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Costanza really loves Italian cuisine. So much so, he could probably eat it every day. Actually, that is what I've been doing for the last 2 meals leading up to this one. Pronto for lunch, Charlie's Little Italian for late night and then La Pentola for dinner the next night. We were actually at La Pentola to celebrate Costanza's birthday and it was an alternative to their sister restaurant, La Quercia. We didn't want to drive out to Alma nor be squeezed into their narrow dining room.
We really didn't have to look at their menu as we had the Alla Famiglia 7-course meal in our sights. Things started off with a bang as the impressive-looking Antipasti Board hit the table. From right-to-left, it included Speck, Salami, Bresaola, Mortadella, Arancini Carbonara with artichoke aioli, Pickled Veggies and Duck Parfait. The best item was the duck parfait that was encrusted with sage. It was creamy, aromatic and appealingly gamy. The cold temperature was also just right as it hit our palates. To further balance off the flavours, the orange puree on top added acidity and a hit of citrusy sweetness. The house-made fried mortadella was also a hit as it had a firm rebound while being salty in an appetizing manner.
Next was the Seared Tuna served with compressed apple, walnuts, shaved carrots and parsnips with a parsley sauce. Buttery while still meaty, the tuna was perfectly seared. There was a slight hint of the sea surrounded by natural sweetness. I found the parsley sauce did not taste as expected. It was still bright, but the flavours were more sweet and savoury than the bitterness often associated with parsley. The apples added a concentrated sugariness while the veggies added both crunch and acidity.
Arriving on 2 separate plates, the Parmesan Souffle was very familiar as I've had this at La Quercia in past meals. Well, this one didn't disappoint as it was exactly how I remembered it. It was super fluffy and creamy with the unmistakable aged cheese nutty taste. We liked how it was only purposefully salty. Underneath, the the pickled beets added some necessary acidity and sweetness while the pickled mustard seeds offered up a tangy bitterness. On the side, the balsamic-glazed carrots were both sweet and tangy while the roasted pumpkin seeds provided a nice crunch.
Other than the antipasti board, the best dish of the night was definitely the Agnolotti del Plin. It was comprised of duck confit stuffed pasta and marsala currants in a brown butter sage sauce. The freshly-made pasta was thin and chewy while fully stuffed with tender shredded duck. There was an impactful amount of gamy duckiness combined with an aggressive use of salt. As for the brown butter, there was just enough to coat each piece with a nutty silkiness. The sage was there, but not overpowering while the currants added a wine-sweetness.
Our next pasta dish was the Maltagliati with lamb ragu, mint and pecorino cheese. We found the pasta sheets to be expertly prepared as it rode the fine line between chewy and tender. It was well-seasoned which kinda of worked against itself as the lamb ragu was overly salty. This may have contributed to the fact that there was minimal gaminess until the finish with each bite. Although lean, the lamb was sufficiently tender with some meatiness. The ragu did exhibit some rich flavours due to the long and slow-cooking process.
Onto the meat course, we were served a large whole Bone-In Ribeye with sauteed kale and mushrooms. It was prepared a nice medium-rare with a few medium spots at the ends of the steak. Suffice to say, with the fat content, the meat was full-flavoured with plenty of umaminess. It was a bit over-salted, but at the same time, it meant the meat flavours were heightened. As with this cut of meat, the steak was generally tender with an appealing chewiness. Underneath, I found the kale and mushrooms to be rather greasy and over-seasoned.
For dessert, we had the Deconstructed Tiramisu with sponge cake, amaretto jelly, espresso ice cream, chocolate ganache and marscapone cream. Although this was a pleasant dessert, it did not match the other dishes in terms of enjoyment. We found the sponge cake to be dry while the chocolate ganache was too sweet, chalky and dry. However, the espresso ice cream was very good with a good balance of bitterness with sweetness. It was also creamy and smooth. Despite the dessert, we thought the meal as a whole was pretty good albeit a bit salty. We liked the low-key atmosphere and the equally unpretentious service.
