Best Bowl Of Pasta

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After all the festive fare we are thinking of heading out for a simple bowl of pasta this week. Vancouver or Westside where does one find the best pasta dishes?

It seems most "Italian" restaurants do not have many pasta options on their menus.

Who is serving up the tastiest bowl of noodles?

[eatrustic]

I had a damn tasty Garganelli with braised veal cheeks at Cin Cin recently. I requested oyster mushrooms instead of Shitakes and it really was one of the best pastas I've had in a long time (in Vancouver). Along with a nice glass of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo it made the perfect lunch on a chilly, drizzly Vancouver day.

Mind you for $18.00 (pasta only) at lunch time it better be stellar.

I'm sure that Pino is putting out some tasty pastas at Cioppinos as well.

[Ling]

It's been a few years since I've had the veal cheeks and garganelli at CinCin's, but I do remember it to be very tasty! So I second the recommendation. I had some really good lobster agnoletti at Villa del Lupo the other day--it was an appetizer, though. But if the dish is an indication of the quality of pastas to be had there, I would heartily recommend Villa del Lupo as well!

[teamboom]

I do enjoy Armacord in Yaletown. I went there for lunch with my aunt, my sister, and my boyfriend. I had a panini sandwich (which was delicious) and my boyfriend had a pasta of some sort (sorry this is so vague). We don't remember exactly what we had, but regardless - IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!

I am always meaning to go back, but I'm broke. haha.

[kurtisk]

I'm quite drawn to this thread as I love pasta, yet rarely order it when I'm out. However, whenever I'm at Cin Cin I never miss the above-mentioned Veal Cheek Garg as it's so damn good. In fact, I believe it's the only thing of Romy's left on the menu.

I love a Carbonera as well. Any leads?

k

[11son]

Here's my obligatory plug for Arriva on commercial.

I've had pretty much all the pastas there and they're all super (my personal favourite is the penne arrabiatta). They use high quality pastas, either made on site, or sourced from the neighbourhood. They'll match any pasta with any sauce, and they'll even throw together whatever custom ingredient combo you like.

Oh! AND, they have a superlative carbonera.

Edited to add carbonera reference. Re-edited to correct the spelling of the word "edited"

Edited December 29, 2005 by 11son (log)

[ozver]

Andreas is doing a Carbonarra(sp?) at CinCin now. It is a true version using egg, and the pork is boar bacon that tastes amazing.

[makanmakan]

we had a superb ravioli at the lumiere tasting bar last night. filled with mascarpone and butternut squash with a truffle butter sauce.

i know this isn't a simple bowl of pasta, but i just couldn't resist. it was simply incredible.

i do, although, second the arriva vote. gotta love the carb loading!

[j_edge]

Ive heard about a pasta place on hastings...its supposed to be cheap (the dutch in me) but the pasta is supposed to be bang on and huge portions....can someone let me know what it's called? I seem to have forgotten. Thanks

[teamboom]

Ive heard about a pasta place on hastings...its supposed to be cheap (the dutch in me) but the pasta is supposed to be bang on and huge portions....can someone let me know what it's called?  I seem to have forgotten.  Thanks

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Anton's??

If it is that place, personally I wouldn't reccomend it.

The portions are huge, but it's all noodle and no sauce!! You can't eat it because it's so dry and you'll end up choking on your linguine.

[Daddy-A]

Ive heard about a pasta place on hastings...its supposed to be cheap (the dutch in me) but the pasta is supposed to be bang on and huge portions....can someone let me know what it's called?  I seem to have forgotten.  Thanks

←

Anton's??

If it is that place, personally I wouldn't reccomend it.

The portions are huge, but it's all noodle and no sauce!! You can't eat it because it's so dry and you'll end up choking on your linguine.

←

Dear God, let's not lump Anton's in with anything that implies BEST quality. Anton's is simply QUANTITY ... which is good if you're a starving student and want one dish to feed you for 2 or 3 meals, but not so good if you're looking for something with TASTE.

If I had to pick something in QUANTITY genre, Anducci's would get the nod. But only if I was to drunk to cook my own pasta. Home made is always best

A.

[teamboom]

Dear God, let's not lump Anton's in with anything that implies BEST quality.  Anton's is simply QUANTITY ... which is good if you're a starving student and want one dish to feed you for 2 or 3 meals, but not so good if you're looking for something with TASTE.

