Neighbourhood alums that have witnessed this space go through the restaurant motions will be happy to hear that the ghost of notorious gourmand Vittorio now has his name restored to the premises. Vittorio ran a restaurant here in the ’70s before losing it all in a bitter divorce. He bounced back with a new restaurant on Yonge Street north of Davisville but tragically succumbed prematurely to heart failure brought on by lifelong habits of gleeful overindulgence (Hear! Hear! to overindulgence). Cico, who was Vittorio’s right-hand man and surrogate son, took over (as chronicled in our review) and has now re-issued the brand name in the recently opened old location. The rambling house, half-hidden and loomed over by the gothic churches at the corner of Avenue Road & Spadina, is certainly large enough to be haunted, leaving no doubt Vittorio sightings will soon accumulate.

Cico has utterly renovated the sprawling old mansion by preserving its charm while updating completely. Soaring ceilings and huge windows betray the small dining room’s size by giving it a spacious appearance. If one is to dine at a mansion, one obviously wants to be seen dining at a mansion while mocking those passing by who are missing out on Vittorio’s dining scene. This makes the patio out front, facing the medieval brickface of Church of the Messiah, a prime people-watching perch with a quaint parkette nearby to cushion the traffic noise from Avenue Road.

Those less inclined-exhibitionists desiring an intimate hideaway for a romantic evening rendezvous can ascend the winding staircase that punctuates the dining room to a dark-wooded lounge which has its own balcony seating; a hidden aerie high above the street perfect for a tryst. The only misfire is a large Stalinesque mural scarring one wall (nothing says share the love like Communism). There is an even larger patio stretching out behind the main building, which conveniently abuts the bar. ‘Nuff said.

On this glorious day, however, it is unfortunately infested with rugrats in their best clothes gyrating, at full volume, to blaring salsa. Expect it to be filled constantly throughout the good weather with parties, weddings and events. Obviously the must have had the tables on the larger patio (favourably proximal to the bar).

The dining room menu is almost identical to the Yonge Street location, but really, why tamper with success? This is not a nascent chain. All the ingredients are lovingly gathered where freshness and attention to detail is less of a mantra but more of an obsession. Even the bottles of dangerously spiced oil that keep us compulsively dipping herb-crusted bread have been mass-produced in miraculous individual splendour. A wall of glass suspended just above the main dining room shields the kitchen where chefs Carissia and Zenon appear to glide serenely in unison (behold Toronto’s synchronized chefs) as they churn out plate after plate.