Italian Archives | Foodgressing

Vancouver West End Italian Restaurant: Robba Da Matti

July 9, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

A Yaletown favourite has just opened up a second location in the West End. Robba da Matti has taken over the space formerly occupied by Adesso Bistro at 1906 Haro Street (just off Denman within the residential area).

West End Italian Restaurant Robba Da Matti Haro Vancouver

Hidden Patio

The restaurant features a beautiful patio which offers guests a secluded al fresco dining experience in a garden oasis. It’s the perfect romantic setting for a date night.

Cozy Dining Room

Patros can also enjoy their meal in the cozy, spacious dining room featuring dim lighting and overhanging industrial lights.

Date Night Menu

Robba da matti has a 3-course Date Night Special priced at $122 for 2 people. This includes choice of 2 antipasti or Yaletown Antipasto or prosciutto & burrata to share; 2 any pasta mains; 2 desserts; and 1 bottle of wine (Nespolino Sangiovese/Merlot or Tolloy Pino Grigio). The great thing is that you are choosing items which are on the regular menu.

I was invited to a media tasting of Robba Da Matti’s Date Night menu. Here’s a look at my experience.

To start, we went with the Tolloy Pino Grigio to complement our meal.

We ordered the Prosciutto & Burrata featuring prosciutto di parma (aged 22 months) paired with mozzarella flown in from the Southern region of Puglia. However, due to the popularity of the dish, burrata had run out and we were offered mozza balls instead.

The thin, marbled slices of prosciutto were buttery and flavourful; it went well with the soft mozza balls.

One of the mains we had was the Spaghetti Allo Scoglio, a Venetian-inspired dish. It came with cherry tomatoes and assorted seafood (mussels, clams, tiger prawns, and calamari). It was a delicious, seafood pasta with al dente noodles in a flavourful red sauce.

The Pappardelle “Rosche Rosche” was also excellent featuring boneless short ribs, Italian sausages and a hearty ragu.

To finish off a fantastic meal, we enjoyed the Lavender Creme Brulee with a perfectly crystallized top and subtle floral notes.

The Chocolate Mousse was also very smooth and delicious; it had the right amount of chocolate without it being too rich and sweet.

Robba Da Matti’s Date Night menu presents a great value for couples to enjoy well-craft Italian dishes in a charming and inviting setting. For more information, visit www.robbadamatti.com

Robba Da Matti
1906 Haro Street, Vancouver, BC
www.robbadamatti.com

Vancouver Date Night Restaurant: Robba Da Matti

South Granville Italian Restaurant, Fiore, Revamps Menu

April 2, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Fiore is a neighbourhood Italian restaurant in South Granville and is brought to you by the same people who run The Stable House. Their menu features traditional and non-traditional antipasti, hand-crafted pastas, roman-style pizzas and several entrees.

Fiore Italian Restaurant South Granville Vancouver

Located just off 12th and Granville, it’s a place to grab a bite to eat during a shopping trip, pre-theatre, or while exploring the neighbourhood’s galleries. Fiore most recently decided to go with a more family-style share plates approach with their menu.

I was invited to try their new menu offerings. Here’s a look at my dinner experience at Fiore.

What We Tried

Antipasti

To start, we tried their beautifully plated antipasti board ($20) featuring asiago, piave, herbed chevre, agrodolce, finocchiona, soppressata, n’duja, arancini, grilled fennel salad, house made sausage and white bean salad. It was a great assortment of items offered.

Roman Style Pizza

The duck flatbread-style pizza ($15) was an exotic offering and had sweeter flavours from the fig, balsamic, arugula, and grilled onions. I enjoyed the thin crust.

Entrees

Our pasta choice was the rigatoni bolognese ($22) with pork, tomato sauce and freshly shaved parmesan. I enjoyed the al dente pasta and the hearty bolognese sauce.

A meat-centric entree we tried was the Braised Beef Chuck Flat ($26) featuring herbed polenta, king oyster mushroom, tomato, black garlic and bacon.

For a side dish, we had the beets ($8) accompanied by apples, ricotta, fennel and coriander. It was a very light, refreshing side with sweet beets, creamy ricotta and crispy apples.

