La Cantina's co-founder and executive chef, Maurizio Grande, was born in 1963 the youngest of four boys. Life was difficult as a youngster, opportunities scarce and a dream brewing.
Del giorno or Stracciatella made in the traditional Italian style
$5.95
Italiano
Traditional antipasto of cacciatore sausage, prosciutto, cheese, olives and giardiniera
$14.50
Vegetali alla Griglia
Marinated vegetables grilled and sprinkled with goat cheese
$12.95
Caprini Farcita
Grilled house polenta topped with grilled eggplant, crispy pancetta, crumbled goat cheese, pecans and finished with black olive tapenade
$14.95
Cozze
Fresh cultivated P.E.I. mussels served with your choice of sauce: ~ tomatoes, white wine, sweet peppers, garlic, leeks and fresh herbs ~ spicy green curry, coconut milk ~ saffron, white wine, cream and fresh herbs ~ fennel, cilantro, brandy, caramelized onions and chipotle peppers~ white beer, onions, garlic, green peppercorns and fresh herbs
$12.95
Jumbo Shrimp
Grilled shrimp on skewer with a fig and balsamic glaze, served with a spicy couscous salad
$13.95
Calamari alla Griglia
Grilled squid marinated in secret herbs & spices with fresh lemon
$10.95
$13.95
Carpaccio di Manzo
Peppercorn crusted aged beef tenderloin topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and caramelized lemon, drizzled with cold~pressed extra~virgin olive oil
$12.95
Fazzoletto
Wood~oven baked mini calzone stuffed with marinated tomatoes, bocconcini and mozzarella cheese served with a pesto tomato sauce and shaved prosciutto
$9.95
Bruschetta Tradizionale
Fresh, diced Roma tomatoes, finished with our homemade basil garlic olive oil drizzle
$9.50
Bruschetta con Formaggio
Diced Roma tomatoes topped with shaved provolone, asiago and mozzarella cheese, finished with our basil garlic olive oil drizzle
$10.50
Bruschetta alla Molisana
Puree of sundried tomato, crumbled goat cheese and basil garlic ollive oil
$10.95
Bruschetta alla Calabrese
Diced Roma tomatoes and sliced bocconcini cheese topped with our housemade spicy peperoncini oil
$10.95
Bruschetta Mista
A medley of all of our famous bruschetta
$11.95
Our homemade pesto sauce does contain pinenuts.
(Prices subject to change)
Insalate
Del Giardino
Fresh leaf lettuces and organic baby greens lightly tossed in an aged balsamic vinaigrette topped with cucumber, fresh tomato and sundried cranberries
sm
$9.50Reg
$11.95
Caprese
Sliced Bocconcini cheese and vine~ripened tomatoes drizzled with our basil garlic olive oil, house~dried oregano and topped with green olives
$9.95
Mediterranea
Garden greens topped with imported Feta, tuna, egg and Kalamata olives with our house made balsamic vinaigrette
$13.95
Cantina
A bed of spinach draped with smoked Norwegian salmon, red onions, capers and fresh fennel tossed in our raspberry balsamic vinaigrette
$13.95
Glazed Walnut
Organic mixed greens topped with pecan and fresh herb crusted goat cheese, maple glazed walnuts and fresh beets lightly dressed with a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette
$14.95
Dried Fruit & Seed
Mixed greens in a spicy balsamic vinaigrette topped with a mixture of dried fruit and seeds, feta cheese and orange wedges finished with a drizzle of honey
$14.95
Cesare
Sm
$8.95Reg
$11.50
Enjoy any of our Insalate
~ with shaved Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese ADD
$2.95~ with crispy Pancetta ADD
$1.95~ with grain~fed grilled chicken breast (4oz) ADD
$3.95~ with grilled jumbo shrimp (3) ADD
$7.00
PIZZETTE AL MATTONE
(our dough is prepared fresh daily with distilled water)
Margherita (pomodoro)
Mozzarella, bocconcini cheese and sliced Roma tomatoes
$12.95
Napoletana (pomodoro)
Anchovies, tomatoes, capers, garlic, olive oil and mozzarella cheese
$13.95
San Marco (pomodoro)
Chicken, capers, hot peppers, sweet peppers, red onions, fontina and mozzarella cheese
$14.95
Maui (pomodoro)
Blackforest ham, pineapple, green olives, sliced tomatoes, jalapenos and mozzarella cheese
$13.95
Primavera (bianca neve)
Broccoli, sweet peppers, red onions, mushrooms, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
$14.95
Quattrostagione (pomodoro)
Prosciutto, artichokes, sundried black olives and mozzarella cheese
$14.95
Diavola (pomodoro)
