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Editorial Review

Reviewed in the Dec/Jan '07/'08 issue of Ciao!

In the late 90s, Assiniboine Avenue’s Rogues’ Gallery was the place to hang out for a cup of coffee and a slice of the most original cheesecake in the city. When it shut its doors, many Winnipeggers were left with a culinary and cultural void that was hard to fill. Joe Pellegrino’s culinary masterpieces seemed to be just a memory.

Thankfully, Pellegrino teamed up with Paolo Nucci to open the Tomato Pie Co. in July 2007. Located in the old Into the Music space in the Village, Tomato Pie has settled into a highly visible, yet often-troubled business spot. The new owners have given the interior a comfortable warmth, with exposed brick and cozy hues of blues and purples that create the perfect backdrop for conversation around chestnut brown tables.

The small menu highlights regional food of the Campagna district of Italy­—best known for the city of Naples, where pizza was first invented. Ten varieties of incredibly thin ‘tomato pies’ are topped with mouthwatering toppings like garlic mushrooms, baby meatballs and ricotta cheese. The traditional Neapolitan Margherita pizza also hits all the right notes with its gooey melted bocconcini, whole basil and vine-fresh tomato sauce.

The bitter bite of rapini is paired up in several dishes, including a savoury Italian sausage starter. Salads are simple, highlighting the true flavours of fresh vegetables with a delicate amount of seasoning.

The most decadent item on the menu is a rich lobster ravioli. Perfect, pillowy puffs of lobster purée become even more indulgent when paired with the buttery alla panna sauce.

Chewy gnocchi are bathed in a fiery, rich tomato sauce. These light dumplings absorb the sauce well, but coarse Portuguese water bread is available to help sop it up.

Pasta-of-the-day selections are cleverly offered with a choice from half a dozen sauces and a range of ingredients from roasted vegetables to Italian sausage.

House-made cannoli is a delightful final note. Whipped clouds of lemon cream cradled in a perfectly crisp shell make this dessert one of the highlights of the menu.

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