Dessert

For dessert, we had the smooth and silky hazelnut pannacotta with peanuts.

My favourite items from the tasting were the antipasti platter, rigatoni bolognese, beets and the hazelnut pannacotta.

Fiore is open for dinner Tuesday – Saturday from 5:00 pm – late. For more information, visit fiorerestaurants.ca.

Fiore – South Granville
Address: 1485 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC
Website: fiorerestaurants.ca

Vancouver Italian Comfort Food: Mangia Cucina

March 26, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened in Mount Pleasant is Mangia Cucina, a cozy, casual Italian restaurant located inside converted heritage house. The restaurant opened in October 2018 and is chef-owned and operated by Sicilian-born Chef Alessandro Riccobono (formerly of Trafalgar’s Bistro in Kitsilano).

Vancouver Italian Comfort Food: Mangia Cucina Mount Pleasant

Mangia Cucina Menu

The restaurant is open for lunch (11:30 am – 3 pm) and dinner (5 pm – 10 pm). The dinner menu is divided into Italian antipasto, salads, pasta, risotto and pizza dishes.

For the antipasto, there are meat (like homemade meatballs), vegetarian (like cornmeal fritters) and seafood (like deep fried calamari) options for the antipasto. Salad options are $12 – $15.

For pasta, they offer dishes like spaghetti carbonara, lobster ravioli, ricotta spinach crepe rolls and so forth ($18 – $23). Risotto choices (like seafood, mushrooms, proscuitto) are $17 – $23.

Pizzas include red and white sauce offerings ($16 – $20) and range from classics like margherita, quattro formagi to pistacchio e mortadella (mozza, pistachio pesto, mortadello).

Small and Quaint Space

My friend Kristina and I decided to visit Mangia on a weekday night for dinner. She’s Italian and a lover of Italian foods so I love trying out Italian restaurants with her.

We came in right when the restaurant opened with a reservation and fortunately we got a table as the place quickly filled up.

The interior is small and quaint and does make you feel like you are in someone’s home. There’s a mix of dining tables for two, banquette seating and a few seats at the bar.

What We Tried

Salad

We started off with a lightly tossed and refreshing insalata di rucola ($13) with arugula, shaved parmesan and balsamic reduction.

Antipasto

Next came the arancina bomba ($11), a hearty saffron risotto ball stuffed with mozzarella and served with pisacchio pesto. The dish was presented as a single ball so we divided it between the two of us. The inside was hot but still edible and I really like the creamy, risotto filling.

Pasta

The highlight of the dinner was the pasta dish which was the daily special: seafood squid ink spaghetti. Squid ink pastas that I have tried in the pasta have mostly been not very flavorful even with other ingredients present. However, Mangia’s version was very tasty being seafood-y and a bit garlick-y. Kristina and I enjoyed the dish very much.

Pizza

Mangia seems to serve rustic style pizzas. We went with the pistacchio e mortadella ($20) where the pistachio pesto is placed on the pizza after baking.

It was OK for a thicker crust pizza; I personally like a thinner crust pizza but this is rustic-style after all. The pesto definitely had a more nutty pistachio flavour.

Service

Our soft-spoken server was friendly, attentive and made us feel like home at Mangia.

Overall Impression of Mangia Cucina

We had a very pleasant dining experience at Mangia Cucina from the tasty dishes to the excellent service. It’s a nice place for an unpretentious meal for comforting Italian food with good portions for the price. I’m not sure that the pizza style was totally up my alley but I would love to try more of their pasta. I would definitely recommend others to try Mangia. Rating: 4/5

Mangia Cucina & Bar
2211 Manitoba Street, Vancouver, BC
www.mangiacucina.com/

Cibo Trattoria launches new lunch and breakfast menu 2019

March 12, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Located in the Moda Hotel in Downtown Vancouver’s arts and cultural district, Cibo Trattoria is a place where you can enjoy simple, rustic food, casual service and good wine. This month, the restaurant has unveiled a number of new signature Italian-inspired breakfast and lunch dishes crafted by Executive Chef Curtis Luk.

Cibo Trattoria launches new lunch and breakfast menu 2019

I was invited to a media tasting of their lunch dishes. Here’s a look at what you can expect.

