Paliotti's (Abbotsford)

Having been in Abby the night before (while attending the I Love the 90's concert), I wasn't really planning to come back out again anytime soon.  Well, that wasn't until I double-checked my sched to see that we made plans to meet up with Nikita and Bluebeard for dinner at Paliotti's.  Yes, the Paliotti's that is only a stone's throw away from the Abbotsford Centre, where I was enjoying one-hit wonders less than 24 hours prior.  Thank goodness I own an EV!

So I don't usually talk about complimentary Focaccia Bread, but I had to mention the one we had here.  Okay, at first glance, it didn't look like much and in fact, looked rather pale and lifeless.  However, don't judge this bread by its cover!   Beyond the slightly crispy exterior, the bread was super fluffy and light while having a slight chew.  There was the woodsiness of the rosemary and of course we dunked it into the EVOO and balsamic vinegar.

Not to be outdone by the bread, we got more carbs (this is an Italian resto right) in the form of the Meat Deluxe Pizzetta with pepperoni, ham, sausage, capicollo, onions, peppers and garlic.  In addition to the crunchy crust, the best part of the pizza was the delicious sausage.  Nice spice on it and the texture was meaty while moist with a rebound.  That crust was also chewy and soft inside and the entire pizza was flavourful.

For our pasta dish, Viv and I shared the Chicken & Sausage Ravioli with stuffed mushroom ravioli, roasted garlic, chicken, Italian sausage, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic and creamy asiago sauce.  Although this looked to be super rich, it actually didn't eat as such.  Sure, it was creamy and cheesy, but I didn't want to stop eating it.  There was plenty of roast garlic aroma as well as the tang from the tomatoes and the meaty spice from the sausage.  The pasta was fairly al dente while full of umaminess.

We also went for the Veal Marsala with a side of spiced fries.  I found the veal to be meaty, yet tender.  It was topped with a rich sherry cream sauce that was earthy from the mushrooms and slightly sweet.  The alcohol had been properly cooked down and the dish was quite tasty.  The veggies on the plate were not overdone while the fries were crispy and flavourful with a touch of spice.

To my horror, Bluebeard and Nikita ordered the same dish, again (last time they did that at Chameleon).  However, there was one key difference, Nikita's was gluten-free.   They were both the Curry Sausage Prawn Penne with peppers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and artichokes in a medium spicy rose sauce.  I thought the flavours in dish were super impactful with a zestiness and mildly creamy viscosity.  Nice combination of spice, tang, cream and earthiness.  As for the gluten-free pasta, it could easily pass for regular pasta except it was a touch lighter and softer.  So this is only a snippet of the large menu found at Paliotti's.  I thought it was pretty good with impactful flavours.  I guess I wouldn't mind driving out to Abby to have this again...

The Good:

- Impactful flavours

- Decent portions

- Friendly service

The Bad:

- Not sure if the menu has to be that large, maybe reduce some of the choices

- Well, far for those who don't live nearby