Restaurant: Pizzeria Barbarella
Cuisine: Italian/Pizza
Last visited: January 10, 2012
Location: Vancouver, BC (Fairview)
Address: 654 East Broadway
Train: VCC Skytrain
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 4
Service: 2
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Neapolitan meets New York style
• Local/organic ingredients
• Hand tossed pizza
• Wood burning oven
• Very casual
• Rather bare atmosphere
• Sit down service
• Reasonably priced
• Family friendly
• Previous owner of Ah-Beetz Pizza (Abbotsford)
• Accepts Visa/MC
• Dine In/Take out
• Tuesday – Sunday: 5pm-10pm

**Recommendations: Fungo Portobello Gratinato, Gnocchi Alla Cardinale, Ossobuco Classico

Oh dear. I kind of feel bad for the little guys like Elma’s Kitchen 2 for 1 Pizza & Salad Bar right next door to the newly opened Pizzeria Barbarella.

Pizza proves to be big business in Vancouver. I’m not talking about 2 for 1 pizza, I’m talking about real authentic Napoletana pizza. With a pizza place popping up every 3 months, I’m not sure how many more the market can sustain. But I guess for now the more the merrier, especially if it can only get better.

It’s almost getting to the point where it’s all good when you compare the creme de la creme of pizza. From what I’ve tried, that would include Nicli Antica Pizzeria, Pizzeria Farina, and Verace Pizzeria Napoletana and Enoteca, and maybe The BiBo (even though I personally wasn’t as keen). Regardless, the competition is tight. There are also a handful more I haven’t tried, but I’m satisfied with what I’ve tried so far, and I probably prefer them in the order I just listed too. The newcomer is Pizzeria Barbarella and I’d squeeze it in tightly between Pizzeria Farina and Verace Pizzeria Napoletana and Enoteca. The differences are quite marginal, but it can compete with the big boys, or the so called “best pizzas in the city”.

Pizzeria Barbarella is the newest pizzeria to hit Vancouver, but it’s not the newest to hit the Metro Vancouver pizza scene. The owner is actually the previous owner of Ah-Beetz Pizza which was located in Abbotsford.

For the last few years it was known as the only place in Vancouver to get authentic New York style pizza, and now he’s finally sold it and moved his pizza business to the big city! Of course big city means bigger competition. If it moved here before the pizza scene exploded last year, it would still be the front runner, but since great authentic Neapolitan style pizza isn’t as hard to find in Vancouver anymore, people can be pickier with the many options.

I rarely go to a restaurant when it first opens. Personally I like to give at least 4-5 weeks before I visit so that the menu, service and prices settle down to the market demands. However on this occasion it was somewhat unavoidable, so together with Sherman I checked it out on opening day. I do expect things to change with time, and it’s not a place for ambiance, but so far it is off to a solid start.

Pizzeria Barbarella specializes in hand tossed, wood fired oven pizza made with fresh and local ingredients you can taste. The pizza seemed like a combination of an authentic Neapolitan style pizza meets a New York style pizza.

It was much smaller than a New York style pie (see my post on Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in New York for reference), and more along the size of a Neapolitan style pizza. The crust was thin, crispy around the edges, soft and tender in the centre, but not soggy either (Neapolitan type), but the toppings were a bit heavier, not all from Italy, and it was served pre-cut (New York type). My only issues were that the crusts were a bit inconsistent and at times the pizzas were a bit salty, and I already have a high tolerance for salt. Other than that, the price was right for what you get and it’s nothing pretentious, but still good quality and worth revisiting.

On the table:

**Margherita – 4.5/6 (Very good)

• Tomato, fior di latte, aged mozzarella, basil, parmigiano reggiano and extra virgin olive oil $12
• It’s the staple. The Margherita is the most simple pizza, but it’s the one that tells all. You can’t hide anything.
• It was a hybrid of a Neapolitan style pizza and a New York style pizza. The crust and size was closer to a Neapolitan style pizza, but the amount and origin of toppings was closer to a New York style pie.
• It was heavier with the toppings which made it a bit saltier and the tomato sauce was thin, but not quite translucent to the crust.
• It was quite cheesy, salty and stringy and the three kinds of cheeses were generous as opposed to the standard two kinds of cheese for a margherita.
• The tomato sauce was fresh and a bit acidic, but I wouldn’t mind it a bit less salty if there were already so many cheeses and the crust was already salted.
• I did appreciate the generous amount of basil leaves, however traditional Neapolitan pizzas will usually have 3 leaves in the centre and that’s the authentic style.
• Personally I prefer a basil flavour throughout the pizza, so I liked this. It was also put on after the baking, which is how it should be done.
• There was freshly grated parmesan and some extra virgin olive oil to finish off the pizza.
• Although I normally like the olive oil addition, this one didn’t really need it since the cheeses had released so much oil on their own.
• It wasn’t a greasy pizza, but the natural oils were very present, yet not overwhelming.

• It was a thin crust with a tender soft centre and it was nice and foldable with crispy edges and a charcoal crust.
• The crust wasn’t particularly salty, but it was salted and it was quite thick and chewy, but not tiresome to chew until it got cold (which is natural).
• I kind of wish there was more consistent blistering and leoparding around the edges of the crust too.

The leoparding on the bottom was visibly there, but it wasn’t blistering and I couldn’t taste the charcoal flavour I always look for. Again, at times the crusts were baked a bit inconsistent (ovens can have hot spots), but generally I enjoyed them.

Amatriciana – 4/6 (Very good)

• Tomato, fior di latte, aged mozzarella, house smoked pancetta, red onions, fresh garlic, chili flakes, parmigiano reggiano and extra virgin olive oil $16
• Again, it was a hybrid of a Neapolitan style pizza and a New York style pizza. The crust and size was closer to a Neapolitan style pizza, but the amount and origin of toppings was closer to a New York style pie.
• To read more about the crust see the Margherita crust section, but this one was slightly thicker so I’m not sure if it’s consistent.
• This one was perhaps the most New York in style because it had the heaviest toppings and it weighed down the pizza a bit. However it would make most diners feel like they got their money’s worth.
• The toppings ended up being more of a focus than the crust, and usually that’s the best part, but when it comes to high quality pizzas like these, the crust plays an equally or even more important role.
• There were nice spicy onions, thick salty cuts of pancetta and a little chili for some heat, but it wasn’t really spicy.

**Funghi – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• Bechamella, fontina, oven roasted cremini mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano and white truffle oil $17
• Again, it was a hybrid of a Neapolitan style pizza and a New York style pizza. The crust and size was closer to a Neapolitan style pizza, but the amount and origin of toppings was closer to a New York style pie.
• To read more about the crust see the Margherita crust section.
• I love bechamel and mushrooms, and fontina, parm and truffle oil… okay so basically I love all the ingredients on this pizza a lot, so naturally I’m going to gravitate towards it.
• This one was perhaps the saltiest, but I still loved it and nobody else that I’m aware of is making pizza with bechamella right now.
• Bachamella or bechamel is pretty much one of my favourite sauces of all time. It’s a creamy white sauce made with flour, butter and cream and it’s just so velvety smooth and silky like a pommes puree.
• It was a super creamy and rich pizza with lots of salty, nutty, buttery and mushroomy flavours and it was almost the “comfort food” pizza.
• It wasn’t particularly strong with truffle oil, but it was still heavy with mushroom flavour.
• It wasn’t garlicky, which might have been nice so I might add that topping next time.

Bianco Rosa - 4/6 (Very good)

• Red onions, rosemary, pistachios, parmigiano reggiano and extra virgin olive oil $14
• Again, it was a hybrid of a Neapolitan style pizza and a New York style pizza. The crust and size was closer to a Neapolitan style pizza, but the amount and origin of toppings was closer to a New York style pie.
• To read more about the crust see the Margherita crust section.
• This one had the least leoparding around the edges, but could have benefited with having the most since it was almost all about the crust as a Bianco.
• I needed to try the Bianco and I’m a huge fan of pistachios and nuts so I was excited about this one.
• It was definitely the drier pizza of the four, but I could taste everything on it although the toppings came across a bit bittier adding to the dry quality.
• It wasn’t a dry pizza, but since there’s no tomato sauce, minimal cheese and nuts, it’s naturally drier.
• It was garlicky and herby with a rosemary finish in the nose and I could taste its aromatics throughout the pizza.
• The thin shavings of crunchy red onions were the dominant flavour and they were sweet, but not yet caramelized or melted in texture. They were still crunchy and cooked during the baking process rather than pre-caramelized and baked.
• There was a generous amount of toasted unsalted pistachios and I loved that. The more pistachios the better! And none of them were burnt.
• The crust really stood out more on this one and it was the lightest in flavours.
• Some may find it a bit boring or dry (perhaps more olive oil to finish would do it), but I enjoyed it.