Cibo Trattoria Lunch Menu

For lunch, appetizer ($5 – $18) selections includes items like arancini (porcini mushroom, mushroom jam), burrata and ever-changing daily charcuterie and local and Italian cheese plates served with grilled sourdough and seasonal garnishes.

Pasta and risotto options ($18 – $21) include gnocchi, tagliatelle, spaghetti alle vongole and risotto.

Main entrees run around $15 – $21 and feature options like insalata ligure(local smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato, 7-minute egg, bell pepper, crostini, white wine vinegar dressing), polpette (pork and beef meatballs) and bistecca (grilled hanger steak) and so forth.

What We Tried

At our media tasting, we tried various antipasti, pastas, entrees and desserts.

Antipasta

Prosciutto e melone

To start, we enjoyed the delicate, deeply savory and thinly sliced prosciutto paired with spice-cured melon ($15). A gluten-free option.

Burrata

The burrata ($17) was wonderfully fresh, creamy and smooth. It was accompanied by grilled sourdough, salad, winter squash and pumpkin seed crumble. A vegetarian option.

Pastas

Spaghetti alle vongole

The spaghetti alle vongole ($19) was a tasty seafood pasta option featuring clams, calabrian chili, and parsley.

Gnocchi

The soft, pillowy gnocchi ($18) in tomato sauce, Calabrian chili, and topped with ricotta was a favorite among attendees. A vegetarian option.

Tagliatelle

The tagliatelle ($21) was my favourite pasta option with perfectly al dente pasta in a hearty spiced duck ragu.

Secondi/Mains

Insalata Ligure

The insalata ligure ($19) is a nourishing protein-enhanced salad option featuring local smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato, 7-minute egg, bell pepper, crostini, and white wine vinegar dressing.

Panino

If you love a good panini, cibo has some grilled-to-perfection sandwich choices: the capocollo & pesto panino ($16) (capocollo, provolone, pear, almond pesto, seasonal salad) and vegetarian sicilian eggplant and pecorino panino ($15) (caponata, sheep’s cheese, seasonal salad).

Dolce/Desserts

Panna Cotta

To finish off a fantastic meal, there was the silky smooth and gently wobbly panna cotta ($10) with seasonal fruit and basil.

Tiramisu

Cibo also presented a deconstructed tiramisu dessert ($10) with tiramisu 10 mascarpone cream, chocolate croccante lady finger and espresso sauce.

My top choices for each course would be the prosciutto e melone, tagliatelle, insalata ligure, and tiramisu.

Cibo serves breakfast Monday to Friday 7 am – 11 am, lunch from 11 am to 2 pm. Weekend brunch is 8 am to 2 pm. Dinner nightly from 5 pm to 10 pm.

Cibo Trattoria
900 Seymour Street, Vancouver BC
www.cibotrattoria.com

Metro Vancouver March 2019 Events, Openings and Menu Launches

6-Course Tasting Menu at Cinara (now Autostrada)

January 7, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Cinara, a modern European bistro with a focus on Italian-inspired cuisine, is known as one of Canada’s top 100 restaurants (rank #67) and one of the best Italian restaurants in Vancouver (rank #3) by Vancouver Magazine. The restaurant is chef-owned and operated by husband and wife duo Chefs Lucais Syme and Gillian Book. Since my visit, the restaurant has renamed themselves to be Autostrada (same as their other sister restaurant) although the concept remains the same.

6-Course Tasting Menu at Cinara Vancouver (now Autostrada) | Vancouver Italian Restaurant

VICTORIAN HOTEL

Cinara is located in the corner unit at Homer and West Pender in one of the oldest buildings in the city — the 117-year-old Victorian Hotel. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting with exposed brick walls and warm wood tones. There are a few tables set up for twos and small groups. Bar seating is available and apparently that is where some of Vancouver’s top chefs and restaurateurs like to eat on their days off.

Note: None of the food or drinks in this post were complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

6-course Tasting Menu

I had visited Cinara once before and this time I came with fellow food bloggers, Diana (foodology.ca), David (pickydiners.com), Hanson (noshandnibble.blog) and Maggi (vieamaggi.com). We decided to go with the 6-course tasting menu priced at $75 per person.

