Enoteca Sociale makes some of the city's best pasta and salumi from scratch in house, and is also home to one of the most sought-after private dining rooms in Toronto.

The Italian restaurant comes to us from the same people behind Pizzeria Libretto, and encompasses a four-seat, reservation-only chef's bar.

These seats look in on an open kitchen, the rest of a meandering dining room surrounded by windows accented with brick arches and stained glass light fixtures.

Though chef's bar seats are reservation only, a seasonal, family-style chef's bar menu can be enjoyed throughout the restaurant, no reservations required, for $65 a head. 

Wine pairings are an additional $35, and dietary restrictions can be accommodated within the menu.

Enoteca begins serving this chef's bar menu before guests even arrive, welcoming them house bread baked fresh daily paired with olive oil and a house whipped lardo. We have a red fife sourdough and one of their signatures, a fluffy rosemary focaccia. 

A mix of olives (including crisp, crunchy ones that rival any green variety I've had) are marinated overnight in house with lots of spices, fresh herbs, chianti and red wine vinegar.

Prosecco pairs nicely with this for a start, clean and refreshing with enough acidity to wash the greasiness of the rich lardo from the palate.

Mortadella is a stellar example of the rotating house salumi served here.

Fatty but sliced paper thin, it's made using Perth pork and is paired with a tart, spicy zucchini agrodolce.

A frittata is made using the same Conestoga eggs that are used to make pasta. The combination of the high-quality eggs and grassy dandelion greens is simple yet addictive, the slice of egg tart paired with a light salad dressed with a lemon vinaigrette.

Generally two pastas are included with the chef's bar menu, portioned out for the number of people in your party. A classic cacio e pepe is always on the menu, representing everything this humble but stunning dish should be: cheesy and spicy with a perfect chew to the egg noodles, made with sharp Pecorino Romano.

Amatriciana is typically always on the menu as well, made with Pecorino, black pepper, tomato, chili and crispy guanciale.

A Recioto della Valpolicella hailing from northeast Italy has a sweetness and intensity, but is subtle enough to pair with several courses.

Chicken roasted to order makes for a homey yet elevated secondi, served with a simple but sumptuous jus and rotating preserved veg. Today's is zucchini scapece, fried and marinated overnight with olive oil, oregano and white wine vinegar.

Homemade shells for sinfully good cannoli are filled with an airy whipped lemon ricotta that's dipped in fried pistachio on either end.