Homemade Pesto

Ladies and gents, I have officially made homemade pesto for the first time!   I know, I know...probably a little behind the times, but better late than never.  I used Jamie Oliver's pesto recipe from Jamie's Italy as a guideline and it was scrumptious!  I've included my version of it below:

Ingredients

• 1 handful of pine nuts (approximately 1/2 of a cup)
• Basil leaves off a large basil plant
• Olive oil

Place your pine nuts on a tray and pop them in the toaster oven (or oven) and broil at approximately 400F for a minute.  The pine nuts should be warm but not toasted.  Place the pine nuts in your food processor and pulse until relatively smooth.  Add the basil leaves and pulse until well mixed and smooth.  Remove to a bowl and add in olive until the pesto is the desired consistency.  Mix with cooked pasta and enjoy!

My first ever batch of pesto!

Dinner!  Spaghetti with pesto sauce, salmon with Mediterranean salsa and grilled peppers. 

http://www.jamieoliver.com/books-and-media/

@jamieoliver

Sciué

I recently met up with some of my favourite lunching ladies and we decided to be wild and spontaneous and switch up our eating location!  Where did we end up?  Sciué.  I forgot how enjoyable lunch there is.  You're out of the hustle and bustle of the regular lunch rush, the food is yummy and fresh, and the patio on Melville is lovely.  Definitely a nice way to mix it up.  Now, on to the food!

The selection of fresh paninis and desserts (sold by sandwiches or treat).

Pizza galore!  Sold by weight.

My Taormina Paninoteca: prosciutto crudo, bocconcini, avocado, roma tomatoes, organic greens and pesto on a fresh pane Romano bun.  ($8)  This was a very yummy sandwich and fresh as can be.  But it wasn't quite enough to fill me up for lunch, so I'd recommend getting a salad as well, if you're really hungry. 

My Large Italian Salad: fresh roma tomatoes, cucumber and red onions, tossed in a balsamic vinegar reduction with extra virgin olive oil and served with bread from the bakery.  ($5.75)  Note: the small salad and large salad are the same size.  The difference is that the large salad you get chunks of tomatoes whereas in the small salad you get fewer slices of tomato. 

http://www.sciue.ca/

Twitter: @sciuevancouver

Pizza at the Fit Family's

I was recently treated to a very yummy and very filling completely homemade pizza by one of the fittest and kindest Moms I know.  She even made the crust!  I was extremely impressed, so couldn't resist including the recipe.  However, I may have been a little sidetracked by her cutie patootie son and forgot to ask for some of the details...so here's my best shot at how to recreate it.  If I missed anything, feel free to comment and correct me Fit Momma!

Ingredients

• tomatoes
• onion
• jalapeno
• orange pepper
• salami/pepperoni
• artichokes
• cheese

I forgot to ask for the pizza dough recipe, so I've included a link to one that I found on allrecipes.com below.  According to Fit Daddy (a.k.a. Fit Momma's husband...the man who can do anything), you should always use beer where it asks for water in order to make a kick-butt dough.  Fit Momma rolled the dough out and then placed it on a cookie sheet.  I liked the way she did this.  The number of times I've heard of people struggle with pizza stones and getting it circular...this tasted just as good and was very simple.  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pizza-dough-iii/

For the sauce, chop up tomatoes, onions and a jalapeno.  Sauté until the mixture reaches sauce consistency and then set aside.

Slice orange peppers, onions, fresh tomatoes and artichokes, and shred cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, whatever your heart desires).  Ladle the sauce onto the pizza then top with vegetables and meat, then sprinkle with cheese.  Bake around 400F (I think) for about 15 minutes until the dough is cooked and crisp and the cheese is melted.  Eat and enjoy!  Great served with a salad.

Thanks for the lovely dinner and play date fit family!

Via Tevere Pizzeria Napoletana Food Truck!

When I was perusing the Vancouver Street Food App a couple weeks ago and saw Via Tevere Express, I almost lost my marbles.  I quickly did some googling and discovered that the oh so fabulous Via Tevere pizzeria from the Commercial area had most definitely opened up a food truck!  I'm not going to lie, I may have done a little happy dance at my desk.