Cacciatore sausage, pancetta, hot peppers and mozzarella cheese finished with a spicy pepper oil drizzle
$13.95
Gorgonzola (bianca neve)
Pancetta, tomatoes, garlic, gorgonzola and mozzarella cheese
$13.95
4-Formaggi (bianca neve)
Mozzarella, feta, goat cheese and asiago
$14.95
Vegetariana (pomodoro)
Artichokes, black olives, sundried tomato puree, sweet peppers, goat cheese and mozzarella
$14.95
Molisana (bianca neve)
Prosciutto, mushrooms, sweet peppers, provolone and mozzarella cheese
$13.95
Patate Rostini (bianca neve)
Pancetta, wild mushrooms, potatoes, rosemary, fontina and mozzarella cheese
$13.95
Florentina (pesto)
Chicken, mushrooms, spinach, sundried tomato puree and mozzarella cheese
$14.95
Salumi (pomodoro)
Cacciatore sausage, prosciutto, artichokes, pancetta and mozzarella cheese
Shrimp, smoked salmon, black olives, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
$14.95
Canadese (pomodoro)
Cacciatore sausage, bacon, mushrooms, sweet peppers and mozzarella cheese
$14.95
Adriatico (bianca neve)
Sliced tomatoes, sweet peppers, sundried black olives, red onions, mozzarella and feta cheese topped off with fresh cucumber
$13.95
Louisana (pomodoro)
Cajun spiced chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, red onions, mozzarella and aged asiago cheese, garlic,olive oil
$14.95
Our homemade pesto sauce does contain pinenuts.
(Prices subject to change)
PRIMI PIATTI
Linguine al Pescatore
This classic seafood pasta dish marries linguine with juicy shrimp, julienned squid, P.E.I mussels and tender sea scallops in a garlic rose sauce
$20.95
Whole Wheat Spaghetti Ortolano
Spaghetti made with whole wheat, tossed with a garlic and olive oil sauce with grilled vegetables, topped off with crumbled goat cheese
$18.95
Piatto Di Maurizio
Fresh Tagliatelle egg noodles tossed with scallops, onions, crimini and porcini mushrooms in a light pesto cream sauce
$20.95
Spaghetti 'Chitarra' alla Carbonara
Prepared in the traditional 'asciutta' style with pancetta, eggs, cream and fresh grated Romano cheese tossed with egg noodle spaghetti
$18.95
Farfalle al Salmone
Smoked Norwegian Salmon and tender leaves of baby spinach tossed with bowtie pasta in a garlic cream sauce
$18.95
Gnocchi alla Gorgonzola
Our specialty, fresh gnocchi, prepared in house served in an aromatic cream sauce with imported Gorgonzola cheese and crispy pancetta
$19.95
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Vine~ripened tomatoes, capers, sundried black olives and anchovy filets with cold pressed extra~virgin olive oil, fresh garlic and shallots
$17.95
Farfalle Primavera
This favourite features bowtie pasta tossed in heavy cream, with shaved grain~fed grilled chicken breast and a medley of fresh vegetables
$20.95
Rotini Maremonti
Seared jumbo shrimp and sea scallops with double smoked bacon, infornata olives and capers enhanced with porcini essence in an aromatic pesto pomodoro sauce
$20.95
Specialty Risotto
~ Porcini and crimini mushrooms with a tartufo oil drizzle topped with shaved parmiggiano Primavera with grain~fed chicken breast and a medley of vegetables ~ Pescatore with jumbo shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari
$20.95
Linguine alle Vongole
A classic dish of little neck clams and baby clams splashed with dry white wine, garlic, butter, Italian flat leaf parsley and cold pressed extra~virgin olive oil
$20.95
Piatto Di Chef Michele
Spaghetti with smoked chicken and a medley of wild mushrooms in a rich cream sauce
$19.95
Pennette all' Arrabbiata
Double smoked bacon, shallots and cayenne pepper blended in our aromatic house sugo... traditionally delicious
$17.95
FOR THOSE PATRONS EXPERIENCING WHEAT ALLERGIES, WE OFFER RICE PASTA AS A SUBSTITUTE
ADD
$2.95
OUR HOMEMADE PESTO SAUCE DOES CONTAIN PINENUTS.
(Prices subject to change)
SECONDI
All of our grilled meats are prepared with a new state-of-the-art cooking technology ~ the infra-red method. This latest cooking technology allows the intense radiant energy to quickly penetrate meat and cook from the inside out, locking in natural juices. The best steakhouses in North America are embracing this technology.
We at La Cantina, are proud to bring to our patrons our commitment to quality along with this innovative cooking style. Buon Appetito!
