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LANO
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Slipping away from reality into the chic calm of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, is uncommonly delightful. No surprise there. It’s hard not to feel drawn by the five-star property’s timeless elegance, quality offerings and the balm of an attentive staff. With the recent opening of LANO, the hotel’s new wine bar and café, there’s also now a hefty dose of Northern Italian charm added to the mix. A spot where sophistication is dialed up and menus teem with delicious bites, LANO is an inviting haunt you’ll want to retreat to at all hours of the day and night.
Located in the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, LANO borrows its name and vibrancy from Milano, Italy’s fashion and finance capital. A sunlit space finished by Chapi Chapo Design in a serenely hued mix of luxurious materials, LANO operates from early morning until late, tempting guests with simple fare done exceptionally well.
Beyond its leather-clad booths, refined fixtures and greenery, the room’s design incorporates a handsome wine cellar which, even in the a.m., hints at the space's nocturnal alter ego.
“We wanted to create something new and different, and something that complements the other spaces that we have,” explains hotel manager, Lukas Boeckmann, referring to the hotel’s other restaurants, EPOCH Bar + Kitchen Terrace and TOCA.
Less formal than its siblings, LANO caters to guests rushing through the lobby to 9 a.m. meetings, those looking for a nightcap or those seeking an alternative to a more involved meal. Though the team accepts some reservations, the idea, adds Boeckmann, is for people to come and go, to saunter in on a whim to try something new.
“Our entire concept is a very, very truly Northern Italian experience,” says executive sous chef Ignatius Prinsloo. “The key to our success is that every single piece of bread, every pastry is made in-house.”
Impossibly golden, their seams and stripes as sharp as those on a Prada suit, cornetti are your first hint that Prinsloo and pastry chef Christian Lai Chun aren’t all talk. Housed in a meticulous display, the pasticcini assortment jumps from plump chocolate saccottini and burnished pan Suisse to lush almond cornetti.
Each (or a selection) would make a fine first meal of the day chased down with one of the team’s Illy-based beverages. Not only is the coffee’s quality top-rate, the Italian brand also aligns with LANO’s commitment to sustainability, says Mervyn Fernandes, the hotel’s director of food and beverage. “All the pods are collected and go back to be recycled and refilled,” he explains.
Beyond naughtier temptations, fruit salads and parfaits round out chef’s early-morning menu. “We try to balance it out with a few healthier options,” says Prinsloo, describing two of the team’s top sellers.
“Our orange parfait is a whipped yogurt with a little bit of orange zest in there, just to lighten it up,” he says. An edible cloud, it’s yogurt given a Ritz-style glow-up, then embellished with berries and “LANO-la.” A crunchy, not-too-sweet blend of almonds and pistachios, oats, maple syrup, brown sugar, spice and, ovviamente, a splash of quality olive oil, the team’s take on granola also adorns a chia-laced vegan parfait flavoured with coconut and maple.
Lunchtime, or la ora di pranzo, finds a fresh selection of panini and insalate joining the lineup. Sandwiches boast simple combinations — from a colourful mix of marinated and grilled veg in the Primavera to deeply savoury prosciutto and asiago in the Paninetto San Daniele — and benefit greatly from the team’s just-baked breads. There are four kinds, explains Prinsloo, describing laminated focaccia, olive oil paninetto, ciabatta and sourdough-based sunflower seed bread that could make any carbaholic happy, even on its own.
Eaten in the calming space or hustled to an afternoon appointment, salads blend a surfeit of fresh and vibrant ingredients into wholesome meals.
Inspired by a caprese, the Insalate di Riso is built on a hearty bed of wild rice for a meal with extra heft. Tossed with zippy white balsamic dressing, Ruchetta e Noci is a peppery classic best partnered with one of the team’s panini.
Like to chase your bowlful of greens with something sweet? The team's assortment of crisp biscotti, velvety gelati and traditional desserts, from cannoli to tiramisu, ensure no sweet tooth goes home unhappy.
If drinking wine is your goal, LANO will beckon most powerfully after the day’s crises have been handled, meetings have been tolerated and remaining responsibilities can be shifted to another day.
Rather than overwhelm guests with an oversize catalogue of bottles, the team’s curated selection is “a 30-label wine list,” says Fernandes. “Twenty five are uniquely Italian. You wouldn’t get these off the rack at the LCBO. The remaining five are uniquely Canadian labels.” Additionally, there are “12 wines by the glass, including sparkling, rosé, and there’s one very interesting wine as well, a sparkling red, a Lambrusco,” he adds.
To go with the wine bar concept, dinner is “all antipasti,” explains chef Prinsloo. Guests are invited to make their own antipasti board from a selection of imported Italian salumi and cheeses, marinated and grilled vegetables, olives and seafood.
“You can make dinner out of it but it’s not necessarily a heavy meal,” adds Boeckmann, explaining that the selection also works well for guests looking for nothing more than a tasty little snack to nibble on as they leisurely sip their wine.
Inspired by the dolce vita, LANO reminds guests to take the time to enjoy life’s simpler things. “Take five minutes and enjoy the coffee, like in Europe,” says Boeckmann. “Not everything has to be consumed while walking.”
“Have a seat. Grab a coffee. Experience the place. Have a chat with the staff," adds Fernandes. After all, he muses, "this is what the place is all about.”
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