If I had to pick something in QUANTITY genre, Anducci's would get the nod.  But only if I was to drunk to cook my own pasta.  Home made is always best

A.

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Plus, making your own pasta and sauce is actually SUPER cheap!! (I should know, I am one of the said starving students).

canned tomatoes, veggies, meat of your choice, some spices = huge pot that will last you one week.

I agree with you, that home made is always best. I always find myself hesitating to go out for pasta, just because for 1/3 of the price I can make twice the amount.

[Andrew Morrison]

One of my favourite staff meals at work is the ravioli stuffed with lobster, shrimp, dungeness crab, and marscapone finished with a sundried tomato cream and basil oil.

Have a look at Adesso Bistro's gorgeous (and brand-spankin' new) website for more pasta porn. Travis knows his noodles.

I'm also a big fan of the "express" lunch gnocchi with smoked chicken, basil, sweet peas, parm, and garlic cream at Glowbal. A steal at $12.

[Dumpling Girl]

Ive heard about a pasta place on hastings...its supposed to be cheap (the dutch in me) but the pasta is supposed to be bang on and huge portions....can someone let me know what it's called?  I seem to have forgotten.  Thanks

←

Anton's??

If it is that place, personally I wouldn't reccomend it.

The portions are huge, but it's all noodle and no sauce!! You can't eat it because it's so dry and you'll end up choking on your linguine.

←

Dear God, let's not lump Anton's in with anything that implies BEST quality. Anton's is simply QUANTITY ... which is good if you're a starving student and want one dish to feed you for 2 or 3 meals, but not so good if you're looking for something with TASTE.

If I had to pick something in QUANTITY genre, Anducci's would get the nod. But only if I was to drunk to cook my own pasta. Home made is always best

A.

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If you want to have it at home, and don't happen to have your own pasta roller machine at home, I'd recommend Raviolino's Pasta on W. 4th. for buying some fresh pasta to boil yourself, or even better yet, they'll do it all for you there. It's really more of a take out shop, but they have a couple of tables in there.

For a nice place to sit and eat, I'll second the Amarcord recommendation too. The gnocchi are really wonderful there. As is their lobster pasta signature dish. But my new fav (new to me, very old to the city) is the restaurant at the Italian Cultural Centre: La Piazza Dario. Mmmm, makes me happy just thinking about pasta (and makes me want to slap some sense into the next person I meet that is doing low-carb).

[PaoPao]

Diner usually has a few pasta dishes available for lunch and dinner. One is a Penne with Sweet Sausage, and the other is a Carbonera. As an appetizer they also have daily fresh Ravioli's which are amazing good.

[fud]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Zefferelli's . For a simple bowl of pasta I really like them!

[kissmekate]

THe Gnocci at Amarcord is to die for as is the Strozzapret bolognese La Terrazza!

[Andrew Morrison]

Ultimate kids meal: the other night I was serving a family and the Mom asked if the chef could make a little pasta or something for their 9 year old kid. I suggested we do a very basic 1/2 order of something easy and kid-friendly, but she balked at talk of a pomodoro or an alfredo. They were having a nice dinner, she said, and the kid's horizons were blinkered enough. She wanted something interesting for him, but not too complicated so as to put him off.

Chef's solution? Butternut squash gnocchi with maple cream, balsamic, and asiago.

Intriqued, I had a bowl for my staff meal. Wondrously weird. Too bad it's not on the menu... .

My point? If you can pass yourself off as pre-pubescent, you can get whatever you want. Most chefs do signature pasta dishes that aren't on the menu but are simple to execute. The trouble is, they're offered only as kiddie placation devices. Pity.

[sanrensho]

Ultimate kids meal: the other night I was serving a family and the Mom asked if the chef could make a little pasta or something for their 9 year old kid. I suggested we do a very basic 1/2 order of something easy and kid-friendly, but she balked at talk of a pomodoro or an alfredo.

**Pointless rant edited out after Lorna kindly pointed out my misreading of the above post.**

Edited January 4, 2006 by sanrensho (log)

[Ling]

^I'm under the impression that the mother wanted something more adventurous than tomato sauce or alfredo for the little one.