Restaurant: BREAD
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch/Italian/Sandwiches
Last visited: September 11, 2011
Location: Manhattan, New York (Nolita)
Address: 20 Spring Street
Subway: Spring St
Price range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 4 (Based on items I tried)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Modern Italian menu
• Italian paninis
• Home made bread
• Organic eggs
• Pasta/Mains at dinner
• Homemade desserts
• Local favourite
• Busy at peak hours
• Casual/cozy/quaint
• Cocktails/wine
• Online ordering here
• Brunch Sat. & Sun. 10:30am-5pm
• Daily Lunch Specials until 5pm
• Lunch/Dinner menu
• Sun-Wed 9am-12am
• Thurs-Sat 9am-12:30am

Recommendation: BREAD Tomato Soup, Prosciutto di Parma Panini

The three kitchen staples: milk, eggs and bread… and maybe butter. So I had my taste of Milk and Egg, so now it was time for BREAD. Unfortunately I didn’t get reservations for Butter, so I’ll have to save that for Follow Me Foodie to New York round 2!

I discovered BREAD as I was waiting for my table at Lombardi’s Pizza. It was dinner time and the place was packed, but all the restaurants in the Nolita area are almost always packed with expected line ups. The name BREAD caught my attention, but the style of the restaurant is what really kept me interested. I was easily charmed by the porch like seating area and modern cottage like atmosphere, so I put it on my “hope to try” list.

Well that “hope to try” list came sooner than I thought! It was coming to the end of my New York food trip and restaurant selection was getting crucial. It was time for another brunch spot and I had narrowed my list down to Prune, ABC Kitchen, Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant, and BREAD. By process of elimination I decided on BREAD and that was due to the extra bit of convincing from some locals. On a side note, doesn’t that guy kind of look like a young Ashton Kutcher?

Anyways I was hoping to check out their dinner menu, although it looked more like a brunch spot. The night time crowd was perhaps even bigger and they do offer a full bar and separate dinner menu. It’s a cozy and quaint restaurant, but it’s still quite spacious with group dining in the back.

I came in expecting a menu full of different kinds of homemade breads, and almost just bread, but that wasn’t really the case. The bread is well known here, but it’s not a bakery and more of a neighbourhood restaurant. The lunch menu is rather limited and simple, but the food is fresh and homemade. The menu is Italian inspired with a focus on paninis for lunch and pastas for dinner, but it’s American in style. The place is trendy, the portions are fair, and the prices are reasonable and affordable for the area, which makes BREAD an easy local favourite. Personally I would value it more as a local than I would as a tourist, but I still loved the vibe and enjoyed my brunch and BREAD experience.

On the table:

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice – ($3.50 a la carte) It was the simple details of freshly squeezed orange juice that I appreciated. It was really good orange juice, but of course this varies depending on the season. I prefer pulp, but this was pulp free and it was naturally sweet and not very tart at all.

Complimentary Bread

• At BREAD, they start you off right with of course bread!
• It was served with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar.
• They called it a Ciabatta bread, but I actually wouldn’t have guessed it.
• It almost looked like a sourdough, which would have been random.

• It was served cold and it was super moist, stretchy, fluffy, but still dense and not crusty.
• It was very soft, doughy and chewy and not salty, sour or floury in flavour, but it almost seemed half baked it was so moist.
• The bread almost peeled in layers and there were no apparent large holes like a traditional Ciabatta bread would have.
• I really loved the bread, but it was very different from most Ciabatta I’ve had and it was unexpected.

Eggs Normandy – 3/6 (Good)

• With Smoked Salmon. All brunch served with any juice and coffee, or tea $15
• It was served with roasted potatoes and a Mesclun Salad.
• The brunch menu is very limited to about 3 options of eggs benedict and this one came recommended.
• Being from the West Coast (Vancouver, BC) I’m spoiled with smoked salmon, so this just didn’t do it for me. It was good, but it’s hard for me to be unbiased about it.
• The salmon was very salty and it had a couple bones in it, which is pretty taboo.
• It was almost like toro (tuna belly) and it wasn’t smoky, but just salty.
• I could have used a lot more hollandaise sauce which was very tangy with lots of lemon. I prefer mine creamy, buttery, thick and rich too and not just lemony.
• The best part for me was the crispy thin toasted English muffins which were chewy and spongy and they seemed homemade and good quality.

There was a nice runny egg yolk sauce, but an excellent eggs benny needs and excellent hollandaise.

• The potatoes were crispy with tender, creamy and moist centres and well seasoned with chives. They had great flavour.
• The Mesclun salad was fresh and simple and easily dressed with super fruity olive oil and lemon.

**Prosciutto di Parma Panini – 4/6 (Very good)

• With Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato on Ciabatta $11 a la carte
• Lunch special: 1/2 sandwich and soup $11
• This was the most recommended panini.
• It was a thin crispy Ciabatta bread that was still a bit spongy and not hard or tough.
• It seemed different than the complimentary Ciabatta, but I couldn’t tell because it was panini pressed.

• The sandwich fillings weren’t generous, but they were fair.
• The quality of ingredients were fresh and good, but I was hoping for Heirloom tomatoes over cherry tomatoes and perhaps a few added basil leaves.
• The prosciutto was salty and buttery, but not too salty and there was enough to give the panini a meaty bite.
• The buffalo mozzarella is actually hand made mozzarella and it was springy, spongy and a bit chewy and it was done pretty well.
• It was simple, but the ingredients were good with a balanced ratio and I really give credit to the home made bread and cheese.

**BREAD Tomato Soup – 4/6 (Very good)

• $6 a la carte
• The soup is a house favourite and popular choice.
• It wasn’t rich or creamy and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was no dairy or flour, but I’m not sure.
• I could taste the infused onions and garlic, but it made for aromatics more so than flavour because it wasn’t necessarily garlicky.
• It was really fresh and I could taste the fresh pureed tomatoes, pulp and skins which is what I prefer.
• It was quite acidic and tangy and topped with a fresh Parmesan Ciabatta crouton and basil leaves.

Follow Me Foodie On Dine Out Vancouver 2012!

My thoughts on Dine Out Vancouver & A Preview of the Hapa Umi & Cento Notti Dine Out Menus!

It’s that time of year again. It’s the 10th Annual Dine Out Vancouver from January 20 – February 5, 2012. I don’t know if it really needs any explanation, but it’s basically Canada’s largest restaurant festival featuring 231 restaurants offering a set menu for $18, $28 or $38 – see the full list of restaurants and menus here. Adding to the festival this year are 70 culinary-focused events, tours and activities.

The original purpose of the event was to help give restaurants a boost during a slow time of the year… when most people are still trying to save money and loose weight from the holidays. It’s a bit ironic, but it works and people still love it, or it wouldn’t be on its 10th year.

This is quite an interesting post for me to write and I’ll be totally honest about it. I wrote a semi-controversial post about it last year stating why “I Don’t Dine Out Vancouver” (see here) and basically my thoughts haven’t really changed. I could easily make this into an even longer essay, because I have so many thoughts about it, but I’ll keep it in a Follow Me Foodie oversized “nutshell”.

There’s nothing wrong with Dine Out Vancouver, but I’m actually not the target market for it. Personally I prefer going on a regular night because I find it more representable of the restaurant. I usually find it even better too since it’s not as busy or rushed and I’m not limited to the prix fixe menu. I’ve also found some restaurants to jeopardize the ingredients or portions to meet the cost of the price fixe so I rather just go on a regular night. Last but not least I do like a good deal, but I’m willing to pay for food at a restaurant that I want to try regardless of the extra incentives. I’m not saying I wouldn’t participate in any Dine Outs, and I’ve done them before in the past, but I enjoyed them more for the company than the food.

I appreciate Dine Out Vancouver more as a food festival and I’m happy if it gets people trying restaurants and enjoying food. However I still highly recommend people to go back to their favourites on a regular night because Dine Out is really more or less just a sample. I wouldn’t really base my opinions on a restaurant solely on their Dine Out Vancouver menu. Personally, I’m more interested in the 70 culinary-focused Dine Out Vancouver Events which include Street Food City (Jan. 24-26), Dine Academy, Secret Supper Soirée, and Brasserie Mystère.

If you’re looking for Dine Out recommendations I can pass on what I know since I was invited to the Dine Out Vancouver 2012 media preview. Each group was taken to two surprise restaurants and mine were Hapa Umi and Cento Notti. However my thoughts are just for their Dine Out 2012 menus and not for the restaurant on a regular night.

I have tried Hapa Umi in the past and I still enjoyed it more on a regular night, but their portions were quite generous for the Dine Out menu and I saw the value (depending on what 3 courses you end up choosing). As for new Italian pop-up restaurant Cento Notti in Yaletown, I found it more of a hit and miss and I expected it to be in the $28 category (Update! It is now $28!), but I have yet to try it on a regular night for comparisons sake.

