Posted by Melissa Bell in italian, restaurant review on January 24, 2008 at 7:42 am

Jolly II Italian Restaurant
2625 Weston Road
416-242-6666
Complete dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $72

Sandwiched between Nevada Bob's and a Bell Mobility store at Crossroads Plaza (Weston Road and the 401), it's an odd place for a sit-down restaurant. But Jolly II Italian Restaurant has occupied that odd place for twenty years. And after twenty years of driving by the place on my way to the gigantic LCBO just two doors down from the Jolly II, I am finally curious enough to set foot inside its doors. It can't be the location that's responsible for Jolly II's longevity. So it must be the food.

The website says that the restaurant offers "a casual, relaxing environment for a romantic dinner for two or a family get-together". Family get-together, maybe. But romantic dinner for two? Hmm. My idea of a romantic dinner doesn't involve two large televisions angled toward the main dining area and intrusive whistly background music.

Not that I sat in the main area anyway. My guest and I were seated in a booth at the front window. Our exterior view comprised a dozen topless table stands occupying the deserted patio and some enormous object (a patio bar perhaps?) covered in a big blue tarp that flapped in the wind. As well, the window itself was framed in bright red neon, and surrounded by exposed electrical cords, wiring, and junction boxes. In spite of these mood-killers, there is a warm and cozy ambiance to the place even though the restaurant is anything but small.

My guest and I decide to order a couple of Italian classics to begin our meal. I order the stracciatella soup ($4.95). Piping hot chickeny-rich broth is loaded with beaten egg and Parmesan. It's a generous bowl of soupilicious comfort, and with the complimentary bread basket, could easily be a satisfying meal in and of itself.

Guest isn't disappointed with her order of bruschetta ($4.95) and neither am I. Four king-sized pieces of toasted crisp-tender garlic bread are heaped with tangy sweet chopped tomatoes and a dash of green onion for colour and flavour. I've eaten a lot of bruschetta in my lifetime, and this is certainly one of better ones I've enjoyed in the city. My guest and I eat one enormous piece each and ask to take the rest home for snacking later.

Which becomes a bit of theme for the rest of the meal. The portions at Jolly II are far from skimpy. My fellow diner and I have been craving pasta all day, so that's what we order. Her gnocchi alla gorgonzola ($14.95) is a large deep plateful of chewy little potato nuggets enrobed (yes, enrobed) in a creamy cheese sauce. It's velvety and rich, not the least bit gooey or gummy. I order the fettuccine vagabondo ($13.95), listed on the menu as one of Jolly II's "fancy" dishes. I'm not sure what makes it especially fancy – it's simply handmade pasta (the pinked edges from the pasta cutter are clearly visible on the noodles), strips of chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms in a rosé sauce. It's very good, but a touch bland. I've enjoyed a similar pasta dish at the now defunct Duke of Argyle, but the Duke's also had whole cloves of roasted garlic added to the mix. It might not be a bad idea if Jolly II tried the same.

As good as our main dishes are, guest and I cannot finish them and, as with the bruschetta, decide to take the remainder home for later. But we do decide to treat ourselves to dessert. My guest has far more restraint than I do and orders a neat little scoop of strawberry gelato ($2.95). Me, I go for the tiramisù ($5.95) and my choice makes me very happy. It's everything a tiramisù should be in my opinion: icy cold, boozy (the menu advertises Bailey's as one of the ingredients), rich with cocoa and mascarpone, and not overly sweet. I finish half the serving and take away the rest for tomorrow's lunch.

Jolly II's menu is extensive and offers Italian sandwiches, pizzas, stuffed pastas, and seafood dishes. The restaurant is also open for breakfast and lunch (lunch combos start at $5.50), and offers take-out and catering services. The staff is courteous, friendly, and accommodating (we walked out with numerous "second-meals", all carefully packaged for our convenience).

In spite of its somewhat out-of-the-way location, the dining room was not lacking diners, even at the unfashionably early dinner hour at which my guest and I arrived. Jolly II Italian Restaurant offers excellent value for the money and the food is certainly worth a visit. It might have taken me twenty years to pop into Jolly II, but I'll be surprised if another twenty days go by before I can resist going back to see what else they're good at.