Don't call it a comeback: Porticello's back in business

We noticed that Porticello, which closed down earlier this year, was back in business. In fact, about a week after we saw that they closed, we noticed some construction and renovating. A few weeks ago, we saw patrons and recently we saw a big sign that said 'new menu' and lower prices.

Reader channing wrote this comment on one of our older posts (Thanks!).

i visited porticello a few nights ago. the decor looks slightly updated. they say they have a new menu, but the food was very similar to what i remembered from before. not to say that that's bad. my meal was flavorful, inexpensive and down to earth. it just wasn't all that different. there were a few patrons.

Restaurant revived on Queens Quay?

So we were walking past Porticello last night and -- presto -- it had an open sign, had two tables and about eight people inside. Has it been revived after closing early last month? What's going on? Anyone know? We'll see if we can actually head there for a sit-down or takeout.

We've had a few good comments from readers of QQL about why restaurants are disappearing. We wrote earlier about Harbour Tandoori Grille closing.

Anonymous wrote:

Maybe the rents being charged by landlords for retail on Queen's Quay reflect that they are big-time developers of high rise apartment buildings who would rather have tenants with strong "corporate covenants" than independents who would contribute to the character and growth of the area. The rents at the foot of most of the buildings are unrealistic for any tenant other than formula-type franchises, be they food or cell-phones... Sadly, the closing of this Indian restaurant is just another example of poor planning when there were some good examples on this continent to look (eg Baltimore Inner Harbour) of those harbour front developments that have thought ahead and consequently now have diverse, evolving and sustainable retail destinations.

Very interesting observation. We have lots of 'chains' on the waterfront and does that really make sense or even encourage a unique neighbourhood. Maybe we need to support them while they (restaurants) need to adapt to a changing clientele.

'Channing' also wrote about the Indian takeout place.

i liked the indian place -- kinda messy, but the food was good. however, it's hard to tell if its demise was the result of stingy locals or what's going on in the wider economy. restaurants are suffering everywhere.

i was thinking of porticello the other day. i thought it'd do well after the hto park/spadina wavedeck opened, but obviously it didn't. however, now that i think about it, you could hardly notice it from the street. kinda sad.

It's true, and I think it goes back to outreach by restaurateurs. Maybe the build it and they will come won't work with everyone. We wonder why we never saw a flyer or any other way of building community. We note that in our condo, we see a few ads for Paws, the new pet store that's beside the Radisson. 

Eat local: Goodbye Porticello

Queens Quay is home to about 37 36 eateries -- we'll loosely define them as places where you can pick up a bite to eat. At Queens Quay Life, why not try to give a good idea of what each has to offer.

It's a sad day in the neighbourhood, a restaurant has shut down. But the eternal question is, did anyone notice?

Here at Queens Quay Life, we made a pledge early on to sample all the food that's in the neighbourhood. Granted, we haven't reviewed a restaurant in a few weeks, but we were all ready to get going again. Enter Porticello.

We know well the restaurant that's attached to the apartments just east of Spadina and Queens Quay. It's Italian food and as its sample menu (still online) on paper it looks good

Calamari
Grilled w/ olives, tomatoes, and fresh herb

Portobello
Oven roasted with balsamic glazed onions and parmesan cheese

Linguine Pescatore
Fresh seafood in tomato sauce

Even Toronto Life in its review gives it some points along with 1.5 stars and this not glowing but passable line:

The small menu of Italian standards and the equally truncated Italian wine list are dishearteningly unadventurous, but the affable owner can be trusted to find a more interesting bottle and to recommend whatever is freshest and best from the kitchen

Well, maybe someone can explain that, at least while we have been in the neighbourhood for more than 5 years, why it's been pretty dead. We think that maybe, just maybe, it didn't capitalize on the growing condo population. Why no flyers? Why no marketing? Why no buzz? We're only left to wonder that why can thousands of potential customers just blocks away never really ventured there.

Yesterday, we were passing the restaurant and we noticed three people in there dismantling lights and upending tables. Today, it was shuttered and dark and we read a notice from a barrister looking to collect rent, more than $11,000 according to the letter taped to the window, supposedly for everyone to see. Yes, this picture is blurry, sorry.

So goodbye Porticello.