{"id":20618,"date":"2020-10-16T16:45:42","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T23:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickydiners.com\/www\/?p=20618"},"modified":"2020-10-16T16:48:44","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T23:48:44","slug":"newly-opened-pastificio-di-luigi-pop-up-at-giovane-cafe-serves-authentic-italian-fare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickydiners.com\/www\/newly-opened-pastificio-di-luigi-pop-up-at-giovane-cafe-serves-authentic-italian-fare\/","title":{"rendered":"Newly opened Pastificio di Luigi pop-up at Giovane Cafe serves authentic Italian fare"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kitchen Table<\/a>\u00a0has a new member,\u00a0Pastificio di Luigi\u00a0<\/strong>joining the restaurant family that has won numerous awards including names like\u00a0Ask For\u00a0Luigi<\/strong>,\u00a0Di Beppe<\/strong>, and\u00a0Pizzeria Farina<\/strong>. Before it is officially taking the former location of Pourhouse<\/strong>, the new Italian restaurant has found a temporary home at Giovane Cafe<\/a> of Hotel Fairmont Pacific Rim.<\/p>\n

I was invited and paired with my dear foodie buddie Maggi (@magmei)<\/a> to try their signature house-made pasta and other popular Italian dishes.<\/p>\n

We started with some great Italian dinner wines. My Trebbiano<\/strong> was on the dry side as a white wine but refreshing while Maggi’s Montepulciano<\/strong> was a perfect complement knowing we were digging into dishes with delicious tomato sauce.<\/p>\n

For antipasti, the\u00a0Suppli al Telefono<\/strong>\u00a0($12) is such a fun dish.\u00a0 \u00a0Breaking a giant crispy ball and adding a crunch and oozing cheese to a ball of spaghetti is just brilliant. The Polpette Fritte<\/strong>\u00a0($14) features 5 deep-fried meatballs that are well-seasoned and with such a satisfying meaty texture.<\/p>\n

Time for Insalata, some Italian salad.\u00a0 I love the touch of peach in the Radicchio & Romaine<\/strong>\u00a0($18)as the sweetness and aroma is the key to the perfect balance of the taste. The octopus in the Insalata di pasta e pulpo<\/strong>\u00a0($21) was perfectly cooked, tender but still with a bit of a crunch.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"from<\/a>
from top left: antipasti & insalata, suppli al telfono, polpette fritte, trebbiano & montepulciano, radicchio & romaine, insalata di pasta e pulpo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now come the famous house-made pasta dishes!<\/p>\n

The special of the day was feauring the Tortellini with Chantrelle <\/strong>\uff08$23), the in-season mushroom gold, and finished with a luscious butter sauce. From the regular menu, the Radiatore all norma<\/strong>\u00a0($19) is inspired by Sicillian cuisine with the signature use of eggplants and a tomato-based pomodoro sauce.\u00a0 The radiator-shape pasta is perfect for trap the flavourful sauce with.\u00a0 The other classic is the Ravioli Ricotta & Pea<\/strong> ($23). Savoury cheese, sweet fresh peas, and delicate house-made pasta, are a great combination for a beautiful comfort dish.<\/p>\n

We are excited to try desserts made with pasta. This is a first for me! The Ravioli al cioccolato<\/strong> ($11) is much lighter than I have expected, the chocolate flavour is pronounced and the apricot marmalade makes a great condiment. The Espresso with Pistachio Crema<\/strong> is visually stunning with 3 layers of\u00a0 different colours, reminding me of the Italian national flag. And we decide to go all the way for the full Italian dinner experience, and finish the meal with a shot of Grappa<\/strong> right after coffee.<\/p>\n

\"from<\/a>
from top left, clockwise: ravioli ricotta & pea, radiatore alla norma, tortellini chanterelle, espresso & pistachio crema, grappa, ravioli al cioccolato<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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$$\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

rating: 4\/5<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pastificio<\/strong> di Luigi\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Giovane Cafe at Hotel Fairmont Pacific Rim
\n1049 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6C 0B9
\n(604) 687-9887 or\u00a0pastificiodiluigi.com<\/a><\/p>\n