Other suggestions I heard from friends who tried different restaurants on the media preview was that Bitter Tasting Room ($18) was well worth it and impressive. I also heard there was amazing food and portions at Kitsilano Daily Kitchen, and raving reviews about Salmon n’ Bannock Bistro ($28) which I’ve been meaning to try since last year. We didn’t try all the restaurants and I didn’t get feedback from everyone, but those were some highlights.

Hapa Umi – Dine Out Vancouver 2012 – $38 Menu

Appetizers Choice:

Albacore Tuna Tataki – Salsa verde, crispy tortilla ribbons

• I found the portion generous and the quality of the tuna was very fresh and high.
• I could taste the infused smokiness in the sear and there was a slight heat from the Shisito seasoning on the crust, but it wasn’t spicy.
• The salsa verde wasn’t meant to be traditional and it was a nice switch up from an expected avocado puree.
• There may have been a bit of avocado, but it tasted mostly of lime and cilantro.
• The tortilla chips added a great crispy texture and I think it would be fun to see those as crispy fried ramen noodles.

OR

Tofu Salad – Citrus Soy Dressing

• This was even healthier and lighter than the ahi tuna choice and the tofu is organic. It was a huge salad too.
• I probably would have preferred firm smoky soy marinated tofu as opposed to this soft one which kind of fell apart in the salad.
• The tofu seemed like an imitation of fresh mozzarella and I just needed a stronger dressing.
• There were nice crunchy textures, deep fried lotus root, crisp sweet matchstick apples and fresh green beans, but it was a bit bland overall for my tastes and I like tofu.

OR

Edamame Potage Soup – Grilled Sake Sausage

• Oh god. I really hope this is on the regular menu because I would go back to order this a la carte. This again was a good portion.
• This was the richest and heaviest choice for the appetizers which also makes it my favourite. It really tasted the best too though.
• If you like pea soups, this was similar and it was almost like a pommes puree or velouté, which is my favourite kind of soup.
• It was creamy and velvety smooth and was thick enough to coat the roof of your mouth and stick to your spoon.
• I bet the soup was made with dashi (Japanese stock) and it just had a wonderfully rich and developed flavour throughout.
• The sausage was juicy and flavourful with snappy skins and I think there was a hint of mint in the soup to keep it bright and fresh.

Entree Choice:

Umi “Salisbury” Steak – Pork and beef steak, ume emulsion, sweet potato crema, corn-butter poached vegetables

• This dish and steak wasn’t that big, but the steak was full of flavours and it would be fantastic in a burger bun.
• It was cooked perfectly with the juices locked inside and the mixture of pork and beef made for an incredibly tender and flavourful patty.
• There were also crunchy bits of water chestnuts in the patty to give texture.
• There were some nice crispy leeks on top and the ume (Japanese plum) sauce gave it a sweetness similar to apple sauce, but also much sharper.
• The corn-butter poached vegetables were slightly random and perhaps a bit too sweet. Since corn is out of season it would be nice to see butternut squash being used as an alternative to achieve the same sweetness.
• The spoonful of sweet potato crema on the side was cold though and I wish it was plated underneath the steak so it would still stay warm from the heat of the meat.
• Overall all the sauces were sweet, so I did miss some savoury components and even some tang or heat for more balance.

Poached Ling Cod – Yuzu Kosho gel, vegetable and umeshiso fritters, nori paint

• I loved the quality of the flaky ling cod, but I really missed having the skin. I did expect the skin at a restaurant as sophisticated as Hapa Umi too.
• The fish seemed steamed and quite Chinese in style.
• The plate had a lot of components and sauces so I was almost eating everything separately.
• I love nori sauce, but this one seemed pureed with little bits of seaweed rather than smooth and melted like the ones I’ve often had.
• The yuzu kosho gel had good flavour, but it ended up being almost like a gelatinous clear sheet of sauce and it would be great if it was executed as gel capsules. I find gels are best presented in capsules when using molecular gastronomy.
• I wasn’t too keen on the umeshiso fritters because the rice ended up being a bit mushy, but the flavour was there.
• The daikon was juicy and well infused with dashi (Japanese stock) and that was prepared excellent.
• Again there were interesting textures and colours to the overall dish, but it was perhaps a bit overly ambitious.

Tofu Steak – 8 grain risotto, scallion-ginger soy

• This was the vegetarian option and although I do like tofu and vegetarian dishes, I would enjoy this more as a side. It would be a great side to that Salisbury steak.
• The tofu looked like a giant toasted marshmallow and it was lightly deep fried and crispy with a soft and silky middle.
• The risotto had a lot of texture and it was nutty from all the various grains, but it was a lot of one thing.
• Usually a risotto is creamy, but this one was very firm and it contrasted the tofu nicely, but I felt like it was missing an ingredient.
• There were some onions, zucchini, and eggplant sauteed into the risotto and I was more favorable to the concept.

Dessert Choice:

White Sesame Panna cotta – black sesame ice cream

OR

Matcha Mille Fuille – puff pastry, matcha custard

OR

Chocolate Mousse Roll Cake – Chocolate genoise, cinnamon ice cream

We actually ran out of time for dessert and had to make it to the next restaurant

**My thoughts are just for the Hapa Umi Dine Out 2012 menu and not for the restaurant on a regular night.

Cento Notti – Dine Out Vancouver 2012 – $38 Menu (Update! Now $28!)

Mocktail – Agri Dolve Fresh puree of blood orange, white cranberry juice and ginger ale $5

Appetizers Choice:

Baby Beet – Arugula salad, house cured goats cheese, candied hazelnuts

• It was quite a typical beet and goats cheese salad.
• The cheese was quite thick and dense rather than fluffy and soft and it wasn’t that heavy and gamey in flavour, but still noticeably a goat’s cheese.
• I liked the beet chips and the tender sweet red and golden baby beets underneath.
• It brought me back to memories of the Pistachio crusted goat cheese croquettes I had in Quebec City – see Vegetarian Plate (Chevré).

OR

Fontina Ravioli – Sweet onion and thyme broth

• This was very similar to a French onion soup.
• It was a very flavourful soup with a very strong thyme flavour, but I’m not sure how I feel about the little bits of what seemed like dehydrated garlic or onion bits floating on top.
• There were also some minced carrots and I guess I expected the carrots to be infused in the stock rather than visually and texturally there.
• There was one giant ravioli floating in the centre and it was super creamy and rich with a polenta like filling flavoured with melted cheese.
• The filling just oozed out of the ravioli and the skin was also nice and firm which I liked too.

Entree Choice:

Braised Lamb Cheek mafalda pasta – saffron beech mushrooms, tomato concasse

• This was a very saucy and rich dish.
• It was perhaps slightly over sauced, but the noodles were really firm and al dente which I liked.
• The lamb cheeks were decadent, melt in your mouth and delicious!
• They were incredibly tender and glazed with a sweet and tangy demi glace or red wine reduction, and it was nice and syrupy.
• I could see some finding the dish salty, but I have a high tolerance for salt so it was okay for me.
• I also really like sauce so I’m not too bothered by the amount, but it was a lot of sauce.

OR

Lois Lake Steelhead Trout – Tomato/Basil risotto, pickled zucchini salad

• I love Steelhead Trout and I loved that they served it with a crispy skin, but I question how it will turn out when Dine Out hits and they get really busy.
• This was moist and juicy, especially since it had some of the belly, so I hope they can keep the execution consistent.
• I think there are going to be complaints that there are some bones in it though.
• Chef explained that the bones were difficult to remove due to the cut of trout and how it had to be presented, but without being told this, there might be some issues.
• It was topped with an escovitch (pickled salad) which is really common in Hispanic cultures and the Caribbean, but it’s more common to have it with deep fried fish.
• The risotto was al dente, creamy, and strong with Parmesan cheese with a little acidity of tomato and I enjoyed it. I hope this is consistent too since risotto isn’t forgiving.

OR

Roasted Porchetta – Cannellini bean puree, braised pork cheek arancini

• I love porchetta, but I found this one quite dry and tough to cut through.
• I usually look forward to the crunchy crackling skin, but this one was just the roasted loin.
• It was stuffed with dried apricots and there was a lot going on, but it was hard to look past the dryness.
• The bean puree was nice and it reminded me of pureed chestnuts which always goes well with pork.
• The braised pork cheek arancini was my favourite part and it was almost like a deep fried creamy and cheesy risotto croquette.

Dessert Choice:

Cento Classic Frozen Tiramisu

• Everyone raves about this and loves it, but I’ve been eating frozen tiramisu and frozen fruit cakes since I was a kid, so it wasn’t particularly new for me although I did still like it!
• It was almost like a semifreddo and if you like tiramisu for the rich creamy texture, fluffy marscapone and slightly cheesy flavour, that’s not what you’re going to get here.
• This was strong with chocolate and coffee more than heavy with marscapone in flavour.
• The whip was also more like whipped cream than marscapone too, so I did miss the marscapone which is the best part of a tiramisu for me.
• At times the lady fingers can be dry due to the freezing, so I did miss the moisture of a soaked lady finger from a non-frozen tiramisu.
• The bar on top looked like a brownie, but it was actually a very light and dry espresso like biscotti.

