I’ve passed by the building which houses Nightingale a number of times on my way to the chiropractor. It seems to be attached to this beautiful art-deco building called The Marine Building. My partner mentioned the structure, as well, as we walked by. Aside from the stunning entrance, there’s a beautiful cornerstone with a scene of a zeppelin carved into it.
I had been in some buildings in Detroit that remind me of The Marine Building … specifically I thought of the Fisher Building … for those of you who are old enough, that’s the company referenced on the door jams of the old GM vehicles; “body by Fisher.” I was also lucky enough to visit the abandoned Fisher Auto Body Plant in Detroit to shoot some photos with friends in 2012.
Getting back to Nightingale, the space is superb. It appears as if a lot of money was put into the joint, and the place was spotless. See some of photos I found online below.
Our server, George, was fantastic – always checking in and keeping the dishes coming at just the right pace.
Like some of the places we have been trying out, Nightingale’s menu is made for sharing and portion sizes are just right.
The best way to describe the menu is Italian meets Eastern Mediterranean … and it was very tastefully done.
Here’s the low down on the order.
For vino, we ordered by glass in case we wanted to try more, but ended up sticking with the same for each of us; my partner ordered the Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) and I had the Chehalem Estate Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. Both really nice selections.
Baba Ghanouj was the first item. It was served with pickled shallots, whole chick peas, and grilled sourdough bread. The first aroma that I picked up, oddly, was an Indian spice note … I just couldn’t pin point it. It was a bit more of a blended note rather than something as singular such as cumin or cinnamon. I was also able to pick up the smoky aroma of the egglant, which is essential for me in any mashed eggplant recipe.
Next came the Beet Salad, served with orange, dill, and Macedonian feta. We assumed that the feta was goat, as it didn’t have the sharpness that I usually associate with Eastern European soft cheeses. And I believe there was zaatar sprinkled on top. Overall, a nice choice, but I think I would try the apple salad next time as it appears to have a more interesting mix of ingredients: kohlrabi, mint, Manchego, hazelnut, and white balsamic vinegar.
The Grilled Broccolini was packed full of flavour! I really loved this item as it came with a mouthwatering cilantro tahini dressing, with sprinkled zaatar on top and perhaps a bit of chilies. This was the definite winner on the starters.
From what I’ve heard, the pizza is highly revered at Nightingale … but I wasn’t so sure if this was the type of place that delivers a good pie. My skepticism may have been a bit unfair, as I carry a bit of my Toronto grit with me in envisioning what a pizza place is supposed to look like.
All of that said – pizza is very funny thing … and I’ll digress here for a second because I think it’s worth the discussion.
I’m a straight up Napoletano-style pizza guy. It’s gotta be crispy in some parts, chewy in others, blackened in parts, and I don’t want too much stuff on my pizza. Whenever I’m out with my friend Mike in Toronto, even if we order other pizzas for the table, we always order a Margherita, as that’s the standard.
Some people like deep dish, but that’s too much for me.
Some people like that New York, super thin and large slice – I always think of John Travolta folding the slice in half, walking down the street in Saturday Night Fever. And it’s good, but it’s not “fine.”
And some people, god forbid, like it with canned mushrooms and cheap mozzarella … I won’t mention the city that does that, but one clue is that they are opening up a spot in Toronto with that city’s style of pie; no comment.
We ordered the Roasted Mushroom pizza at Nightingale, which was served with fontina cheese, confit garlic, and drops of arugula pesto to smear around the pizza.
It looked great when it came to the table. It smelled great and the flavours were bang-on … really nice complimentary aromas and flavours happening.
But my one critique was that the dough was too chewy through and through. I would have liked a little more crispy here and there to give it a bit more structure; but that’s just to my liking; it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a good pie.
The finale was the Spaghetti with Manila Clams. What we really liked about this dish is that it was served very simply; with sliced jalapeño, scallions, in a white wine sauce. Fresh tasting and very light. The spaghetti didn’t taste home made, but honestly, it didn’t matter, it was a home run. I’d say it was the best dish of the evening along with the broccolini.
There was no room for dessert, as we also had leftovers to take home.
The only let down for me of the evening was the coffee.
I know that a lot of folks revere the inclusion of Robusta beans in an Italian espresso blend, but I’m firmly against it. Robusta makes the coffee light bodied, sour, and less structured. Now, I’m only guessing that there are Robusta beans in Nightingale’s espresso because of the flavour, but I think they could amp up their coffee game. My partner had hers a la macchiato, so the milk saved her cup – but I like mine straight up, so there’s no hiding.
Overall, this place is a winner. You should go check it out.
Excellent Service. Beautiful atmosphere. Very good food. Nice wine by the glass.
Return: Yes. I think it would be worth to see what the next season’s menu brings.
Rating: 7.5/10
Vikas Sharma 
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