Cosca

My recommendation: give Cosca a wide berth.
Two weeks ago, we made a reservation for four at Cosca. We booked on line and then followed up by phone to make sure. When we got there, the place was jammed and the owner had no record of our reservation. He was very apologetic, so we took the high road and quietly went somewhere else to eat. He assured us that he would «take care of us» if we came back another time.
So, we took a chance and booked again, this time by phone, and once again re-​confirmed by phone. When we arrived this evening, the owner recognized us and took us to our table, thanking us for giving him another chance.
The four of us had some drinks, and a pretty decent meal. When the bill came there was no reduction of any kind. As he handed me the POS terminal, the owner explained to my wife that they were having problems with the email reservation system and we should always phone. That was it – no further apology, no reduction on the bill — not even a complimentary amuse-​bouche.
I would give Cosca four stars for the food, and zero stars for the service. It’s a shame, as we only live a few blocks away, but we’ll never be back.
This place is NOT recommended.

First impression were exceptional with a drastic decline. 3.5 Stars
We walk up to the restaurant to look at the menu that was taped on the window outside. There was a gentlemen outside that greets us and convinces us to come inside and eat.
It is a cozy little place that is trying to be a little too upscale. Just like the little train that knew he could.
The prices didn’t look that bad until the meal was placed. My first impression was a HUGE disappoint ment. TINY Portions. But then it kind of reminded me of «Don Francesco Ristorante» except not as expensive. At Don’s you would pay $ 40 but here you pay less then $ 20. However, I know what to expect when I go to Don’s, I was expecting a little more from this place (as far as portions were concerned).
Looking passed my disappointment in portion size, the flavor of the meal was very Good. My taste buds were in lust of every forkful. However, just as fast as the enjoyment started it disappeared. OOOOOHHH the disappointment… :(
One thing that bugged me a little was the service, maybe 10 tables in the place and the waitress kept sitting down at the other end of the restaurant. After my initial order was taken I felt everyone disappeared. Then 5 minutes after my drink was empty, we get noticed. She asks us about dessert and mentions they have Titamissu! ARG! Now I have to stay and try that out, she gives us 15 minutes to think about it??? I pretty much decided to skip dessert by the time she got back to us, but my taste buds would not allow it, plus I was still hungry! So I ordered some Titamissu and boy I was glad I did. One word, AWESOME! It is totally hard to find decent Titamissu in this Country, and BINGO, here it is.
Comments: If you are trying to mimic a place like «Don Francesco Ristorante», you have to match more then just the Portion sizes, you have to match the service too. In «Don Francesco Ristorante» the service is eagle-​eyeing the guests waiting for their chance to appear and service you, not hiding in the back or on sitting down at the other end of the restaurant. HUGELY important. Your polite attitude and demeanor got us in there but once we ordered you pretty much disappeared, I felt a little scammed by the hole ordeal and I am almost sure that was not your intention. Honestly, I feel that you need to UP the portion size and keep your Servers on their feet or at least make it a priority to pay attention to the customers.
I didn’t want to give you 3 stars but I don’t think you were a 4 star either. However since I couldn’t give half stars (3.5 stars) I gave you the benefit.
I did tip my usual %20 but didn’t feel it was deserved, Total bill with two beers was a little less then $ 75.

I am visiting Vancouver and tonight I had one of the best meals ever at Cosca. I had their Smoked Octopus Risotto and it was to die for. The flavors were so sophisticated and varied. The risotto was smooth and flavorful and the octopus was tasty. These two were accompanied with some greens that gave the rest of the dish a nice edge and the oven dried tomatoes together with a few bits of tangerine really complemented everything else in the dish.
Also, their Panazanella Salad was just smashingly good. Oh how I wish I could live here to go to Cosca more often! To top it all off, the service was just right and the ambiance was hip yet relaxed and romantic all at the same time.