OR

Lemon Tart – Marscarpone Creme

• The lemon tart was sweeter than it was tangy and it was actually not very tart at all. I do prefer a zing in lemon tarts.
• I did love the creme brulee crispy top it had and the tart contrast of plump and juicy Amerena cherries (?) were a nice alternative to a typical raspberry coulis.
• The dollop of marscarpone creme was much stronger with marscarpone flavour than the one served on the tiramisu and I really liked it with the lemon tart. I do wish it was the same one served with the tiramisu too though.

**My thoughts are just for the Cento Notti Dine Out 2012 menu and not for the restaurant on a regular night.

Restaurant: Portobello Ristorante
Cuisine: Italian
Last visited: December 28, 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC (Fairview)
Address: 1429 West Broadway
Bus: WB w Broadway FS Hemlock St
Price Range: $20-30

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 3.5-4
Service: 3.5
Ambiance: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Italian family owned/operated
• Casual, but nice
• Intimate/cozy
• Price fixe menus
• Moderately priced
• Wine list
• Free parking at rear
• Tues-Sun 5pm – 10:30pm
• Closed Mondays

**Recommendations: Fungo Portobello Gratinato, Gnocchi Alla Cardinale, Ossobuco Classico

Photo from Portobello Ristorante website.

It’s a hidden gem that’s been around for at least 5 years and I only noticed it a couple years ago when dining at Cru Restaurant + Wine Bar located further up on the same block. It’s easily missed and it’s one of those restaurants that locals have yet to discover, but people in the neighbourhood might already know about. I was curious, but not eager to try it, so I put it on the plan B list. Well I ended up resorting to that list when the wait at Vij’s was 2.5+ hours and Portobello Ristorante was conveniently nearby with seats to be filled.

I always imagined the restaurant to be a bit fancier with white tablecloths and napkin service, but it is more casual than expected. It is still nice, but just not formal and I thought it would be more along the lines of Cru or West nearby. There is still napkin service and candlelight, but it had a very family owned feel that is more quaint and charming than it is professional. It definitely feels more like an intimate spot for neighbourhood locals. The atmosphere is a bit dated, but it also features art from local artists.

It is Italian family owned and operated and the food is supposed to represent Southern Italian cuisine, but I noticed a lot of Northern Italian dishes too. In terms of authenticity it isn’t as authentic as La Quercia, but it is more authentic than most of the Italian restaurants in Metro Vancouver. In terms of goodness, everything I had was pretty good, but the pastas fell short and seemed more or less “like the other guys”. The food still feels catered to West Coast tastes and there are a few forgivable hiccups along the way. Overall I’d say it’s better than average, but not amazing.

On the table:

Complimentary Bread & Butter

• This was actually quite impressive! I was expecting basic Italian bread if anything.
• It was served warm from the oven and it was crusty and chewy, but didn’t have the big holes and texture of a great Ciabatta.
• It was likely from a local Italian bakery and the gesture was nice.

It was served with butter, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese. The cheese was unexpected. My friend learned from an Italian friend to mix the cheese into the oil and vinegar and I’ve never done that before, but it made for a good dipping sauce.

Bocconcini Alla Caprese - 4/6 (Very good)

Making Croissants at Bouchon in Las Vegas

2011 Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Yearblog

Happy New Year! Welcome to my Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2011! This is a recap and yearbook/yearblog of the BEST Follow Me Foodie (FMF) Food and FMF Foodie Moments in 2011.

I wrote a Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2010, so I decided to do another one this year. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so grateful for everything that has happened with this blog. I’ve loved every minute of it (even the parts where it hurt to laugh because I was so full) and I’m so happy to have shared these delicious moments with you. Thank you for following me foodie and cheers to another year of gastronomic indulgence!

NOTE: IT’S NOT NECESSARILY “THE BEST“, BECAUSE FOOD IS PERSONAL AND I CAN ONLY DISCOVER SO MUCH IN A YEAR. THESE ARE JUST SOME WORTH MENTIONING IN MY BOOKS… OR BLOG? BLOG. IT’S MORE OF A 2011 RECAP/SUMMARY. ALL EXPERIENCES ARE FROM 2011 ONLY.

Top 25 Most Memorable/BEST Dishes Internationally:

At the 5th day of the opening for the first ever Ladurée in the United States in New York

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee on Blue Mountain, Jamaica

Food is undeniably a focus when I’m traveling. This year I was grateful to take Follow Me Foodie to Bowen Island, Seattle, Las Vegas, New York, Portland, Los Angeles, Montreal, Quebec City and Jamaica.  Here are some of my best international indulgences this year. So Follow Me Foodie to some of my favourite foods and restaurants abroad with just one click!

Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Pine State Biscuits – The Reggie Deluxe Biscuit Sandwich – Portland, Oregon

2. Pambiche – Masitas – Portland, Oregon

3. Local 360 – Fried Chicken – Seattle, Washington

4. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Cafe – World’s Best” Mac & Cheese – Seattle, Washington

5. Nove Italiano - Shrimp Francaise – Las Vegas, Nevada

6. Bouchon – Truite Grenobloise – Las Vegas, Nevada

7. Traif – Crispy Pork Belly – Brooklyn, New York

8. The Spotted Pig – Gnudi – Manhattan, New York

9. Katz Deli – Pastrami Sandwich on Rye – Manhattan, New York

10. Jean-Georges – Manhattan, New York

11. BonChon Chicken – BonChon Chicken Wings – Manhattan, New York

12. Peasant – Cannolichi, Suckling Pig (Porchetta) – Manhattan, New York

13. Boqueria – Croquetas Cremosas – Manhattan, New York

14. Blue Hill – Chilled Corn Soup, Berkshire Pig - Manhattan, New York

15. Scotchies – Jerk Chicken – Ocho Rios, Jamaica

16. Blue Mountain Coffee – Blue Mountain, Jamaica

17. Schwartz’s – Smoked Meat Sandwich – Montreal, Quebec

18. Le St-Urbain – Coffee Glazed Sweetbread – Montreal, Quebec

19. Van Horne – Melon Canari (Canary Melon) – Montreal, Quebec

20. Le Bremner – Kimchi Snow Crab, Lobster Toast Au Gratin – Montreal, Quebec

21. Café Clocher Penché – Duck Confit – Quebec City, Quebec

22. Laurie Raphaël – Apple Crumble, Carrot Cake – Quebec City, Quebec

23. La Traite – Wendake, Quebec

24. Au Goût d’Autrefois (Dining at the Duck Farm), Quebec

25. North End Caffe – Kahlua Pig Egg Rolls – Los Angeles, California

At the Canadian Red Cross “Red Carpet Soiree” at Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

2011 Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Yearblog

Happy New Year! Welcome to my Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2011! This is a recap and yearbook/yearblog of the BEST Follow Me Foodie (FMF) Food and FMF Foodie Moments in 2011.

I wrote a Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2010, so I decided to do another one this year. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so grateful for everything that has happened with this blog. I’ve loved every minute of it (even the parts where it hurt to laugh because I was so full) and I’m so happy to have shared these delicious moments with you. Thank you for following me foodie and cheers to another year of gastronomic indulgence!

NOTE: IT’S NOT NECESSARILY “THE BEST“, BECAUSE FOOD IS PERSONAL AND I CAN ONLY DISCOVER SO MUCH IN A YEAR. THESE ARE JUST SOME WORTH MENTIONING IN MY BOOKS… OR BLOG? BLOG. IT’S MORE OF A 2011 RECAP/SUMMARY. ALL EXPERIENCES ARE FROM 2011 ONLY.

Top 20 Most Memorable/BEST Restaurant SAVOURY Dishes & Food in Vancouver!