What We Tried

Sourdough

To start, we were presented with fresh baked sourdoughserved with whipped butter. It had a mild flavour with a strong, chewy texture, and crisp crust.

Chicken Liver Parfait

Next we had the chicken liver parfait on a crispy sourdough cracker with their own house fermented cornishons. This was one of my favourite dishes that we tried. I loved the smooth, rich, spreadable pâté on the crisp cracker. The cornishons added some tanginess to each bite.

Burrata

We were then presented with burrata cheese delivered from Italy on the day, preserved and fresh plum purée, their best balsamic and olive oil with cracked pepper. The burrata tasted very fresh being milky, buttery in flavor and soft and springy in texture. The plum puree added some acidity and sweetness. It was good to enjoy the burrata with the sourdough bread.

Beef Tartare

I also really enjoyed the beef tartare with pickled pear and creme fraiche. The beef was very delicate, flavourful, juicy and tender.

Halibut

Our seafood main was a Pacific halibut cartuccio steamed in a parchment package and accompanied with potato, carrot, and escarole. Unfortunately, the fish was probably overcooked as it was very tough.

Pasta

The pasta dish was tortelloni stuffed with duck confit, pistachio, and salsa verde. The duck filling was meltingly tender but a rich, slightly salty but mellow flavour. It was unfortunate that the portion was so small.

Meat

The meat entree was a braised pork collar with cipollini onion, apple, and brussel sprouts.

Dessert

To finish off the meal, we had the salted caramel tart with pine nut and apple. It was something I had tried before and I found it just as good. It was not quite like salted caramel but more on caramel side.

Overall Impression of Cinara’s 6-Course Tasting Menu

I found the selection we had for Cinara’s 6-course tasting menu to be less enjoyable than when I ordered a la carte. I enjoyed the chicken liver parfait, the beef tartare, and the pasta while the fish and meat dishes could have been improved. I think the consensus at our table was that the meal failed to impress and was not as memorable as we had hoped. I would recommend trying more of the pasta dishes rather than the other mains. Rating: 3/5

Cinara
Address: 350 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎cinara.ca

Top Vancouver Italian Restaurant: Cinara

Italian Food Kitsilano: Fiore Famiglia – Pizza & Pasta

January 3, 2019 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Last month, I visited Fiore Famiglia in Kitsilano for dinner with some family and friends. Their focus is on simple, Italian dishes including pizzas and house-made pastas along with an Italian wine list. I had been to their South Granville location before and had a decent experience. Unfortunately, this was not the same case when I dined at Fiore Famiglia Kitsilano.

Italian Food Kitsilano: Fiore Famiglia - Pizza & Pasta

Note: None of the food and drinks in this post were complimentary. This is not a sponsored post. This review is done anonymously.

Interior

The interior of Fiore Famiglia was simple, modern yet warm and inviting. There is a mix of dining tables for 2 -4 people as well as an L-shaped bar.

What We Tried

Our party of 5 ordered several dishes. First was the pappardelle bolognese ($24). This is a dish I tried at their South Granville location and I found it to be equally delicious. The pappardelle was wonderfully al dente and went nicely with the rich, meaty bolognese sauce.

My friend had the risotto al funghi ($19) featuring mushroom duxelle, seared crimini, parmesan, basil, and balsamic. He thought it was reasonable.

Unfortunately, the pizzas were really horrendous and mediocre. There was too much sauce which made the pizzas soggy. The crust was bland and too thick. The toppings were not particularly flavourful. I took at look some Yelp reviews and some reviewers were also disappointed in the pizzas they tried.

The three pizzas that we ordered were the prosciutto e pera ($21) (bianco sauce, pear, taleggio, leeks, parsley, prosciutto), piccante ($18) (tomato sauce, chorizo, tomatoes, roasted peppers, chili, parmesan) and the formaggi ($17) (olive oil, mozzarella, smoked cheddar, provolone).

Service

The service was standard. Nothing really was bad but nothing stood out either.