The Good:
- Enjoyable eats
- Attentive service
- Low-key, yet still lively atmosphere
The Bad:
- Although we thought it was worth it, total cost can get up there
- Overuse of salt
After Grotto on Monday, then Pronto for lunch, one would not expect Italian again for late night eats right? Well guess again. I can never get enough of pasta, so we were at it again at Charlie's Little Italian right next to the Cascade Room. Formerly Habit, the place has been marginally revamped in terms of decor, but naturally the menu now has different focus. As such, we got something from every section other than the entrees (maybe next time).
We started with the Taleggio & Porcini Arancini made with porcini and portobello mushrooms, thyme, taleggio cheese and truffle aioli served with arugula. These were nicely sized where the deep-fry rendered them hot and crunchy on the outside. Inside, the rice was a touch soft, but that didn't matter so much as they were pretty tasty. With plenty mushroom goodness with a touch of truffle oil, these were cheesy and impactful.
We also got the Soppresetta Pizza with spicy soppresetta salami, confit garlic, tomato sauce and mozzarella. This was notably spicy with a lingering heat. It was further enhanced by the tart tomato sauce. There was enough cheese to balance things off while the garlic was mostly in the background. I though the crust was rather crunchy on the edges while progressively becoming softer towards the centre.
We ended up with 2 pastas including the Pork Cheek Pappardelle. It consisted of Marsala & fig-braised pork cheeks, house made pappardelle, braising jus and grana padano. I found the pasta sheets to be slightly soft, but that is par for the course when we are dealing with fresh pasta. As much as the sauce was silky from the gelatin content, it was in need of some salt. By no means was it bland, but it lacked pop. The pork cheeks themselves were surprisingly dry and a touch chewy.
Piled high, the Spaghetti and Meatballs was a decent portion. We found the pasta to be firmly al dente while sauced with tart and fresh-tasting tomatoes. On the other hand, I would've like to see a more balanced sauce as this one was rather acidic. As for the firm meatballs, they exhibited a good inherent flavour and a good amount of moisture. Overall, we thought the food at Charlie's was decent, especially for late night eats. Portions were more than acceptable, especially for the price.
The Good:
- Well-portioned
- Decent
The Bad:
- Not a whole lot, but I guess there is better pasta around but generally not at this hour
Ever since I stopped by Pronto on Cambie during a Tasting Plates event, it was on my list "to visit". Well, once again, my restaurant ADD kicked in and I totally ignored the place until now. In fact, Grace and I weren't even planning on going to Pronto at all. We were just driving aimlessly looking at restaurants in hopes of something that might catch our attention. It wasn't until I was at 12th and Main that the idea of Pronto got in my head. Maybe Italian food was already in my system as I had just visited Grotto earlier in the week.
Coming out lightning fast, the Tagliatelle Aglio e Olio looked appetizing. It consisted of handmade pasta with garlic, smoked pancetta and fresh tomato, chili flakes and parmesan cheese. Due to being of the fresh variety, the tagliatelle was as al dente as it could be without being undercooked. The mix of ingredients was super impactful with a touch of spice, tartness and plenty of saltiness. This made up for the fact that the pasta was underseasoned in itself. However, they could've eased up on the grease. Next up we had the Genoa Pizza with salami, tomato sauce, roasted red peppers and mozzarella. This was not lacking in saltiness and overall flavour as each bite was zesty and a touch sweet. There was a considerable amount of cheese which added to the body of the pizza. As for the crust, it was crunchy throughout.
Trying to cover all the bases, we also had the Porchetta Sandwich bursting with roasted pork and topped with cracklings. I thought that the best part was indeed the cracklings as they were lightly crunchy being almost airy. They were aromatic and mildly seasoned. As much as the pork was mostly tender (although not succulent) without being super fatty, there seemed to be something missing. A salsa verde or some form of gremolata would've helped brighten up the heavy meat. We ended off things with an appie in the form of the Prawns wrapped in pancetta. These arrived last as they needed time to cook. Good thing they didn't rush nor merely deep-fried the prawns. This way the pancetta was crispy on one side, yet meaty throughout. The prawn itself had a meaty snap and was well-seasoned by the pancetta. Overall, for the items we tried, our experience at Pronto was above-average as well as the service and atmosphere.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Despite being understaffed, the service was pleasant
The Bad:
- Seating pretty tight
- Understaffed
Posts
Costanza really loves Italian cuisine. So much so, he could probably eat it every day. Actually, that is what I've been doing for the last 2 meals leading up to this one. Pronto for lunch, Charlie's Little Italian for late night and then La Pentola for dinner the next night. We were actually at La Pentola to celebrate Costanza's birthday and it was an alternative to their sister restaurant, La Quercia. We didn't want to drive out to Alma nor be squeezed into their narrow dining room.