Cobre Nuevo Latino – Maple Chipotle Tamarind Glazed Wild Boar Belly

The list is limited to what I tried this year. Again, not necessarily “the best”, but very memorable.
Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Be ‘Wiched Cafe – Chain Gang Chili, Apple Pie Stuffed French Toast

2. La Belle Auberge – Seared Foie Gras with Apple Tart Tatin, Pork Belly Spring Roll

3. Café Régalade – Braised Short Ribs in Pepper Sauce

4. Pair Bistro – PAIR Signature Oysters

5. El Barrio Restaurante – Tostada Carnitas

6. Mis Trucos – Sezmu Beef Flatiron Steak

7. C Restaurant – Parsley Veloute, Northern Divine Caviar

8. Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill – Pappardelle

9. L’Abattoir – Poached Egg

10. Cobre Nuevo Latino – Maple Chipotle Tamarind Glazed Wild Boar Belly

11. La Quercia – Stinging Nettle Risotto for 2, Gnocchi

12. Hog Shack Cook House – Burnt Ends

13. Hawksworth Restaurant – Confit Pork Shoulder, Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio

14. Anatolia’s Gate – Iskender Kabob

15. Market by Jean-Georges – French Toast, Sweet Pea Soup

16. The Well – Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict

17. The Apron – Side Stripe Prawn (Change of chefs)

18. EBO Restaurant – Albacore Tuna

19. Mochikas Peruvian Cafe - Chupe de Mariscos

20. Nicli Anitca Pizzeria – Margherita Pizza

Restaurant: Cinch Grill Italian Cuisine
Cuisine: Italian
Last visited: December 15, 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC (Robson Street/West End)
Address: 1517 Robson Street
Bus: EB W Georgia St FS Denman St, Train: Burrard Skytrain
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 2-2.5 (based on what I tried)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 2.5
Additional comments:

• Italian cuisine
• Pasta/Pizza/Panini
• Casual, but nice
• Moderately priced
• Extensive menu
• Lunch and dinner
• Couple tvs
• Beer/Wine
• Patio seating
• Open late

**Recommendations: n/a, but if you’re here, then the Braised Beef Short Ribs and the Cinch Pasta

Whoa. 90%+ on Urbanspoon with 80+ votes? That’s high! I was certainly curious and I put it on my restaurant list. I couldn’t think of its location and I’ve never heard of it before either, and I actually drove by it twice trying to look for it. A hidden gem? Perhaps! I was hopeful… and unfortunately I’m still hoping for it… to get better.

That’s the challenge when dining on Robson, Denman or the West End. Even as a local, it’s hard to judge what’s a hidden gem, neighbourhood favourite, and tourist trap. The area is full of all of the above and I try to play it safe when I’m looking for options in the area. On this occasion, it was a desperate time and almost everything was booked for the evening so I resorted to Cinch Grill.

From the outside I was pretty uninspired and when I saw it I had recalled walking by it in the past, but never really paid attention to it. At first glance I placed it in the “tourist trap” category, but the whole Urbanspoon thing made me think I could be in for a pleasant surprise. I probably should have gone with my first instincts, although the food wasn’t inedible, it was just quite disappointing and not at downtown standards.

I like to think they tried, but the menu was way too big and there were a lot of shortcuts. I can’t even say it’s good for the area because there are better options in the West End and especially downtown for Italian food at this price and portion. Therefore I probably wouldn’t come back, although I can see why some long time locals in the area probably love it. It used to be a deli, but during the Olympics they upgraded and renovated to a casual, but nice restaurant. I think as a deli it could have been great and perhaps it just kept that loyal following.

I was really rooting for this small and family owned restaurant, but the food couldn’t lie and neither can I. Personally if I wanted this price range, level of dining and Italian food on Robson/West End I would prefer Cafe Il Nido, Nook, Ciao Bella Italian (haven’t been in a while), or maybe the new Cosca which I have yet to try, but looks promising. Basically, there are lots of options to explore.

I think Cinch is Italian owned and operated, but if they cut half the menu and pour some love into those items and serve them like how they would at home, I think it would be great! I bet they could too! *Finger crossed*

On the table:

Eggplant Parmesan – 1/6

• Tomato Sauce, Parmesan and Bocconcini Cheese, Fresh Basil $9
• This was a pretty sad eggplant parmesan and I thought it was a salad at first.
• The eggplant was thinly sliced and I couldn’t really tell it was eggplant at all.
• There was some tangy sun dried tomato sandwiched between the layers, and the parmesan was minimal.
• It was almost too premade and pre-prepared and a bit dried out and shriveled.
• The salad had some minced fresh tomato, typical wild greens and radicchio, and I’d really call it a salad.
• It was drizzled with a sweet balsamic reduction, but overall I wouldn’t call it an eggplant parmesan.

Seafood Risotto - 1.5/6

• Tiger Prawns, Mussels, Scallops and Squid, Saffron and Fresh Tomato $15
• The risotto wasn’t too bad, but the seafood was really not very good.
• The scallops were barely seared and only on one side and the shrimp was crunchy and not overcooked which is good.
• The mussels tasted a bit fishy and almost slimy and undercooked. They were fresh, but they didn’t taste fresh.
• The risotto was a bit soupy and runny, but at least the rice was al dente and firm.
• There was a creaminess to it, a bit of tomato and a little Parmesan cheese, but I would still say it was runny.
• The flavour was heavy on packaged chicken stock and there was a hint of saffron in it that I could taste. There was no seafood broth or flavour in the risotto though.
• There was some fresh basil, but overall I was kind of eating the risotto because I was hungry, not really because I enjoyed it.

**Cinch Spaghetti – 4/6

• Roasted Chicken, Mushrooms, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Herb and Truffle Cream Sauce $13 
• I actually enjoyed this! For $13 it was a reasonable portion and pretty good.
• The noodles were thin, and firmer than I expected. I wouldn’t mind them a bit firmer, but most people would be satisfied with this texture.
• It has a creamy sauce that was buttery and flavourful with freshly cracked black pepper, basil and a hint of truffle oil.
• There was some roasted red pepper and the sauce was creamy, rich with olive oil, chicken pan jus, and a hint of cream and it had good flavour.
• It’s easy to make, but it was still good for the restaurant and probably as good as a good pasta at Earl’s.

Beef Short Ribs – 4/6

• Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs, Beef Marrow, Horseradish Mushroom Sauce, Roasted Potato $18
• This was the best thing of the night, but I wouldn’t call it Italian.
• The beans were crisp, the beets and zucchini tender and the roasted potatoes were buttery, creamy and well seasoned.
• It was a huge slab of short rib that literally came melting off the bone and it was very likely that they were boiled first.
• It still had flavour though and it was topped with a mushroom pan jus.
• The beef was quite fatty and the meat was juicy and moist and very tender.
• I enjoyed the beef, but it’s not really something I couldn’t get anywhere else.
• I wouldn’t come back for it, but I did enjoy it.

Tiramisu – 2.5/6

• $6-8?
• The tiramisu smelled like Hershey’s chocolate sauce as soon as it landed on the table. I wasn’t keen on that.
• I don’t think there was any rum, but at least the lady fingers weren’t over soaked and I could taste the coffee. It wasn’t strong espresso, but it was there.
• The marscapone layers were generous, but they didn’t taste like marscapone. It was more like a sweet creamy layer and I wanted more marscapone for sure.
• The cake wasn’t dry, and I actually liked it better than the one at Nook (from what I can recall), but there are better tiramisus than both.
• This settled my sweet tooth, but as a tiramisu it wasn’t that satisfying.

Restaurant: Yaletown L’Antipasto
Cuisine: Tapas/Italian/Wine Bar
Last visited: December 8, 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC (Yaletown)
Address: 1127 Mainland St
Skytrain: Yaletown-Roundhouse Stn Northbound
Price Range: $20-30+ ($15-20 mains)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 2.5 - 3
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 2.5 - 3
Additional comments:

• Italian chef/cook
• Meat & Cheese
• Limited menu
• Couple pasta specials
• Intimate/cozy
• Neighbourhood feel
• Good wine list
• Patio seating
• Open late Thur-Sat.
• Breakfast: Mon-Fri.
• Lunch: Mon-Sat
• Dinner: Mon-Sat.
• Closed Sunday

**Recommendations: Antipasto platter, White Tuscan Beans

I came here when it was Chocoatl and then again when it was Eataly, but I missed the gelato shop prior to the welcoming of Yaletown L’Antipasto. It’s a tricky spot with a high turnover, but this is the new kid on the block and for once it’s not selling desserts.

I actually walked right by it because I didn’t think the new restaurant would be taking over this location. It’s a small space that’s tucked away on Mainland and it’s easily overlooked and missed. I don’t think I would have even noticed it with its small signage, but I had received an e-mail from the owners notifying me of its opening. Sherman (whom I have to thank for the awesome photos) received the same and he invited me to join him for dinner there.

To be honest I’m not much of a meat and cheese person, so I’m pretty biased since Yaletown L’Antipasto specializes in antipasto. It’s not just meat and cheese, but it’s generally cold appetizers and salads. Don’t get me wrong, I like this type of food, but it’s just hard for me to see the value in it when I can prepare something similar at home with a good supplier. However taking it for what it is, it’s not bad, but I wasn’t necessarily impressed because the food is almost too simple.

The meats aren’t cured in house, but they are carefully selected. It features a couple hot dishes, which are two daily pastas, and those are prepared by the co-owner’s mother who is Italian through and through. Crap! I almost wish I didn’t know that or see her making it, I get nervous when I know moms are in the kitchen.

Anyways, she does the cooking on a small stove top in the open kitchen, so the menu and potential for the food is quite limited considering the small space and cooking resources. Everything is quite basic, which is all they can really do, but at the same time it makes it hard to see the value even given the circumstances.