Veal Tenderloin al Vino Bianco
Tender veal medallions sauteed with crimini mushrooms and shallots, finished with a splash of dry white wine, butter and fresh~squeezed lemon
$32.00
Cedar Plank Atlantic Salmon Filet
Filet cut of fresh Atlantic Salmon grilled on a cedar plank and finished with a fig and balsamic glaze
(10 oz.)
$26.00
Gamberi al Vino Bianco
Succulent jumbo Tiger Shrimp, sauteed in a white wine and garlic sauce, finished with fresh~squeezed lemon
$26.00
N.Y. Striploin
'AAA' Canadian Beef aged a minimum of 28 days grilled to your liking and served with our house cognac mushroom peppercorn sauce
(10 oz.)
$29.00
Rack of Lamb
New Zealand tender Rack of Lamb, marinated with fresh pressed garlic and fresh herbs finished with a fig vincotto drizzle
$38.00
Bistecca di Vitello
A house specialty, 14 oz. French cut Veal Chop, grilled and topped with smoked mozzarella and caramelized onions
(14 oz.)
$28.00
Beef Tenderloin
Grilled 'AAA' Angus Beef Tenderloin aged a minimum of 28 days, served with our house peppercorn sauce
(10 oz.)
$38.00
Ostrich
Marinated medallions of tender Ostrich, pan~seared and finished with a raspberry vincotto drizzle
$32.00
Chicken Saltinbocca
Boneless breast of grain~fed chicken stuffed with goat cheese, sweet peppers and spinach, wrapped with prosciutto and topped with a creamy sundried tomato and pesto sauce
$26.00
Chefs Maurizio and John accompany their secondi dishes with a fresh daily creation of complimentary starch and vegetables.
I'm more than a little surprised at the bad reviews on here...we go to La Cantina at least once a week (and have been for the last 11 years) and have experienced very few glitches along the way. I guess it's true what they say, people only ever comment on the negative stuff! Don't be put off by bad reviews, this is a GREAT place to go lunch or dinner and they have been doing a great job for a long time...love their food and their service.
We have passed by this place for the longest time and finally decided to give it a try.
We were glad we did!
The restaurant itself is well decorated and has a relaxing setting .
Our waitress was genuinely friendly which was refreshing for a change.
The food was top notch.We started with the cesar salads which were a lil pricey but in all fairness they did give good portions.
We followed up with the san marco pizza which was out of this world.Highly recommended!
We also both had the house red wine which was satisfactory.
A really great place.
We dined at La Cantina for the first time last night, despite living in its immediate environs for over a year. The wood-fired hearth beckoned, and it was damn cold outside.
I must agree with other commenters that the reception at the hostess desk echoed the winter's chill we were trying to avoid; despite having called to ask for a reservation (and being told just to come right in), we were asked, with a rather blasé manner, if we wanted to sit in the "fine dining" section, or in the "casual" section. Having no notification of this on the phone, we were taken aback by the question, and asking for clarification didn't help much as it was pretty certain that the hostess had pegged us as "casual" types. Which turned out fine, since we wanted to bask in the heat of the wood oven, anyway. We were seated by the kitchen prep. area, where the servers seemed to be having a little side conversation to themselves, and asked to be moved to another table, which the hostess obliged. Once seated, however, the server was generous in providing answers to our questions, and in offering suggestions to shape our ordering. There was a suitably large wine selection, and our server enthusiastically invited us to return for a special wine promotion featuring my favourite varietal, which, sadly, was not available that night. The generous pour of the wine was made more pleasant by the knowledgeable service.
We hardly made a dent in the extremely ample order of spaghetti carbonara, cooked rather "al dente", as we were already full on the house-made bread basket and margherita pizza appetizer. The Carbonara was light and well-flavoured with pancetta, although the raw onion bits distracted a bit from the overall dish. The pizza was good, with a mostly toothsome crust, topped with chewy gobs of bocconcini cheese, although the pizza bottom was soggy from the fresh tomato topping. Overall, however, the atmosphere and proximity makes me want to try out different menu options. Despite the issues with service and minor food issues, La Cantina will likely be a place to visit again; hopefully they will surprise us.
finally made it there after 10 years of recommendation. only been on the fine dining side and cannot wait to try the other side, may even try it out tomorrow with a girlfriend!
i work in the industry and LOVE to eat out so i am not easily really impressed but wow. our server was fantastic, very attentive, funny and knowledgeable of the menu and wine list.
the menu is great, pasta tastes fresh and the fish tastes very fresh also.
the dining room is beautiful and very comfortable, especially loved the little pieces of history on the walls by the restrooms and around the restaurant.
thanks la cantina for a fantastic evening, perfect way to unwind and treat each other at the end of a long week.
