Weekly Lunch Pick
Nota Bene
The midday special at this Queen Street hot spot features dazzling papardelle at Terroni prices By Renée Suen
Papardelle with king oyster mushrooms, fava beans, baby
zucchini and green peas
Image credit: Renee Suen
The Place: Up a few steps from the street level bar, the more formal dining room (think white linens, courteous wait staff and hushed acoustics) is bustling come lunchtime.
The Crowd: Suited execs—Nota Bene’s bread and butter—discreetly close deals over lobster salad and steak tartare. Servers aim to please by keeping glasses full (there are 170 wines to choose from), whisking away cleared plates and combing away unsightly table crumbs.
The Deal: The attraction at lunch is getting a Nota Bene meal at Terroni prices. But stick to the midday specials ($18–$24), otherwise the bill quickly inflates. The catch of the day might feature hollandaise-kissed grilled halibut, seared sea scallops, or penne dotted with morel mushrooms.
The Dish: We share the stilton brisket burger ($19)—a juicy medium rare crowd-pleaser, sandwiched between golden brioches—along with a towering bowl of crispy, skin-on fries. Our taste buds are really dazzled by the Monday lunch plate ($18): slices of king oyster mushroom, firm fava beans, baby zucchini and sweet green peas with buttery papardelle. Finished with pea shoot tendrils, the spectacular dish has us contemplating the veggie life (for at least one meal a week). We close the meal with a pot of organic earl grey tea ($3.50) and an unbelievable satisfying sticky toffee pudding ($10).
The Time: 55 minutes.
The Cost: $42, including tax, tip, dessert and tea.
Nota Bene, 180 Queen Street W. (at University), 416-977-6400, notabenerestaurant.com.
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