The restaurant is a very intimate space and I wouldn’t suggest it for groups or for dinner. It really is an antipasto kind of place just like the name suggest, and the word does mean “before a meal” after all. I just found it more enjoyable as a pre-dinner or after dinner place, or a place to catch up with a friend over a glass of wine on a weeknight, and that’s kind of what I did.

Despite having a full dinner and being full, I didn’t really feel satisfied which is quite common for me with this style of dining. In the end I was actually most impressed with the  side of beans, and meat and cheese, even though the latter is not really my thing. However the wine was well paired and the selection was quite good.

Generally there was attention to the little details, but the big ones were a bit missed. I was hoping it would be Italian throughout the whole menu, which is how they present themselves, but there were some non-Italian wines and a non-Italian cheese. It may not seem like it looking at the menu, but it’s trying to do a lot with a limited space and kitchen. If it’s going to be a dinner place there are some rough spots that need smoothing out, so hopefully this is just the beginning. On the other hand I have a feeling the paninis they offer at lunch could be promising since the meat and cheeses are nice, and I would actually be more inclined to check that out.

On the table:

Mixed Olives - It was just a simple starter and they weren’t house marinated or anything. They were a bit soft, nice and salty, but good. In the area I do prefer the mixed olives at Cibo Trattoria & Uva Wine Bar based on variety and quality.

**Yaletown L’Antipasto – 3.5/6

• House signature dish. A fine selection of imported deli meats & cheeses, served with marinated vegetables and toasted Ciabatta Bread $20
• Again I’m not really a meat and cheese person because it’s hard for me to see value in something I can prepare at home with a good supplier, but I do like it.
• For what it is, the price is fair for the size and quality of meats and cheeses.
• It only comes in a platter, and I really think they should offer it a la carte.
• Wine pairings: Tolle Colle Secco Montepulciano, Italy and Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
• I enjoyed it even more with the wine pairing suggestions, but again I was hoping for an all Italian wine list.
• I personally enjoyed the Tolle Colle Secco Montepulciano better with the meat and cheese selection.

• Meats – 3.5/6
• Salame Milano, Salame Tipo Felino, Bone in Prosciutto San Daniele, Culatello
• I’m not a salami person because I find them too fatty and greasy, so I gave mine to Sherman. I did eat some though and it was decent quality, but it’s not a cured meat I would choose.
• The Culatello and Bone in Prosciutto San Daniele were quite mild, not that salty, and both very good. Not the best quality, but good quality.
• The Prosciutto San Daniele is the darkest and a bit sweeter and authentically it is hand cut, which it was here.
• The Culatello is the highest quality of prosciutto and it’s the higher part of the leg from a larger pig.

• Cheeses – 4/6
• Ricotta Dura, Provolone Picante, Piave Stravecchio, Cabrales (doc)
• There was a good selection of soft to hard cheeses, but the Cabrales (blue cheese) was from Northern Spain and I was hoping for all Italian cheeses.
• I honestly loved each cheese, but for different reasons.
• The Cabrales is a combination of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk and it was most unique also being cured in caves. It was incredibly pungent and for real blue cheese lovers, but it wasn’t gamey or too salty. I haven’t come across it prior to this.
• The Cabrales paired with the Tolle Colle Secco Montepulciano was heavenly for me.
• Marinated veggies: artichoke heart, cipollini onions, house roasted peppers, mixed olives (which weren’t as salty as the ones in the starter), and marinated sun dried tomatoes.

I just wanted to show the hand cut method on the bone in Prosciutto San Daniele, which results in a meatier bite.

Bread ($3 a la carte) – It was served warm and very lightly toasted, but I prefer my Ciabatta bread chewy with large holes and this one was just okay.

Rigatoni Amatriciana – 3/6

• Pasta of the day $14
• It’s one of the most basic and classic pastas from Rome and it was made authentically with unsmoked pork cheek (Guanciale) and not pancetta or bacon.
• The rigatoni was a dry pasta which I actually like, and it was nice and firm with a chew that stuck to your teeth.
• I think most people would find it undercooked, but it’s not.
• Italians traditionally cook their pastas under the 8min. mark and this was perfectly al dente.
• The pasta itself didn’t seem salted, but the sauce was salty enough so it ended up being okay.
• It was lightly coated in a house made tomato sauce that had a nice acidity, but I couldn’t taste the flavour of the pork infused into it.
• The sauce stuck onto the pasta well, but I was hoping for more fresh tomatoes, more pork cheek and some Pecorino Romano melted into the sauce for the price.
• It is a very simple homestyle pasta, but for what it was, it was good, authentic and made well.

Gorgonzola & Walnut Ravioli & 4 Cheese – 2/6

• Pasta of the day $14
• This was the other pasta of the day and I can’t say I enjoyed the ravioli.
• I like to taste all the ingredients in the menu title, and I couldn’t really in this.
• The sauce was good and home made, but the Gorgonzola was very mild and the walnuts were nowhere to be seen or even tasted.
• I thought there would be some Gorgonzola in the sauce and toasted walnuts on top, but there wasn’t.

• The ravioli is from a supplier, which is fine, but I’m not keen on the product.
• I’ve actually purchased the same ravioli to make at home before. At home it’s quick and useable, but at a restaurant, I’m not sure.
• The filling is really pastey and thick and it just coats your whole mouth.
• I couldn’t taste any walnuts or much Gorgonzola in the filling so I wouldn’t recommend the ravioli.
• The sauce was very rich and creamy with bits of ricotta, and it had potential if it was made with a different pasta.

**Fagioli Alla Toscana (White Tuscan Beans with Sage) - 4.5/6

• White Italian cannelini beans, extra virgin olive oil & sage $10
• This was my highlight! They were delicious!
• However I think they’re overpriced and I thought they would be $8 at most.
• It was again simple, but it just felt like comfort food without being too heavy or rich.
• It was made from dry cannelini beans and they were nice and firm.
• It was almost like a creamy white bean stew made with good olive oil and it wasn’t too salty and very homestyle.
• There were some onions and garlic, but it wasn’t that garlicky in flavour.
• The only thing is that there were maybe two sage leaves so I wanted more because I couldn’t really taste it.

Antipasto di Bresaola – 3/6

• Grass fed, dry-cured beef, arugula, mushrooms, shaved Parmiggiano $14
• They served the salad after the pastas which is the traditional Italian way and I appreciated that.
• The Bresaola was a nice quality and they were shaved well too.
• It was drizzled with good olive oil and lemon juice for acidity.
• It pretty much was what it was, but it was good for what it was.

Vitello Tonato – 3.5/6

• Simmered Veal Eye of Round, served cold with served cold with a creamy sea medley sauce $14
• I really like vitello tonato, but I don’t have much to compare to because it’s not very popular in Vancouver.
• It is easily overlooked because generally people don’t know what it is.
• It’s a traditional cold Italian dish and the veal slices taste almost exactly like tuna. They’re super tender, but it had that dry texture of flaked tuna.
• The veal is well done and coated in a creamy mayo-like tuna sauce and that’s why it tastes fishy and almost like mashed tuna patties.
• The sauce is comparable to a tuna based Caesar dressing with a bite of pureed capers and I would say it’s acquiredm sharp and pungent, but I really like it.

• It’s served on a bed of dry arugula, but there’s enough tuna sauce to dress it.
• La Quercia is also an excellent place to try this dish if it’s your first time.

Tiramisu – 2/6

• $6
• The desserts are all house made which I appreciate.

• I love tiramisu, but unfortunately this one was on the watery side and I couldn’t taste much mascarpone which is my pet peeve.
• I could taste some espresso, and not really any rum and the lady fingers were quite wet.
• I was hoping for the top to be sprinkled with bittersweet cocoa powder, but it almost seemed like hot chocolate powder.
• Overall this didn’t really work out for me.

Panna Cotta – 2/6

• $5
• The panna cotta was home made that afternoon, but it hadn’t set yet.
• The flavour was good, although a bit sweet after a few bites, but it was almost like melted ice cream.
• The raspberry sauce gave it a nice tartness and I liked the vanilla bean seeds, so it had potential.

Restaurant: Peasant
Cuisine: Italian
Last visited: September 9, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (Nolita)
Address: 194 Elizabeth St
Nearby subway stops: Spring Street
Price Range: $30-50+

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5.5
Service: 4
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 5.5
Additional comments:

• Since 2000
• Authentic Italian cuisine
• Homestyle, yet gourmet
• Rustic/family style
• Local favourite
• Hidden gem
• Wood fired brick ovens
• Great for seafood
• Good for groups
• Good portions
• Sophisticated/lively
• Moderately priced
• Wine list/bar
• Reservations recommended
• Sun 6-10pm
• Tue-Thurs 6-11pm
• Fri-Sat 6-11:30pm
• Closed Monday

**Recommendations: Everything I ordered, but especially the Cannolichi (Razor clams), Polpi in Purgatorio (Baby Octopus), Sweet breads, Suckling Pig

As a tourist with food always on the mind, New York may seem easy to maneuver since it’s a foodie capital. But to avoid tourist traps and discover the local favourites and hidden gems in the city is surprisingly difficult. I really lucked out with Peasant, and unless I did my research, I would have never discovered it on my own. Unless you’re Italian or heavily invested in the New York food scene, I don’t even think many locals even know about this place. But what an incredible find it was!