Overall Impression of Fiore Famiglia

The pasta fared much better than the pizzas we tried at Fiore Famiglia. Unfortunately, the poorly executed pizzas made for a disappointing dinner experience at the restaurant. I would not be interested in returning. Rating: 2/5

Fiore Famiglia
2603 W 16th Ave, Vancouver, BC
fiorerestaurants.ca/famiglia/

Related post:

Dinner at Fiore South Granville

Dinner at Fiore South Granville

August 25, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

I love days when my only problem is pizza or pasta. However, when my friend and fellow foodie Kristina went to Fiore this past week, we didn’t need to choose between the two; we went with both. Fiore is a new addition to the dining scene in South Granville and they are operated by the same people who run The Stable House Bistro.

Their focus is on simple, Italian dishes including pizzas (featuring naturally-leavened doughs) and house-made pastas along with an Italian wine list. Located just off 12th and Granville, it’s a place to grab a bite to eat during a shopping trip, pre-theatre, or while exploring the neighbourhood’s galleries. Here’s a look at my dinner experience at Fiore.

Note: None of the food and drinks in this post were complimentary. This is not a sponsored post. This review is done anonymously.

Modern, Chic Interior

Fiore’s well-appointed interior features an L-shaped bar, a mix of dining tables and a cozy banquette. The dining space is tastefully decorated with a few paintings on the wall. The overhanging industrial lights and candlelighting add to a cozy and romantic atmosphere.

Fiore Menu

The simple and focused menu at Fiore is divided into three sections: antipasta ($5-$14), sourdough pizzas ($17 – $20) and fresh pasta ($18 – $24).

What We Tried

For dinner, we had one antipasta, one pizza and two pastas.

Beef Carpaccio ($12)

To start, we had the beef carpaccio featuring roasted cauliflower emulsion, focaccia, and manchego. I enjoyed the fresh, pure, meaty flavour and melt-in-your-mouth, velvety texture of the beef. The cauliflower emulsion had earthy, nutty flavours.

Now, on to pizza and pastas!

Pappardelle ($24)

The pappardelle was wonderfully al-dente and went nicely with the rich, meaty bolognese sauce.

Those slithery, slippery ribbons of pappardelle were an absolute delight!

Finocchio ($19)

Our fennel-centric sourdough pizza had fennel soubise, fennel sausage, shaved fennel, and fennel fronds. I really liked the soubise sauce with the fennel sausage which made for a creamy, smoky and savoury mouthful. My issue was that the edge of the crust was too thick for my liking. I end up cutting the edge off which was rather unfortunate.

Manti ($24)

Manti (otherwise known as dumplings) are dumplings which are popular in Turkish and Central Asian republics. I’ve had manti at a restaurant serving Afghan food so it was interesting to see manti served from an Italian perspective at Fiore. The one we tried was beef & red currant-filled and topped with peppers, chilli tomato sauce, and parmesan.

What I would have liked more is the filling being more tender. It was a little dense and hard for me and I think I would have enjoyed it more if it were more melt-in-your-mouth.

Service

The service had Fiore exceeded my expectations and was definitely a 5/5. Despite being the only server on the floor, he was friendly and checked in on us regularly. The dishes were brought out to us in a very timely manner. I also appreciated that he changed our plates after the appetizer.

Overall Impression

I had a enjoyable time at Fiore with my friend where the food was good in general though could use some tweaking in a few areas. Our food bill came out to $40 per person plus tax and tip. We even had some leftover which was nice! The service was excellent. I would be interested in returning or visiting their sister restaurant Fiore Famiglia in Kitsilano. Rating: 3.5/5

Fiore – South Granville
Address: 1485 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC
Website: fiorerestaurants.ca/‎

Brunch at Spade on Commerical Drive

August 17, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

It had been several months since I visited Spade (see post here), an Italian cafe and restaurant on Commercial Drive. Spade opened less than a year ago and is the sister restaurant of Prado. By day, it’s a place for espresso-based drinks, Italian sandwiches and salads and at night it transforms to a restaurant serving cocktails, wine and family-style plates in the evening. This past weekend, I visited Spade to try out some of their brunch and lunch items.

Disclosure: I had received a gift card from Spade. Most of my meal was covered by the gift card. Opinions are my own.

Spade Brunch and Lunch Menu

On the daytime menu for Spade are Italian breakfast bowls, sandwiches, toasts, salads and wraps. The bread they use is from A Bread Affair – a certified organic bakery based on Granville Island.

