Back to translating Italian! "Insieme" in English means 'together', or more precisely 'with one another'... implying an organic harmonious connection between beings or an ecosystem, rather than "these shoes and jacket go great together". I could be wrong, having only looked this up for a couple minutes... but whatever!
It's a great name for a restaurant, that's for sure... enough so that various restaurants in Montreal and Milano likewise have the name "Insieme", though there is seemingly no connection to the one here in Toronto. Speaking of that, Insieme (Toronto version) opened it's doors sometime last spring/summer (2024) on Atlantic Avenue (no hotel though), taking over the space previously occupied for roughly a decade by Vietnamese fusion spot Saigon Bistro.
One immediate positive Insieme has brought to the neighbourhood is the rejuvenation of the rather spacious front patio of the property. While this particularly drizzle-heavy afternoon was not exactly the most ideal time to settle in get comfy out here... I can easily imagine a cool summer evening spent with a meal and streetside watching being rather charming. Any outdoor patio that utilizes a tree in some way is always a winner if you're asking me (which you clearly are, what with reading this review and all).
The inside of the restaurant is rather compact and tight, with a casually sleek decor and plenty of greenery by the large front window. Most certainly a relaxed, chill vibe to the place... a simplified coziness despite the still general semi-touched newness unmistakably in the air. It was quite empty when I made my visit... it being a wet Tuesday just after 4 o'clock in the afternoon and they having been open for maybe ten minutes.
I made my order and about a dozen minutes later I was out the door with it, hoping to find some kind of moderate outdoor shelter under which to eat it (no such luck, a tiny tree beside Left Field Brewery so it would be).
My curiousity is always raised when a pizzeria gives one of their pizzas the same name as their restaurant. Is it because this particular creation best embodies the spirit and substance of what the place is all about? Or more so a creation designed as something outside of the box, an excuse to sidestep more traditional pies and make something unique and original? Whatever the motive, here is the Pizza Insieme: tomato sauce, fior di latte cheese, pepperoni, 'nduja sausage, basil, sliced garlic and oregano.
The first thing I noticed was the very acidic nature of the sauce. Not a bad thing! But definitely more on the sweet, stingy side of tomato flavour. A very thin, loose sauce as well... soaking into the base dough. The crust has some light crunch, not too much char... while there is some cornmeal-like grit to the base of the pie. There's even a scent of roasted corn within the dough. As for the texture... it's deceptively thin (even for a wood fired pie) but has the right balance of soft and slight crunch to really make that work.
Having basil on here was a very wise choice, as that bright leafiness does well in swallowing up some of that sauce acidity. Together they're quite lovely. Sadly I don't get much of the garlic in here... there are hints of it throughout but its very much blended into the other more prominent flavours.
There are a few things I quite like about this pizza, the pepperoni and cheese chief among those positives. Great charred edges and crisp to this pepperoni, while the fior di latte brings that full-bodied, mouth filling buttery touch I really do like in a pizza mozzarella. There is some floppiness to these slices as well (not helped by the rain pelting me during this) but the toppings all hold together and stay onboard with minimal mess. As mentioned earlier, the texture of this pizza is quite on point.
More of a letdown (hangin' around) is that 'nduja element. It's entirely fine I suppose... that distinctive robust flavour is in here, though faintly... which does give this pizza a kind of "playing it safe" feel as I went deeper into it. All of this is a bit too pleasant, too friendly to the tastebuds... with nothing taking a chance and really going "wow" upon me.
Despite that, I still somehow liked this pizza more the more I ate some of it. Even cold, it's strong qualities were barely diminished. No glaring weaknesses either... only it's general 'goodness' and lack of ooomph are my notable complaints.
Overall! This reminded me of Pizzeria Libretto in a few ways... mostly in the composition (the sauce, cheese, and paper thin garlic precisely). I do probably like this a whisker or two more than my last Libretto experience, although on a measure of quality they're both very much in the same ballpark.
It's a nice ballpark to be in, of course. Perhaps not all that unique or different among wood burning oven pizzas... but a good one is a good one and this is certainly that. I would indeed recommend checking out Insieme! Charming spot, lovely front patio (great for a summer date night)... and the pizza is very good. I'm torn between a "B+" and a "B++" on this one... I did really enjoy this pizza, though I just wish they hadn't played it so safe with the spiciness of their 'nduja sausage. I'll go with a very strong "B+", likely placing them on the verge of a Top 50 slot in all of Toronto.
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