Check-​in offer looooove! A shame i came during their early bird 3-​course, which meant it wouldn’t be useful to me, but now that I know, I’ll come back to try their regular entrees. For those who don’t know, the check in offer is a free soup, salad or tartufo if you get an entrée over $ 15. Good for if you don’t go during early bird time (4 — 6pm).
We showed up on a quiet Sunday — we were the only ones here (
). The server apologized a lot since he didn’t usually work the dinner shift and couldn’t answer our questions, but we weren’t really in a rush, so we were pretty chill. We ordered their 3-​course special for 16 bucks. The pasta selections were basic, and the food was pretty plain. The mista salad was good (
), but the caeser salad dressing was on the salty side (
).
Husband ordered the meat lovers lasagna (
), which looked nothing like what showed up at Ed’s table (
). Ours looked like a mush of stuff, and my Penne Arrabiata actually seemed like it had more meat in it than his dish (
). The arrabiata is deliciously spicy, so it had a great kick to it.
We ordered a tiramisu and a tartufo for dessert, since the staff was really selling the tartufo on us (
). It was neat, but the tiramisu was a clear winner (
), and we wished we had stuck with our original plan of ordering two of them.
The place totally picked up by the time we left, it was almost full and more servers had come in on their shift. Overall it was an okay experience, and I’ll probably come back at least one more time to give them another try, and to have another piece of the tiramisu.

Went here as I needed a local place for a relaxed bite to eat. They had changed their menu. I opted for calamari, which was seasoned and cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of chilli. The sambuca prawns had flavour, but were a little over cooked. All in all though, a good place to go with a nice atmosphere

Nothing special.
Husband and I went for brunch. I was pretty surprised at the portions considering the cost. Husband was a little uncomfortable with the «touchey-​feely» manager (who undeniably means well). But after ordering a vegetarian entrée, and biting into a piece of pork, we were comped our meal and haven’t returned.

I really wanted to love this place. I walked by here in November after dinner elsewhere and was perusing the menu when the manager came out to invite me in. Upon letting him know I’d just eaten but would like to come back soon, he gave me a business card and made me promise I would.
When an UYE (unofficial Unilocal event) took place here, I had to attend and keep my promise. I was also looking forward to great Italian food.
Service was super friendly and knowledgeable about the food and wines. Attentive and chatty. Our server paused our conversation for a moment so he could explain the evening’s specials. He was winking and smiling, and I can’t say I minded, although everyone did receive the same treatment!
One thing I found weird was there were no prices on the menu for wines by the glass. I ordered what I wanted anyway, and the server assured me that the wine wasn’t more than around $ 11. Fair enough. Lucky for me, our lovely CM Robin M joined us and treated us to the wine!
Another thing I found weird was the exposed flames on the table’s decorative oil lanterns (candles?) which actually did end up burning a bit of a hole into one of our menus! I won’t say whose…
The herb bread that was provided to the table was a nice touch. As a starter, we had the calamari which was sauteed with capers, tomatoes, and olives. It wasn’t the best calamari I’ve had, but I enjoyed sopping up the sauce with the bread that was provided.
My dish was the parpadelle which was cooked with wild mushrooms and truffle oil. It sounded amazing and tasted almost as good. My one gripe about it would be that the mushrooms had some tough stalky stems which provided an awkward texture to the meal. Otherwise, the flavors were nice, the pasta was perfectly cooked, and the portion was great.
Of the desserts, I had a couple bites of the tiramisu. I know this dessert has been raved about plenty in other reviews. I won’t jump on the «it’s the best ever» bandwagon, but I definitely liked it a lot. It tasted so fresh.
I’d like to come back here, and I’d like to try more dishes. My feeling is that this place has such great potential. What a sweet romantic spot for a date or intimate catch-​up with a friend. I like the dim atmosphere and cozy interior. And, I liked the food. Nothing quite blew me away enough to give the place 5 stars, but given the service, prices, and atmosphere, this place deserves a solid 4 for now.