We really didn't have to look at their menu as we had the Alla Famiglia 7-course meal in our sights. Things started off with a bang as the impressive-looking Antipasti Board hit the table. From right-to-left, it included Speck, Salami, Bresaola, Mortadella, Arancini Carbonara with artichoke aioli, Pickled Veggies and Duck Parfait. The best item was the duck parfait that was encrusted with sage. It was creamy, aromatic and appealingly gamy. The cold temperature was also just right as it hit our palates. To further balance off the flavours, the orange puree on top added acidity and a hit of citrusy sweetness. The house-made fried mortadella was also a hit as it had a firm rebound while being salty in an appetizing manner.
Next was the Seared Tuna served with compressed apple, walnuts, shaved carrots and parsnips with a parsley sauce. Buttery while still meaty, the tuna was perfectly seared. There was a slight hint of the sea surrounded by natural sweetness. I found the parsley sauce did not taste as expected. It was still bright, but the flavours were more sweet and savoury than the bitterness often associated with parsley. The apples added a concentrated sugariness while the veggies added both crunch and acidity.
Arriving on 2 separate plates, the Parmesan Souffle was very familiar as I've had this at La Quercia in past meals. Well, this one didn't disappoint as it was exactly how I remembered it. It was super fluffy and creamy with the unmistakable aged cheese nutty taste. We liked how it was only purposefully salty. Underneath, the the pickled beets added some necessary acidity and sweetness while the pickled mustard seeds offered up a tangy bitterness. On the side, the balsamic-glazed carrots were both sweet and tangy while the roasted pumpkin seeds provided a nice crunch.
Other than the antipasti board, the best dish of the night was definitely the Agnolotti del Plin. It was comprised of duck confit stuffed pasta and marsala currants in a brown butter sage sauce. The freshly-made pasta was thin and chewy while fully stuffed with tender shredded duck. There was an impactful amount of gamy duckiness combined with an aggressive use of salt. As for the brown butter, there was just enough to coat each piece with a nutty silkiness. The sage was there, but not overpowering while the currants added a wine-sweetness.
Our next pasta dish was the Maltagliati with lamb ragu, mint and pecorino cheese. We found the pasta sheets to be expertly prepared as it rode the fine line between chewy and tender. It was well-seasoned which kinda of worked against itself as the lamb ragu was overly salty. This may have contributed to the fact that there was minimal gaminess until the finish with each bite. Although lean, the lamb was sufficiently tender with some meatiness. The ragu did exhibit some rich flavours due to the long and slow-cooking process.
Onto the meat course, we were served a large whole Bone-In Ribeye with sauteed kale and mushrooms. It was prepared a nice medium-rare with a few medium spots at the ends of the steak. Suffice to say, with the fat content, the meat was full-flavoured with plenty of umaminess. It was a bit over-salted, but at the same time, it meant the meat flavours were heightened. As with this cut of meat, the steak was generally tender with an appealing chewiness. Underneath, I found the kale and mushrooms to be rather greasy and over-seasoned.
For dessert, we had the Deconstructed Tiramisu with sponge cake, amaretto jelly, espresso ice cream, chocolate ganache and marscapone cream. Although this was a pleasant dessert, it did not match the other dishes in terms of enjoyment. We found the sponge cake to be dry while the chocolate ganache was too sweet, chalky and dry. However, the espresso ice cream was very good with a good balance of bitterness with sweetness. It was also creamy and smooth. Despite the dessert, we thought the meal as a whole was pretty good albeit a bit salty. We liked the low-key atmosphere and the equally unpretentious service.