What I Tried

They have a lovely seating area just outside the cafe with a signature Spade painted on the wall.

We ordered the Eggs in Purgatory ($9.50), Porchetta on Toast with an egg ($10), and a Beetroot Latte ($5.50).

Eggs in Purgatory

A very tasty dish featuring two poached eggs in a spicy, flavourful chili tomato sauce on sourdough toast. The sourdough was fantastic with a nice chewy flavour.

Pink Latte

The Pink Latte is a special offering at Spade. It features a beetroot blend with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, honey and steamed with raw almond milk. The drink is vegan, caffeine-free and organic. Proceeds from every Pink latte are donated to The Downtown East Side Women’s Shelter and Cynthia’s Place in Surrey which is a part of the Elizabeth Fry Society. I enjoyed the flavours of the latte which tasted mildly of beets. I also liked that it was a dairy-free latte which is great for someone like me who is a bit lactose intolerant.

Porchetta On Toast

This toast had shaved porchetta, romesco, arugula, pickled red onion, green mayo, on sourdough. The porchetta I found was a bit understated. Perhaps the portion was just too little? I found that the arugula and sourdough came through more in each bite.

Overall Impression

The brunch/lunch items I tried from Spade were overall pretty good. I’d be interested to revisit in the future and try more of their menu. Rating: 4/5

Spade Coffee Spirits & Treats
Address: 1858 Commercial Drive
Website: www.spadecoffee.ca‎

Now Open: The Italian Osteria & Cheese Bar

April 25, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Newly opened in the Walnut Grove community of Langley is the Joseph Richard Group’s latest venture, The Italian Osteria & Cheese Bar. This is the first Italian concept by JRG, one of B.C.’s fastest growing food, beverage and entertainment organizations with 21 public houses, restaurants and liquor retail outlets in BC and Alberta. Last month, I attended a media event to celebrate the grand opening of The Italian where we tried some items from their menu.

Disclosure: I attended a media event where all food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

The Italian

The menu was designed by Chef Matthew Stowe (JRG Director of Culinary Operations & Top Chef Canada Winner), JRG Executive Chef Andy Slinn and Chef Jason Harper. You’ll find handmade pastas, pizzas as well a cheese bar featuring favourite and lesser known cheeses from Italy.

What We Tried

The evening consisted of a sit-down tasting of several of The Italian’s offerings.

Antipasti Board

The antipastia board consisted of local and Italian meats and cheeses, marinated artichokes, olives, eggplant caponata, Italian crackers and toasted focaccia.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Just how nonna would make them! These meatballs had a nicely springy texture with a bright, tangy San Marzano tomato sauce.

Local Butternut Squash Ravioli

The Butternut Squash Ravioli was a heavenly pasta dish with a smooth, brown butter sauce, roasted mushrooms, caramelized squash, and topped with shaved Grana Padano.

BRAISED SHORTRIB PAPPARDELLE

I would love to order the Braised Shortrib Pappardelle again. The sauce had the perfect, hearty meat flavour and the pasta was wonderfully al dente.

Traditional Lasagna

There’s nothing like a juicy, hearty, tasty lasagna that warms the soul. The Italian’s lasagna had a meaty, flavourful Bolognese sauce complimented with a bright San Marzano tomato sauce.

Prawn Pesto

Seafood lovers would enjoy the Prawn Pesto featuring Linguine, house made pesto and oven dried tomatoes.

Nonna’s Lemon Tart

For dessert, we indulged in Nonna’s Lemon Tart. The custard had a nice lemon zing along with some sweetness in every bite. The basil added some aromatic and sweet elements. The coconut crumble and vanilla bean gelato added some more textural contrast to the dessert.

The Italian Osteria & Cheese Bar
Address: 20330 88th Ave, Langley, BC
Website: www.jrg.ca/establishment/italian-osteria-cheese-bar/‎

Top Vancouver Italian Restaurant: Cinara

April 22, 2018 by foodgressing 2 Comments

This past weekend, I enjoyed a girl’s night out at Cinara, a modern European bistro with a focus on Italian-inspired cuisine. Cinara (pronounced with a “ch”) means “artichoke” in latin. The restaurant is chef-owned and operated by husband and wife duo Chefs Lucais Syme and Gillian Book. Syme has worked at some of the top restaurants in the city (Cioppino’s and Blue Water Cafe) and was previously a partner at La Quercia and founder of La Pentola.