Cosca
1118 Denman Street
Came out here for a UYE (Unofficial Unilocal Event/​meet up). It was a good way to spend a Wednesday evening.
Atmosphere: I almost missed finding the location a few times, however, given the fact that I wasn’t wearing glasses and have astigmatism, I did decent in trying to find the location. It is, however, easily missable and in order to generate traffic in a competitive restaurant industry paired with the high cost of living, they may want to re-​consider at some point standing out for passers by. Inside was very dim, lit by oil lamps that added a nice relaxing romantic touch. The restaurant is very narrow and doesn’t seat many. We had our Unilocal event on a Wednesday evening, however, if going closer to the end of the week, expect a line up.
Service: Extremely nice and sociable waiter, very easy going and had the art of social fluency. He interacted with the table out of pleasure rather than going through the motions like some other waiters at other establishments. He was very attentative in genuinely inquiring if our meals were up to standards. He even placed the napkin on my lap… he must have ESP to know that I am clumsy (my pants have a reputation for eating more than I). It’s been a while since a man has been in my lap region, therefore, having a napkin placed in that area was awesome. It took a while for the food itself to come out, however, thankfully I was with awesome company with no agenda after. This is a good place if you’re not rushed and have all the time in the world. If you have to wait a while for your food and your date is a lousy loser whom you picked up from Plenty of Fish, the wait can be tedious. Go with someone whose company you enjoy whom can sustain interest and conversation.
Price: Standard market fair prices for the area.
Food:
I was informed by a girlfriend of mine, whom made physical threats to me, to try the tiramisu. I am so glad that I did. I ordered 1 plate for 5 to share just to spread the calories and the gluten. Being gluten free, there was no way that I could consume a whole pastry and even after two bites… I felt the tummy rumble, however, it was so worth it. This was the best tiramisu I’ve ever had (believe me I’ve had a lot in the city and even wrote an article on the best tiramisu in Vancouver). Awesome fresh crème, perfectly moist and the blend of coffee to chocolate was a perfect ratio and flavour notes that hit all the right pallet chords in your mouth. Even the table next to use raved about the tiramisu.
I had the Spaghettini Bolognese Rich vegetable meat sauce, parmigiano. For $ 2 they substituted with Gluten Free pasta. The Gluten Free pasta was cooked to perfection as sometimes boiling such breed of pasta is difficult when you’re used to years of the conventional wheat pasta cooking. This was the first time in which a pasta joint actually was able to make boil rice pasta to perfection to emulate the texture of wheat pasta. The sauce did not drown the pasta, it was a good amount. The flavour notes blended very well together and infused itself in the creamy base.
I finished the meal with dessert, chocolate cherry torte which was to die for. The waiter was concerned that the texture wasn’t to normal serving par, however, I still encouraged him to bring it on. Being a culinary connoisseur I understand that adjustments and mistakes can actually work better than intended. I wanted to be a fair judge of that. To be honest, it worked better than I thought it would and it was awesome. The best part is that it had amareno cherries which I never see on dessert menu’s ever.

My boyfriend and I love sharing the platter of 3 pastas!
They even accommodated my dietary restrictions and made a pasta for us the wasn’t on the menu.
One of my top pics in Vancouver!

I went here to check out the three course special they have from 4 pm to 6 pm (even weekends!) after finding it on Facebook.
When we arrived we were seated right away. The warm atmosphere was much appreciated in contrast to the dreary weather outside. As we enjoyed the candlelit coziness, we looked over the menu for the special. It is HUGE. So much selection for $ 15.95, I could not believe it.
I had the Insalata Mista, the Linguini Pesto e Gamberi and their Tiramisu (which is my favourite dessert of all time and I had been seeing all over Twitter that their’s is a force to be reckoned with). The Insalata Mista is a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette which was a nice way to start the meal. For my main I chose the Linguini Pesto e Gamberi because I have a soft spot for sundried tomatoes and shrimp. The portion wasn’t too big, and it did not disappoint. My pasta was al dente, and our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable about wine and suggested one that went great with my pasta. I was very full after my meal, so I got my Tiramisu to go. This however did not last long as we ended up finishing it on the ride home. Oops.
The location is great for a walk on the beach before or after dinner ;) We will definitely be back.

Came here for their dine-​out special. Between 1600 – 1800 (7 days a week), there is a 3-​course set meal for the low low price of $ 16.
Parking isn’t the best, but many areas free up on Denman at 1800.
The place is seriously hard to find, mainly because the canopy is black, it’s dark inside so the windows are black, and the door is black. I walked right past it before being stopped by my friend Vincent N.
Inside was dim (powered by oil lamps), with a bar on one side and a bunch of tables on the other side. Wow, this place is narrow. People kept shuffling behind me and knocking my jacket off my chair. On the way out I noticed a coat rack. Oh well, next time. Most of the tables were of the rectangular 2-​person variety. This place is definitely on the cramped side. Today we had to seat 5 people using just 2 of these tables. Elbows in.
The staff were friendly, and the co-​owner (I was told who he was after I sat down) did try to be friendly, but I wasn’t feeling too social. The effort was appreciated though.
There was music playing in the background (some Beatles remixes), but honestly, I thought it was unnecessary. The place was loud enough as it is. With that said, we could hold conversations for the most part.
I do have a soft spot for dingy Italian restaurants. Vincent told me the place has only been around since July 2011, but it has a very nice homely feel. The vibe I got from the staff was that they actually cared. A great example would be when we were ordering our food. The waiter even paired the wine for a couple of people at my table, based on their menu recommendations. Now that’s service. Personally, I had a St. Ambroise apricot wheat beer. It was definitely something different, and was indeed apricoty.
Speaking of the food.
Mista Salad — nice and light. Salad dressing wasn’t too heavy or thick, which was also pleasant. Cherry tomatoes were fresh and crisp.
Linguini Pesto e Gamberi — green-​looking linguini with 3 large prawns on top. The portion was a tad on the small size, but what do you expect for the price. Delicious cream and olive oil (I’m a sucker for olive oil), but not too heavy. Most places drench their pasta. My plate was almost completely dry when I was done. Not saying there wasn’t enough sauce at all; there was a nice thin coating on all of the noodles. Excellent.
Tiramisu — Roni L. is right. This is definitely one of the best I’ve had in a long time. I’d agree with him that most places screw this up by making it way too sweet or drippy. The nice fluffy artery-​clogging layer up top was so beautiful, it brought a tear to my eye. Oh, and it’s a pretty large piece.
Not sure how their main menu is, but I left here a super happy customer. Recommended.

Cosca Restaurant is a recently opened Italian resto located within steps of English Bay, Vancouver on Denman Street. This resto brings a rustic charm to this area with its cozy atmosphere, romantic setting and dark wood décor by Nicole Eve Quinn. The idea is to bring you back to Tuscany for some authentic Roma Italian food and more. It’s no doubt that patrons often walk by and are drawn in. Tables line the left and a well-​stocked bar on the right.

Cosca is a Sicilian Mafia term; by definition meaning clan/​family that claims sovereignty over an area (bogata). This is also represented by the artichoke symbol — «a thistle that is hard and protective on the outside by as you peel back the layers you eventually get to the heart»
Cuisine: Italian
Price/​Entrée: $ 10 – 20
Out of 5… (1: Don’t bother — 5: Excellent)
Food: 3.5
Service: 4.0
Ambiance: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
I was delighted to be invited by EATmarketing @LoveVanFood to Cosca to have a taste of their robust menu along with a few other foodies @vanfoodster @PetiteFoodie @meplusfood @Sherman38 @andyeatsalot and crasscuisine. We started off with drinks and appies.
The French Connection
Initially I had no idea what was in my drink. All I knew that I really liked the sour tart taste and it had a highly aromatic honey fragrant. I later discovered that it was gin shaken with elderflower and fresh lime juice.
Fresh herb bread were served with balsamic vinegar and dipping oil.
Malanzane Arrosto
Roasted eggplant, basil marinara, smoked mozzarella. Large eggplant deliciously roasted and complimented well with the thick tomato sauce and melted cheese — adding flavor on the otherwise bland eggplant.
Insalata Sofia

A cold appi with marinated stem artichoke heart, crispy pancetta, shredded ricotta salata, vine tomato. Ricotta cheese and marinated tomatoes were refreshing and herb infused olive oil added seasoning.
The star of this appetizer medley dish was the artichoke — The Articicocco Moederno e Roma where the artichoke is steam with a dipping sauce dating back to 77AD and a modern sauce. It is deliciously marinated and a soft artichoke heart. Served together with …
Proscuitto Melone — San Daniele proscuitto, arugula and melon. This was an experiment that I wouldn’t have thought of mixing prosciutto together with melon. The salty meat was reduced with the sweet tasting melon. Light and refreshing
Calamari Livornese
Tender sautéed calamari, tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives. The calamaris here are sautéed not breaded and fried. It was tender and the tomato broth was spicy. I liked the added heat to this dish
Funghi Selvatico Wild
Basically a wild mushroom flatbread with caramelized onions, pecorino, cream sauce and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. This was a nice change from the tomato dominated dishes previously savored. Served with a bed of fresh spring greens.
Next stop: Specials of the night
Red Snapper
I generous portion of pan seared red snapper on a bed of linguine with white wine, fresh garlic, fresh herbs and served with broccolini. The fish was herb crusted and well-​seasoned but slightly salty. It was a nice combo with the light tasting linguine. If only the linguine could have been more al dente.
Risotto Di Giorno
Risotto of the day was duck breast with orange, saffron and golden beets. I had high hopes for this dish but unfortunately my expectations were too high. I found the duck to be tough. There were parts of it that I could not cut easily with my dinner knife — perhaps a steak knife would’ve done the trick. The risotto did not have the a supple, fluid creamy texture but with body. The creaminess of the rice was overpowered by the infused orange zest and saffron. If you eat the duck, the golden beets together with the rice, all the components blend much better and the experience is much more enjoyable than picking at each individually.
Lamb Osso Bucco with Potatoe Gnocchi
This lamb was delicious — soft, tender, and juicy where the meat falls off the bones! Tomato sauce brought out the flavor of lamb and gnocchi was able to absorb all the seasoning. Served with red onion baby spring greens salad.
Mushroom Ravioli
One of my favorites. I must say I have a soft side for mushrooms and truffles. This dish was pungent with every bite. Roasted red bell peppers and red wine grated cheese sauce was rich and smooth. I hadn’t realized this until afterwards but it wasn’t ravioli but fresh egg pasta instead. Again, I wish the pasta to be more al dente.
Tagliolini Nero
Squid ink pasta, diver scallops, pesto cream, BC salmon roe. The scallops were beautifully seared, crispy on the outside yet juicy and tender inside. I couldn’t get enough of these scallops! Pesto cream was delicious against the light tasting squid ink pasta.

Perfect rescue on a Saturday afternoon. We’d walked too long, were too hungry, and too tired to think straight. The friendly owner pointed out the menu in his window as he mentioned the true Italian chef, and with this sincere manner we were sold to give this cozy restaurant a try.
Glad we did. Tasty eggs bennys, seasoned moist fried eggs, and fresh mixed green salad — an all round pleasing meal. Good selection of fruit juices which is appreciated.
Chatty service from the owner made us feel so welcome, and the Aussie server lady was just as wonderful with her cheerfulness. So nice to see such great rapport between owner and staff (and even after he’d left for the afternoon, she raved about how wonderful he is to work with!)
Well done Cosca! We’ll be back to try to your dinner menu soon too.