I was actually given this recommendation from the executive chef at Jean-Georges in New York. Needless to say, it’s quite a reliable source for a restaurant rec. We got into a major food discussion and Peasant came up as a favourite of his. Of course I put it on my itinerary and moved it up as priority, I’d highly recommend you to do the same.

Almost all the amazing restaurants I went to I would never find on my own or without doing intense foodie research. So many places in New York have discrete signage and locations, but if a place is packed without the advertisement, chances are it’s doing something right.

Peasant was only a dive from the outside. The inside was quite welcoming, classy and sophisticated without being pretentious. It is a hot spot for a hip, young and energetic crowd, but it offers much more than its ambiance. I was feeling it right away and just knew I hit gold with this restaurant choice.

It’s an open kitchen with wood fired brick ovens and everything about it felt authentic and rustic without being gimmicky. It’s a place where you actually go to eat! And well too! The portions aren’t “Americanized”, but they’re “Italianized”, and generous, but not gross.

For a minute I actually felt like I was in Italy and this is a place Italians flock to as well. Situated just outside Little Italy in New York, it is far from a tourist trap and I would no doubt revisit Peasant on my next trip back to New York. That’s a pretty bold statement coming from a food blogger who’s always eager to try something she hasn’t tried before.

Coming from Vancouver, BC where the Italian food scene isn’t as strong as New York, I was incredibly impressed and satisfied. But even for New York wine and food scholars, this is considered excellent. It’s not a Mario Batali Italian restaurant, one featured on Food Network, or even “the best Italian in New York”, but it’s truly the “local hidden gem” in the most honest sense of that overused term. Peasant looked, felt and tasted like the real Italian deal. I tried over 50+ restaurants in two weeks in New York, and this was one of my favourites, so I’d definitely say it’s a must try.

On the table:

Complimentary Bread & Ricotta

• Voila! Already we were off to a great start!
• Who serves complimentary house made bread with fresh ricotta cheese!? Peasant does!
• Forget the olive oil and balsamic, this is how they do it in Italy!
• It was cold bread with a crusty nutty exterior and a fluffy soft centre that wasn’t very chewy, but it was great bread.
• The bread didn’t have much flavour, but it went with the fluffy fresh ricotta cheese and the super fruity olive oil you drizzle on top upon eating.
• This and my glass of white wine, it was love at first sight!

**Cannolichi – 6/6

• Razor clams $14
• Holy bejeezus! I was laughing as I ate this it was so good! It was one of the best things of my whole trip!
• First off, it was razor clams. Razor clams! I rarely see these guys being offered at restaurants, so it was another bonus!
• It was super tender clams with a soft Parmesan and panko bread crumb topping in a lemony, garlicky, white wine and olive oil sauce.
• I thought the topping would be crispy, but it wasn’t, but I didn’t care either because it was so cheesy and delicious!
• There was a good amount of thyme and a bit of oregano and everything was just fresh and well prepared.
• I know it sounds simple, and it was, but it was better than just those listed ingredients combined.
• It was really savoury, but not too salty, nutty and aromatic and I was just scooping that sauce up with my shells and dipping my bread into it too.
• I’ve had “lemon garlic white wine seafood” before, and I know it sounds “been there, done that”, but trust me, these are likely better than any you’ve had.

Seppie in Terracotta (Cuttlefish) – 4.5/6

• Cuttlefish, cherry tomatoes, white wine $14
• This was probably the only dish that fell short of excellent, and by no means was it not good. It was still very good!
• The cuttle fish was almost prepared the same way as the razor clams, but for some reason it wasn’t as good as the clams. It’s not because it was cuttlefish either, because I like both.
• The cuttlefish was tender, but just not as flavourful as the clams and it didn’t pick up the sauce as well or benefit from the Parmesan panko topping as much.
• It was still very buttery, but it kind of tasted like something you may have had before.
• The sauce was still the basic garlic, lemon, white wine and herb infused sauce, but it’s likely one of the best versions of that sauce you’ll have. I don’t know if it’s the wine or what.
• Although it was very good, I always like seeing Italian squid prepared with the squid ink, so I was a bit biased.
• If I didn’t have the razor clams, this would have been excellent, but because I had the razor clams, I would rather have seconds and thirds of that.

**Polpi in Purgatorio - 5.5/6

• Baby octopus, chile peppers $14
• It was super tender octopus and it was served like the sea was in the kitchen! I loved it!
• It was wasn’t chewy and it was cooked perfectly and every bite had flavour.
• It was in a similar garlic and white wine sauce, but with added chili so there was a nice kick to it and the spiciness lingered.
• There was an apparent smokiness from roasted chilies and the actual seeds were also fried and infused into the sauce so it was quite spicy, but not hot.
• The 8 legged friend was just loving its bath and it’s really hard to serve octopus whole like this and have it so flavourful and tender, so I was really impressed!

Maltagliati Con Coniglio – 5/6

• With braised rabbit and fava beans $24
• I love rabbit and anything braised, so I was excited about this dish.
• Maltagliati is a very “peasant”, rustic and home style pasta. It was fresh made, and it’s basically random shapes of flat pasta likely made from leftover pasta dough.
• As “rustic” as it was supposed to be, the pasta was still perfectly cut and refined, so it was still “rustic” done gourmet.
• The pasta was well salted, firm with an al dente bite and it held on to the sauce well.
• It was a very juicy pasta and it was reminiscent of a hearty chicken noodle stew or soup in pasta form.
• There were some nice carrots, onions, garlic and fresh herbs to give it aromatics and depth.
• The garlic were whole cloves of sweet caramelized garlic and it just gave so much natural flavour to the dish.
• The sauce was olive oil and white wine based and the natural juices of the braised rabbit just played right into it.
• The rabbit was tender, juicy and shredded (tastes like chicken if you’ve never had it), and it was really quite stew like without the broth.
• The fava beans added texture and the absence of a heavy sauce really showcased the rabbit and quality of the food here.

Fettucine Con Ragu Di Vitello – 4.5/6

• With veal sauce $26
• The fettucine was again hand made in house, thick, well salted, chewy and still firm.
• It was well coated in a rich red wine and tomato ragu developed with carrots, garlic and the natural juices of the veal.
• It was slightly gamey, which I’m sensitive too, but I still didn’t mind the subtle gaminess.
• The tomatoes were not really acidic, but a bit sweet and the sauce was buttery and oily and it just coated each noodle like paint.
• There was a creaminess to it, and it was slightly cheesy too, and the chunks of veal were super juicy and melted in my mouth as well.
• This probably wasn’t special of this restaurant, and it’s not particularly memorable, but it was still excellent and I did love it.
• Personally, I’ve enjoyed other ragu sauces in Vancouver better before, and I do prefer a short rib ragu as opposed to veal.
• I just like the shredded strands of meat rather than the cubes of veal in a pasta.

**Spaghetti Con Scampi – 5.5/6

• With langoustine $26
• Love it! Langoustine! I mean just reading the menu, you know you’ve hit a good spot!
• Hardly any places offer langoustine let alone razor clams and rabbit all under one roof!
• They do a great job with seafood and this was the star pasta of the night. Although competition was very marginal!
• Langoustine is a large shrimp meets a baby lobster, but it’s in the lobster family, although I find it tastes more like shrimp.
• It was a more broth based pasta and the spaghetti was fresh and somewhat thicker than most spaghetti noodles. It was well salted and al dente again.
• The broth was infused with the flavours of the langoustine shells and likely the heads, but it wasn’t creamy or rich and still somewhat light.
• There were whole cloves of caramelized garlic and a bit of chili in the broth as well so the flavour was well developed with a mild heat.
• It was a rather light sauce that held so much flavour and the plump juicy cherry tomatoes were sweet more than sour.
• The langoustine was slightly mushy (tends to be), but overall it was an excellent seafood pasta with tons of flavour .
• It’s nothing fancy, despite being langoustine, but it was well delivered and served home style like they would in Italy.
• I wouldn’t have minded some olives or a few more ingredients, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

**Animelle Con Funghi - 5.5/6

• Sauteed sweetbreads, asparagus & seasonal mushrooms $29
• This is a very rich, hearty and indulgent main and it is best shared or it’s a bit too much, but it’s so worth ordering.
• The sweetbreads were almost double or triple the size as normal sweet breads and it was a bit intimidating.
• Surprisingly they were really light and pillowy and not too chewy or “giblety” like some can feel in your mouth.
• I usually prefer them crispy on the outside, but these were soaked in gravy so I almost couldn’t tell I was eating sweetbreads.
• The dish was very rustic and home style Italian, but made for “special occasions” in the execution.
• It was swimming in a rich creamy well reduced red wine gravy that was possibly made with veal stock and of course some garlic again.
• The wild mushrooms were great and their juices just seeped into the velvety gravy and the touch of cream just made you want to roll over and scratch your belly.
• The fresh basil leaves were great and there was some minty flavour in there too, but it was very mild.
• It was a fresh herby flavour for the heavy meat dish, and as good as it was, I wouldn’t want just this for dinner.
• However, this was a hearty, indulgent Italian main that the French would tip their hats off too!

