Dolce offer diners the authentic Italian experience

July 26, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By KIRA WRONSKA DORWARD

For exactly one year, Suthan Rasa’s restaurant Dolce has been a neighbourhood hub, the kind of place where everybody knows your name. Located in Caledon Village at the corner of Hurontario Street and Highway 24, this beloved community restaurant is a place to come, relax, and experience some delicious authentic Italian cuisine.

Chef Suthan Rasa originally chose the location for Dolce because he was drawn to the peaceful community feel of the town. Originally from Sri Lanka, which he left to escape the bloody civil war, he arrived in Canada and immediately found work in some of the prominent Italian restaurants of Toronto. He began by making the pastas, then was promoted to salads, and eventually became a sous chef, all the while learning from other master chefs about the art of fine Italian dining.

Dolce is the culmination of those years of hard work and experience, the perfect traditional Italian restaurant down to the red and white checked table cloths. Its bustling atmosphere on the weekends does not detract from the cozy feel of the place, as the restaurant is often packed at both lunch and dinner. The restaurant can accommodate 25-30 people, and is often booked for events such as birthdays, anniversaries and parties.

Dolce specializes in its 45 variations of pizzas and pastas, and even offers alternatives for the health conscious, such as gluten free, whole wheat, rice or spelt pasta, available upon request. Their menu also features a meat section with traditional and non-traditional items such as fish and chips, chicken souvlaki, and rainbow trout.

Each day features a daily pasta special, and each week Chef Rasa sets a special prix fix menu of three courses.

A small bar offers basic wine, beer and spirits, as well as mixed drinks. To top off the experience, traditional Italian deserts are on offer, in addition to a variety of cheesecakes.

Aside from eating in-house, Dolce offers a great take-out menu featuring everything from large family and party trays to individualized pizza orders, soups, antipasti, sandwiches, meats, pastas and fish.

In short, Dolce offers everything a good Italian could want, and then some.

When asked, Chef Rasa points out the gnocchi gorgonzola as his favourite dish, and this reporter has to agree. After also sampling the spaghetti (better than any I have ever tasted), fried calamari, and the pancetta e fungi pizza, each dish proved more delicious than the last. The most frequently ordered dishes at Dolce are the chicken parmesan, rainbow trout, spaghetti a la dolce, and the gnocchi a la vege.

To celebrate Dolce’s anniversary in August, Chef Rasa is offering a month-long set menu for $35. Walk-ins are always welcome, but since weekends are so busy, making a reservation is a sure bet for a table at this to-die-for establishment. Hours of operation are Tuesdays-Fridays 11a.m. – 9 p.m., Saturdays 2-9 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

In many ways, Dolce represents the Canadian dream; an immigrant from a war-torn country becomes a successful entrepreneur, the master of another nationality’s cuisine to be enjoyed by Canadians of all ethnicities.