Ok, I’ll post a full review at some point. If you’ve been hanging around me over the last few weeks, then you would have heard me rave about Cosca’s… desserts. Their tiramisu is out of this world. The first time I had it, it blew my mind
I am actually not a fan of tiramisu usually, because I find the cream on most of them to be too thin or too sweet or other tiramisu’s to be dripping wet with liquer.
Not this one, the cream was just right, heavier than others, the cake was just moist and it was layered perfectly.
I’ve even gone there just to have the tiramisu. It’s great with wine or amarretto. Of course, I usually can’t pass up their pasta, every dish is good there, and I know cuz, I’ve had pasta at a lot of places.
Stay tuned for a review of their pasta.
PS: People love their cherry chocolate torte as well. Not too sweet, but RICH chocolate and amareno cheeries (very rare in these parts).

With a humbly warm and rustic setting, this small Italian spot is a neighbourhood restaurant with nourishing comfort food and wine in the West End near English Bay. It’s reasonably-​priced and well-​portioned for everyday casual dining. The staff are very warm and welcoming, the type that would get to know their regulars, so feel free to say hi to Andrew the bartender, GM Weldon and Chef Kero. We got big hugs out of them :)
Full of locals on a Tuesday night, we came for a private dinner hosted by Weldon and a specially crafted menu by Chef Alen Kero. We enjoyed a wide spread of dishes that were thoroughly satisfying — all with wholesome ingredients that nourished and offered succulent flavour. I truly was amazed by the entire creative menu. Here’s a few recommendations:
— Whole artichoke and oil. Naturally delicious, flavourful and unique to Cosca. Offering an experience in itself, peel away and enjoy the steamed artichoke — layer by layer — with the two accompanying ‘to die for’ oil dips (extra v. with cummin, honey & extra v. with garlic and rosemary). Ask to add their bread basket too — the bread is amazing. Big points for originality and concept on this one!
— Tiramisu, housemade. Fresh cream layers, perfectly moist and delightful! This is a reason in itself to try Cosca.
— Lamb with saffron risotto. I’m usually not a huge lamb fan, but this was so tender and perfectly complimented by the risotto, arugula, tomato + yellow beets. Lamb shank is a big seller here.
— Calamari. Mildly spicy and sautéed in tomatoes and garlic, but it was creative addition of the capers and olives that made this all the more interesting.
— Pappardelle Boscaiola and Spaghettini Bolognese. Pappardelle — loved this. Though I felt a lighter pasta would have worked well, the flavours were absolutely divine: truffle oil, wild mushroom, smoked mozzarella in a creamy ragu. Bolognese — if you like to keep it simple with a basic bolognese, try this. I bet you’ll like it ;)
5 out of 5 for this fabulous first experience! Cosca exceeded my expectations as the previous reviews on here are a little hurting. A two-​star is definitely not an adequate reflection of the restaurant, especially for the ambience, the food and price point. Urban Spoon’s rating is much more reflective. Definitely worth a try! Will be back :)
What’s more:
— Living for the Locals (4−6PM): special daily promotion
— Packed in the evenings: Thurs — Sat. Prepare for lineups.
— Cosca (italian for «clan») and the artichoke heart. The concept is symbolic of «a place at the heart of togetherness.»
Suggestions for Cosca:
— Share your story!
— Add photos of your restaurant and food on your website
— Feature your artichoke dish and the tiramisu!

I was excited to hear of a new Italian restaurant close to home. Since there has recently been an amazing improvement in the quality and chefs of Italian cuisine, I assumed this one would stand up to the same merits as their competition. I was sadly proved wrong.
I ordered the penne arrabiata. Traditionally a spicy tomato sauce. They added Italian sausage and mushrooms. Sounded appetizing. Unfortunately, the mushrooms came from a tin and the sausage, something processed and diced. This type of sausage you would normally see served with crackers and orange cheese. Also, it was extremely salty, rendering it unedible. Having left three quarters of my pasta, I thought our server would ask me if I enjoyed my pasta. She took it away no questions asked. The chicken parmagiana my friend ordered was not much better. The side linguini was overcooked and the chicken had the consistancey of a sponge. Not the best ingredients considering the price point.
If your looking for good Italian food in the west end. You’ll have a better dining experience at Nook.

