Corso 32

Corso 32
10345 Jasper Ave
(780) 421-4622

After much hype about how good this restaurant is and how it is so popular that the first available reservation is usually a month's wait, we decided that we had to give it a try.

For our appetizer, our group of 4 shared the arancini ($7), which are crispy rice balls. Tonight they were filled with a delicious mixture of radicchio and flowing taleggio. We also decided to split the rest of the meal family-style with 2 pasta dishes and one meat dish.

arancini

The first pasta dish was the Pappardelle, which had a tomato sauce base, spicy wild boar sausage, swiss chard, and parmigiano cheese ($21). This was one of my favorite dishes. I've never had pappardelle before but I loved how it was made here. The pasta tasted fresh with an amazing texture, and it had a thin and delicate feel to it. The sausage was savoury with the right amount of spice.

pappardelle

The other pasta dish was the Bucatini Al' Amatriciana ($17). This also had a light tomato base, and included a house-cured pork jowl and pecorino cheese. The bucatini was another shape of pasta I've never had before. One thing I didn't notice was that it should have had a hole running through the centre of the noodle. The pork jowl was deep in smoky flavor and made me wanting more.

bucatinin.al'amatriciana

The third entree was the Fried Short Rib ($24). It was paired with a shaved pear and arugula salad, along with a side of crostini. The short rib was oh so tasty and was flaky and tender. This dish tied with the pappardelle for being my favorite items, and writing about them is making my mouth water!

fried.short.rib

Finally for dessert, we shared two selections, the first being the Chocolate Torta ($9). It was quite a large slab for one serving, and it was topped with salty hazelnuts, which contrasted well with the truffle-like texture and richness. The second dessert was the Warm Apple Crostata ($11). This was actually my least favorite item of the evening (not that it was poorly made or tasted bad, but I much preferred the other items of the night more. The crostata was served with a scoop of fior di latte gelato, but I would have preferred a vanilla flavor in the gelato rather than just a plain creaminess to it.

warm.apple.crostata

chocolate.torta

We arrived for 6 pm and all but our table and our neighbouring table for 2 were already occupied. After leaving the restaurant, we already made a booking for their next available date which was exactly 4 weeks away. When making a reservation, they will warn you that they have a 2.5 hour dining limit. They're closed on Mondays and the occasional Tuesday. Sometimes you can get in last minute - they make occasional posts on Twitter about any cancellations and no-shows.

Even though the restaurant was in a small space and only seats 32, no more than 2 tables were closely situated and background chatter from patrons filled up the room well so it wasn't like you could hear everyone's conversations.

Overall, I had a super dining experience at Corso 32 (the only thing I didn't enjoy was the room temperature water) and am looking forward to my return visit next month. The menu changes frequently so it will be a new gastronomic experience every time. You should book your table today!

4.5/5