Top Restaurant in Canada

The restaurant has received many awards and accolades including named one of Canada’s top 100 restaurants (rank #67) and one of the best Italian restaurants in Vancouver (rank #3) by Vancouver Magazine. Here’s a look at my experience there.

Note: None of the food or drinks in this post were complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

Victorian Hotel

Cinara is located in the corner unit at Homer and West Pender in one of the oldest buildings in the city — the 117-year-old Victorian Hotel. Coming in on a Friday night, the restaurant was busy but fortunately, we had made reservations weeks ago for our party of 4. The atmosphere is very warm and inviting with exposed brick walls and warm wood tones. There are a few tables set up for 2s and small groups. Bar seating is available and apparently that is where some of Vancouver’s top chefs and restaurateurs like to eat on their days off.

Cinara Menu

The menu at Cinara changes daily and you can check the latest menu on their website before you go in. Cinara’s menu is short and is divided into Starters ($5 to 22), Pasta ($24 to $25), Main ($28 to $31). The dessert menu features a few simple desserts ($9) and a cheese plate ($16).

What We Tried

For drinks, our party had a mix of wine, cocktails and beer.

White Anchovy Toast, Sweet Pickles, Maitre D’Hotel Butter

I must admit that I’m not much of an anchovy-anything sort of person. However, our friend who had been to Cinara before said that the White Anchovy Toast ($6 per piece) is a must. And I must say that the toast was really good! It tasted mostly of sweet pickles rather than fishiness or saltiness. I particularly liked their house-made sourdough bread which had a very crispy crust and was light and fluffy on the inside.

Tagliatelle, Bolognese

My friend is a teacher and she was keen on ordering the Tagliatelle with Bolognese ($24) sauce as it is a Mealshare item. It was such a delicious pasta with perfectly al dente pasta paired with a meaty, creamy, delicate and aromatic bolognese sauce.

Halibut, Bread Dumpling, Pea Tip, Prodo

My entree was the baked halibut with house-made sourdough bread dumplings ($30). The dish overall had a nice, clean taste. The housemade sourdough bread dumplings were rather interesting; they had a nice flavour as they were cooked with herbs and spices. I enjoyed their soft, springy texture. The broth was also very good; I found myself drinking it up till the end.

Fraser Valley Duck Breast, Savoy Cabbage, Green Apricot Jus

Two of the ladies in the group had the duck as the entree ($28).

Rice Pudding, Black Walnut, Caramelized Cocoa

The dessert menu consists of three options (aside from the cheese plate) and we ordered one of each. The simplest one I found was the rice pudding ($9) which was nicely rich and creamy. I loved how I could feel the individual grains of tender rice. The black walnuts added some nutty flavours and crunchy texture.

70% Chocolate, Olive Oil, Amaretti

Chocolate lovers would enjoy the chocolate mousse ($9) made with 70% chocolate. I tasted the cocoa as well as some saltiness with it. A creative part of the dessert was the use of dehydrated milk foam which added some nice textural contrast.

Salted Caramel Tart, Pine Nut, Apple

For a more substantial dessert, I think the tart would be a good option. It was tasty but not quite like salted caramel; it was more on the caramel side.

Service

I must say that our server was very good. She was very friendly, warm and kept our water glasses topped up throughout the evening. What surprised me was that she wasn’t the least bit pushy. The four of us stayed at the restaurant for 3 hours and she didn’t bring us the bill until we really seemed done. It was nice that we could just relax, enjoy good conversation and not be signalled to pay and leave.

Overall Impression of Cinara

I really enjoyed the clean flavours and execution of all the dishes at Cinara. I was particularly impressed with the warm, inviting environment. Cinara is a place that I would recommend to my food blogger friends like Kristina (Drunkennoms.com) and David (Pickydiners.com) who love a good, elevated Italian restaurant. Rating: 4.5/5

Cinara
Address: 350 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎cinara.ca