Tavola was one of those Italian restaurants I’ve wanted to try for years.
When we used to live in the West End (like 7 years ago…) we’d take the odd stroll to the Coal Harbour side. Tucked away half a block in from Robson & Denman, we’d curiously make our way to its front doors, ‘casually’ peruse their menu, get the dreaded sticker shock. We’d do this again and again over the years, hoping we could comfortably afford it one day.
It wasn’t until our good friends took me out for my birthday dinner this year that I finally got to try it – and it was amazing!
Perfect Pastas
I’m a big fan of Carbonara, and for some reason I had mistaken Cacio e Pepe to be a close cousin of it. Carbonara is made of a few ingredients (egg, guanciale, pecorino, pepper), but Cacio e Pepe has even fewer (literally, just cheese and pepper). Without the egg it doesn’t have the silkiness I love in Carbonara. Regardless, I ordered it and was surprised by how cheesy and salty it was (c’mon Miranda, really…). My husband loved it though! And honestly, I can see why people would love it, especially when they include a layer of arugula to cut the cheesiness. So if you’re a fan, I’d say to and try the Cacio e Pepe at Tavola.
Aside from my mis-order, the two dishes that are worth returning for are the Anchovy, Chili & Lemon Spaghetti and the Campanelle.
Anchovies got such a bad rep in the 90s when Friends and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles among countless popular shows would rag on them. This Sicilian style pasta has such great flavour and texture: the anchovies are naturally salty, the lemon brings freshness, chili gives it a kick and all t o be topped off with a crunchy bread crumbs. We’ve been to Sicily before but perhaps because we went to the most touristy place you can go (can you blame us, we were on our honeymoon!), the pasta there didn’t compare to this dish.
My top choice at Tavola would hands down be the Campanelle. First of all, you don’t see this pasta a lot on Vancouver menus. Campanelle is a usually shaped like a ruffled cone, but I like that the hand-made ones here are more like a ruffled ribbon. Secondly, you can’t go wrong with a mushroom, prosciutto, and lemon flavour bomb combo. It was creamy, heavenly, and oh-so-delicioso! I’m pretty sure there was at least a hint of truffle in there too. If not, it certainly was so good I thought there was.
We also ordered the Pork Ragu Rigatoni for the kids. It did come a little spicy, but not too spicy for them. For a classic flavour, this one is perfect. There was something about the sauce that my Italian godmother would have approved.
Oh and we tried two crostini too – the Walnut Pesto one featuring gorgonzola, pear, and honey is 100% worth ordering. A friendly note: the gorgonzola is strong, so be warned!
And you know, now with the Covid tax on everything, pasta prices that used to be expensive (ie. $24-$26) is now standard fare. Portions generally look small, but they’ll surprise you how filled you get. The pastas average $24-26, so for the quality of ingredients, unique flavour profiles, and authenticity, Tavola is a gem.
(Not Too) Open Concept
Aside from the fantastic food, the atmosphere is great. I love that there’s a partly open concept kitchen, and the other half is behind closed doors. Sometimes you don’t want to see all the magic exposed. The bar is beautiful and it’s definitely family and large-party friendly.
I can’t thank our friends Shu and Steph for taking us there. It will be the first of many visits.
Worth trying? YES!
Worth returning? YES!
Prices: $$$
Dishes worth trying:
- Walnut Pesto Crostini ft gorgonzola, pear, honey $12
- Anchovies, Chillies & Lemon Spaghetti $24
- Mushrooms, Prosciutto, & Lemon Campanelle $26
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xo, Miranda
Location: 1829 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.tavolarestaurant.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olovegreek/
