Lounge Wizard
Mistura's Massimo Capra unveils a ritzy—and secluded—retreat
Image credit: Mark Peter Drolet
It seems strange, at first, that a chef from Mistura, that buttoned-down Yorkville room with its perfect gnocchi di ricotta and fegato alla Veneziana, its wild boar and dried cherry agnolotti, should speak so rapturously about opening a resto-lounge—the realm of overpriced bottle service and see-and-be-seen imperative. Yet here is Massimo Capra at Sopra, his brand new $1.6-million aerie just upstairs from Mistura, and he’s positively raving. It has mirrored banquette walls, a massive onyx bar and solid central African zebrawood cabinets displaying 700 bottles. There is a grand piano (he promises the music will always be low enough that you don’t have to yell to have a conversation). Capra introduces a hot young chef, Joey Malandrino, formerly of Senses, and he enthuses about the menu of Kobe beef balls, shooter glasses of bisque and lobster-stuffed chicken wings. When he moved from Italy to Toronto 24 years ago, Capra thought he’d use it as a springboard to New York. But he soon realized he loved it, so the chef with the handlebar moustache decided to stay. And the city—foodies and Italophiles know—is the better for it. He expects Sopra’s customers will sit back and relax over a bottle of wine, and order little plates as they want them. And he says he isn’t worried that other chefs have tried—and failed—with their own resto-lounge ideas. The concept, after all, isn’t so much what matters. What matters is its execution.
TEST Originally published October 2006
Comments
Please note that neither The author nor Toronto Life necessarily agree with the comments posted below. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments. Read our full policy
You must have a Torontolife.com account to post comments. If you do not have an account you can register now.
There are no comments for this article yet. Be the first to post a comment below.
Post a comment