**Porchetta Arrosto (Suckling Pig) – 6/6

• Rotisserie suckling pig with fingerling potatoes $29
• Oh god! DROOL! This was either my first of second favourite dish of the night and one of my favourites from my whole 2 weeks in New York. It’s a must try!
• Christmas comes early with this and I swear there’s an Italian grandma in the kitchen!
• It’s a dish that calls for a celebration!
• This is again really rich and hearty and probably best shared since it’s so substantial.
• It was Italian comfort food and likely one of the best porchettas I’ve had. Period.
• It was a big strip of crispy fatty suckling pig that was well seasoned and salted with meat that was so juicy and tender that it required no knife.
• The skin was so crispy and there was some Rosemary and a great dry rub that was reminiscent of dry ribs.
• It was super moist and oily with flavour and not just oil, and it wasn’t one bit chewy or gelatinous.
• It was better than any pulled pork I’ve had, and the meat was that soft and buttery in texture.
• The suckling pig sat on top of a warm smashed potato salad made with buttery fingerling potatoes with the skins on.
• The potatoes were super saucy in a rich creamy gravy with fresh herbs. It was actually more like a roughly mashed potato in cream sauce than a potato salad.
• This is one of the best versions of “meat and potatoes” I’ve had.

Budino Di Pane E Cioccolato Bianco – 4.5/6

• White chocolate bread pudding with almonds, figs and white chocolate gelato $9
• I’m a fan of hot and cold desserts and anything served with ice cream so I had my eyes on this.
• The bread was homemade and baked in their wood fired brick oven so it was more special than typical “bread pudding”.
• This was a substantial dessert, so prepare yourself.
• It was a very eggy custardy bread with a crispy caramelized exterior and super moist spongy inside.
• There were slivered almonds and dried figs in the bread, but not enough of either.
• I almost wanted more of a nuttiness and fruitiness rather than a block of bread, although the block was still delicious.
• The white chocolate gelato wasn’t overly sweet and nice and creamy, but overall the dessert was quite sweet especially with the added drizzle of caramel sauce on top.
• This was very good, but the bread pudding was a bit dense although not dry. I just prefer mine creamier and lighter, but I still devoured this.
• Another excellent bread pudding is the Torrija y Helado from Boqueria also in New York. It’s kind of the Spanish version of this and both are satisfying to the end of any meal, if you have space. But dessert is a second stomach anyways…

Restaurant: Eataly – Gelateria
Cuisine: Italian/Gelato/Desserts
Last visited: September 11, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (Gramercy/Flatiron)
Address: 200 5th Ave
Nearby subway stops: 23 St
Price Range: $10 or less for gelato, $20-30+ for Eataly

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5 for gelato, 4 based on Eataly
Service: 3 at gelateria
Ambiance: 5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Marketplace restaurant
• Chef Luca Montersino (Gelato)
• Chef Mario Batali (Eataly)
• Made in house
• Organic whole milk from NY
• Nuts from Italy
• Fresh fruit delivered every morning
• Daily 11am-11pm
• Marketplace hours: 9am-11pm
• To see Eataly’s seafood restaurant Il Pesce – see here
• To see Eataly’s meat restaurant Manzo – see here

**Recommendations: Any gelato, especially the nut ones

This is one of the main entrances for the beloved Eataly in Manhattan, New York.

And this is what you see as soon as you walk in.

To quickly recap my recent posts, they have been about the restaurants at Eataly. Eataly is the largest artisanal Italian wine and food marketplace from Turin, Italy. It was brought to New York by a group of individuals including Food Network’s Iron Chef America’s Chef Mario Batali. It’s basically an Italian fine foods supermarket with retail centres, a gift shop, book store and boutique style restaurants. It actually reminds me of a less high end Harrod’s. For more details on Eataly see my first post on it here.

There are 12 restaurants to choose from in Eataly and about five or so are sit down boutique style restaurants with servers and hosts. A couple are more like counter service restaurants, and then the rest are retail centres where things are made to-go, or to be enjoyed in the communal free seating area at the front of the marketplace. With so many options, I had no choice but to restaurant hop. It’s a bit hard to do if you want to try their sit down restaurants, which is what I had my heart set on, so plan and order carefully.

My first course was no, not dessert! It was the first thing I saw walking in and you had to walk by all the deliciousness in order to get to the boutique restaurants in the back. But my first course was actually seafood! I have to go savoury to sweet, and I had to pace myself since I was restaurant hopping. Therefore I skipped the appetizers and headed straight for Il Pesce, which is Eataly’s seafood restaurant. I ended up having more than one course there too – see here.

My “second course”, or more like my second restaurant of the evening was Manzo, where I also had more than one course – see here. Yes, I have little self control.

I was more than satisfied and quite full at this point, but I couldn’t ignore the amazing desserts that I knew I would pass by walking out. I already saw them walking in, so there was no turning back. Instead, I looked forward to what was ahead! So I did my exercise by waddling over to the sweeter portion of the marketplace.

At Eataly I could either purchase my imported Italian sweets to go at their supermarket…

Or I could purchase them to go at their chocolate shop…

Or I could admire their lovely display cases with mini cakes and whole cakes to go, which can also be eaten at the communal tables at the front.

At Eataly there is never an excuse for “there’s no room for dessert” because there are endless options and sizes for it. It’s not like that’s ever been an excuse used on Follow Me Foodie anyways.

But at last, I ended where I started, which is at the Eataly Gelateria entrance. With so many dessert options gelato seemed like the “boring” and “obvious” choice, but I was looking forward to something cold, clean and refreshing. The “ice cream” category is also my favourite category for desserts, so naturally my cravings will always direct me here.

In Italy, gelato is comparable to a coffee break. It’s everywhere and people don’t have it only for dessert. When I was there I had a minimum of 4 scoops a day and maximum of 8 scoops a day. When in Italy do as the Italians right? And technically they weren’t “scoops”, as gelato should never be a “scoop”. Ice cream is a scoop. Anyways the gelato at Eataly is house made in small batches daily with fresh fruits and imported nuts from Italy. The quality is comparable to fine gelaterias in Italy.

I tried about 3 gelato places in New York including Il Laboratorio Del Gelato and L’Arte Del Gelato, and overall I liked Eataly’s the best. L’Arte Del Gelato is also an excellent choice, but the intensity of flavours and texture was just slightly better here. I also liked how they kept all the gelato covered so that it wasn’t exposed to any air. For the Vancouver readers, Bella Gelateria is marginally better than the listed, but if you’re craving gelato, I think these places are the best it gets in New York. So once again Vancouver, we should consider ourselves very lucky!

On the table:

**Pistachio Gelato – 5.5/6

• Small cup (1 flavour): $4.90 Medium cup (2 flavours): $5.90 Large cup (3 flavours): $6.90
• Small cone: $3.90 Medium cone: $4.90 Large cone: $5.90
• I was surprised the cones were $1 cheaper, but I had the large cup with 3 flavours. *Oink*.
• The consistency was pretty perfect and that of authentic fresh made gelato.
• The gelatos are made with organic whole milk from Rochester, New York.
• As I said, gelato shouldn’t be a scoop and this was not a scoop. Check!
• Authentic Italian gelato should be creamy, rich and thick like this. Check!
• The pistachio was made with Bronte, Sicilian pistachios and the nuttiness was apparent with a buttery texture and intense flavour of freshly ground pistachio paste.
• There weren’t pieces of pistachio in it and I actually like when pistachio gelatos have that, but this was still excellent.

Lemon Sorbetto – 4/6

• This was the palate cleanser.
• It was bright with a lemony tang, refreshing and not too sweet.
• It was a bit icy and I prefer it creamier, but it was made with fresh lemons, which I think were American (Myer) lemons. The tang was a bit sharper than Italian ones.
• I actually liked the Sorento Lemon Sorbetto better at Bella Gelateria in Vancouver.

**Hazelnut Gelato – 5/6

• The hazelnuts are from the Piedmont area of Italy and the flavour was just as rich and flavourful as the pistachio. I personally just prefer pistachio.
• It was creamy, rich, and thick, and again not like a scoop, which was great.
• Just like the pistachio I wouldn’t have minded actual pieces of hazelnuts, but this was still very enjoyable.