is it that I'm nostalgic for a life I lived a mere five or six years ago?

It has to do with the food. Noce was there before Fresh opened at the corner on Crawford, before I found out about Swan's risotto, and it was my go-to place when I needed comfort food: specifically, veal al limone, when they have it, and tiramisu, when they don't have the veal. Yeah, this was also back when I felt ok eating dessert as a meal. It remains one of my favourite places in the city, consistent and low-key. The menu has changed, but the service is still top-notch, the food is still tasty, and the cozy dining rooms are still, well, cozy.

The menu, as of writing, includes l'insalata noce, with walnuts, pear slices and aged Italian asiago over romaine in a white wine and mustard vinaigrette; lingua bollita, boiled beef tongue in salsa verde; le capesante, seared sea scallops shaved torchon de foie gras on beet salsa, with peppered olive oil; and branzino in saor, Mediterranean sea bass in sweet-sour marinade, with golden raisins and pinenuts. I primi include a homemade egg tagliolini, with sage and chili, roasted Cookstow chestnut squash, crema tartufata di zucca; mixed mushroom ravioli with white truffle butter; and corn linguine, with black tiger shrimp, cream of peppers and mascarpone cheese. I secondi include tender braised veal cheeks, with pancetta, barby pearl onions, and creamy polenta; pan fried provimi calf liver with marsala wine, braised onions, and mashed parsnip; and roasted milk fed veal chop, persimmon sauce, natural jus reduction, and organic root vegetables.