Vincci Tsui
My fiancé had a hankering for pizza not too long ago so we decided to take the opportunity to try Scopa an Italian restaurant that opened just a few months ago next to Lina’s Italian Market on the corner of Centre Street and 22 Avenue N.E.
Scopa is the latest addition to the Creative Restaurant Group which also owns Bonterra Cibo and Posto. Though it’s billed as “neighbourhood Italian” it’s obvious from the décor alone that it’s not just another mom-and-pop shop that serves up big plates of soggy spaghetti. The dark wood floors and wooden accents around the restaurant make the space feel rustic but refined while sunny yellow walls red-and-white striped banquettes and colourful block letters spelling the restaurant’s name along one wall help brighten up the room. The service is friendly and casual as well with the servers joking effortlessly with every table. It’s clear that customers feel right at home — we saw a group of ladies celebrating a birthday a family with a baby and two tables chatting with each other while we were there.
In keeping with the neighbourhood Italian theme Scopa is all about the classics and their extensive menu contains many recognizable dishes like pasta caprese salad bruschetta and veal scallopini just to name a few. We regrettably skipped over the antipasti so we would have room for pizza a main and a dessert but I could definitely see myself sharing the arancini and polpette (beef meatballs) with some friends over a few drinks or even trying one of the appetizer boards (tagliere) with your choice of bread and crackers.
Despite the open kitchen revealing a shiny red wood-burning oven pizza is not one of Scopa’s specialties so there were only three pies to choose from. We decided to play it safe and go with the margherita ($13) — as my fiancé says the best way to judge a restaurant’s pizza is if they can get the basics right. Scopa’s margherita is okay — the oven gave the crust a nice char though it was more crispy than chewy compared to other Neapolitan-style pizzas I’ve had in the city. The tomato sauce was fresh and flavourful but we would have liked more mozzarella and basil.
For our main course we shared an item from the menu’s Rosticceria e Plancha (rotisserie and flat-top grill) section which is labelled as the house specialty and is only available after 5 p.m. We were originally going to order the night’s special which was albacore tuna with lamb merguez sausage but the waiter steered us toward the trout dish ($21).
The trout was grilled skin-on sprinkled with some chopped almonds and a squeeze of lemon juice and served on a bed of grilled asparagus drizzled with pistachio pesto curls of prosciutto cherry tomatoes and a wedge of grilled polenta. The fish was cooked perfectly so that it stayed moist. The pistachio pesto was our favourite item on the plate its nuttiness pairing well with both the fish and the creamy polenta.
Both the pizza and fish were actually lukewarm though it might’ve been because we waited to snap a few photos before eating.
Scopa mainly serves classic desserts like tiramisu panna cotta and cannoli so their torta al ciccolato ($9) — a dark chocolate ganache cake made with goat cheese and walnuts — is a definite standout. The cake was rich and fudgey with the goat cheese adding creaminess and a very subtle tang. The walnuts in the cake and on the plate added a nice texture contrast and nutty flavour. The plate was finished with sweet stewed dark cherries and a drizzle of grassy extra-virgin olive oil. It certainly ended the meal on a high note.
Scopa is located at 2220 Centre St. N.E. 403-276-2030.
