U-turn

Unika brings a slice of chichi lower St-Laurent to Little Italy

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

Bleeping cell phones, platform heels and a warm summer breeze from the terrasse greeted us as we took our seats at Unika, the newest addition to the Little Italy strip. From the outside, this corner resto could be mistaken for a trendy cafe, but while sipping our Campari we quickly realized that the nuovo italiano menu is decidedly up-market.

There is a limited selection on offer and that usually means everything is fresh--which it should be for the price. The items on the table d'hote range from $17-30, appetizers included. Main courses featured linguine with "little" chicken livers, risotto with radicchio, grilled marlin and filet mignon.

The salads we ordered to start were delicious. The insalata mista was full of dense, smoky flavours emanating from meaty mushrooms referred to as "funghetti trifoli" and "pancetta" sliced so thinly that it was hard to differentiate from prosciutto. My salad consisted of arugula, mango and shards of fresh parmesan. Sprinkled with a delicious balsamic dressing, it was a delightful combination of tastes, with the sweet fruit balancing the bite of the greens.

The substantial risotto di mare was excellent, topped with a half-lobster and mussels ($21.95). Risotto is a tricky dish for restaurants because it has to be be served right away before it becomes gummy. In this case, the arborio rice was cooked to creamy perfection, the texture of each grain distinct. It was completely infused with the flavour of the cooking broth, which is added bit by bit to the pan. The seafood was equally satisfying and, thankfully, the lobster came pre-cracked.

The veal Valdostana was a mid-sized piece of tender meat served Flintstones-style on the bone ($29.95). The waiter had simply said the chop was topped with a lemon sauce, so the sudden sight of a white substance oozing from the meat was a little disconcerting. It turned out to be stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto, which added a pleasant salty edge to the dish. Although the veal was expertly cooked, my dinner companion was unimpressed by the accompanying grilled vegetables--and as an Italian who stuffs her own sausages, she knows what she likes.

I finished with a refreshing granita ($2.50), a massive portion of lemon ice served in a martini glass adorned with slices of lime. But to her horror, my friend's tiramisu ice cream ($4.95) arrived in prefab plastic. While tartufo is often served in disposable containers, this far-from-homemade dessert with its ingredients emblazoned on the side was disappointing. I mean, I have nothing against Dairy Queen, but not on an expensive night out.

You can tell there is a cooking whiz somewhere in the kitchen, but Unika needs to decide just how upscale a restaurant it wants to be. On the high end: gourmet ingredients and prices, eye-catching presentation and a nice selection of wines. On the low end: no water or bread brought to the table automatically, rent-a-waiter familiarity with the menu and a bathroom mirror that could only reflect people on stilts.

It's clear that this month-old establishment is trying to do something different than its more stalwart cousins a few doors down, bringing a little piece of chichi lower St-Laurent to upper St-Laurent. You can imagine the designer enthusing about "organic curves of the open kitchen" and the "luminous tones of natural-wood yellow contrasted with cheeky purple banquettes." But with the increasing gentrification of the area, it remains to be seen if locals will embrace it for a casual but pricey meal, or if the jet-set crowd from below Prince-Arthur will make the trip north for a night out. :

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Unika

Address: 6700 St-Laurent

Phone: 277-6444

Hours: lunch 12am-3pm; dinner 6-10pm

Best features: salads, risotto and smiling staff

Alcohol: yes

Vegetarian friendly: so-so

Credit cards: yes

Wheelchair access: yes

Price: $30/person before drinks, tax and tip

Rating: HH1/2 out of HHHH