I’ve been wanting to try Cosca for a while now, but it has been super busy every time I’ve wandered by. Last night we arrived early, 6:45 pm on a Saturday, and got the best seats for two, right in the window.
We were greeted immediately by Mike, the owner, who asked our names (and remembered them). Service was impeccable from that point on. I love when I don’t even have to ask for bread or water for the table!
We started with cocktails, the perfect Bellini for me — not too sweet — and The Godfather for my lover: a masculine looking combination of scotch and Amaretto. We shared the romaine hearts salad and the eggplant parmesan, — good, solid, nothing fancy. Then the wild mushroom risotto: WOW! 5 stars for this truffle oil-​infused delight!
We had a great time. Cosca is exactly what Denman Street has been lacking in dining for far too long. We’ll be back soon!

The host talked up the restaurant and said they are the only great restaurant in the area among cafeteria food like places. Food was expensive for the quality and quantity that you get. I had linguini with clams, it seemed like they spilled a bucket of salt on the plate. The portion was so small that I had to order another pasta (and I’m not a big eater and a small person), so I got egg pasta with mushroom Ragu. Pasta was overcooked. My husband had their mushroom flatbread, which was good.
Their wine, though very limited selection, was better than food.
I recommend any other place next door to this dump.

Dulcinea Chocolate café (
) disappeared for a long while, and when the wrapping came off the interior had been entirely transformed and it now a restaurant called Cosca.
I wandered in for lunch, and tried their special of the day — Meatball parmigiana. It came with a small side salad, which was severely overdressed to the point of being soggy from the dressing. The dressing itself was not well balanced either and was too heavy on the balsamic (and I normally like a heavier dose of balsamic than most people). Photo:
The meatballs were served on top of a rather bland and slightly stale half piece of commercial tasting «focaccia» (and I use the term loosely as it tasted like slightly stale supermarket whitebread). The meatballs were cooked through to the point of being well overdone — having no juice left inside at all. They were topped with a rather simple tomato sauce that could have used a bit more seasoning and some «cheese» that I could swear is the stuff they sell in supermarkets called, «Cheese dairy product» (or some other mysterious industrial sounding name for the stuff in shakers). Meh. Photo:
Service was friendly, but the food was just not something that would draw me back. Somehow I imagine this spot will see the same fate as Dulcinea sadly.

As a west ender, any time there’s a new restaurant I’m keen to try it out, especially if it’s a small business. I’ve walked past Cosca many times and with great anticipation, decided to have Sunday brunch with two friends there this morning.
I first looked on their web site, which, under the «location» link, states «for questions about our menu or reservations, call … «I called and the voicemail says «We don’t take reservations but we always make room.»
I get that some restaurants don’t take reservations. but SAY so. don’t make me call based on your web site then tell me you don’t take reservations.
We went anyway. The big windows to Denman street was wide open and we opened the door, only to be greeted with dismay.
«We’re not open yet,» she said.
«Oh! when are you open?» we were confused because their web site says Sat-​Sun brunch 11am-​3pm. and the menu they have posted on their storefront window says Sat-​Sun Brunch 10am-​3pm.
«We open at 11:30.» I looked at my watch, it was 11:26am.
The hostess turned around, her b*tt crack showing in her way-​to-​low jeans. At this point, we thought: we could do better.
I know that for any restaurant, there are growing pains, especially at the beginning. But the BASICS shouldn’t be that hard to address — things like your hours, like the appearance of your hosts, and like basic courtesy of greeting guests when they’re 4 minutes early for opening — oh wait, were we 4 minutes early or were we an hour and 26 minutes into restaurant hours? I guess it depends on who you ask.