 

The truck serves Saltimbocca sandwiches which is like a pizza in sandwich form if you ask me.  Imagine bread that tastes like pizza dough, baked in a wood fire oven (yes folks, this food truck most definitely has a built in wood fire oven!) then stuffed with fresh, simple ingredients.  Mouth watering goodness!  I literally was transported back to the sandwich that I had when visiting Pompeii.  Add to that, that the portion was filling and the price was reasonable...I was very impressed.  I'd definitely recommend making your way to this food truck sometime soon!

 

Things to note: (1) The Via Tevere Food Truck is located on the West side of Burrard between Pender and Hastings, Monday through Friday.  (2) I believe it is cash only, but don't quote me on that.



 

My Prosciutto/Arugula Saltimbocca: prosciutto crudo, fior di latte, arugula, tomato, basil mayo.  AMAZING!  ($8.50)

Oh...you're going to make my taste buds oh so happy!!!

 

Where the magic happens.

What exactly is a Saltimbocca?  Now you know.

The menu.

The truck!

 

http://viateverepizzeria.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ViaTeverePizzeria

Twitter: @ViaTeverePizza



Cotto Enoteca

I couldn't believe my luck this past month.  The other founder of The Food Club had popped me an email saying that she thought we should go to Cotto Enoteca for our next outing and literally the next week I spotted a Social Shopper voucher for Cotto.  What are the odds?

Needless to say, we bought the Social Shopper voucher, went to Cotto and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  The food was fresh, unique and yummy, the atmosphere was a neat mix of comfy-cozy and modern, and the service was good, friendly and real.  That combined with great company and a lot of laughter, it was a great evening!

Things to note: (1) There is plenty of parking right around the restaurant.  (2) Cotto has quite a long bar and TVs, so it's a good place to go for dinner or to watch the game.  (3) They have quite a few long-tables and sections that could accommodate large groups.  (4) They have the greatest Mona Lisa bead curtain I've ever seen!  It's worth the trip to the bathroom just to see it.  (5) They have an amazing patio that looks like it will be completely open air in the summer time and (6) They take reservations.

I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking!

Beet Salad: red & yellow beets, arugula, honey citrus vinaigrette, citrus, fennel, goat
cheese, pine nuts.  I loved this salad!  I wasn't expecting the beets to be sliced thinly but it made the flavours really pop and made the salad a lot more delicate.  I especially loved how citrusy the salad was and the contrast of the pine nuts.  Delicious!  ($10)

  

Tagliatelle Frutti di Mer: prawns, mussels, clams, salmon, halibut, capers, parsley, roasted garlic, lemon zest, white wine, cream.  Very nice dish with an impressive amount of seafood.  ($26)

Chicken Parmesan: breaded chicken roulade, stuffed with fior di latte and herbs, pasta aglio oilo, tomato sauce.  My mouth starts watering just thinking about this dish.  Chicken Parm is one of my favourite Italian meals and this was scrumptious!  Even the pasta that came with it was heavenly.  ($25)

One of the views from our table.

The X that marks the spot.

 

http://cotto.ca/

Twitter: @CottoEnoteca

Campagnolo

I had been wanting to try Campagnolo for years.  Each and every time I tried to go there, I spent too much time trying to figure out what shoes to wear and, by the time I picked a pair and got my butt to the restaurant, the wait was hours long.  So, when my food club buddy (yes, I said food club...so much better than a book club!) and I decided it was time to try Campagnolo, we made sure to get there before 7 to ensure we got a table....and it worked!

So, was it worth the wait?  Definitely.  The food was yummy...very unique dishes made with fresh, home-made ingredients, for reasonable prices...the service was great, and the ambience was spectacular!  I now understand why the wait is normally so long.  So, if you're in the mood for Italian and don't want to break the bank, Campagnolo is definitely a good bet.

Things to note: (1) Campagnolo does not take reservations for groups smaller than 8 people.  (2) The restaurant didn't seem to get really busy until about 7:30pm.  However, it was a sunny day, so I would guess it would probably start to get busy by 7pm on a rainy day.  (2) There is free parking right in front of the restaurant.  (3) Campagnolo has a sister restaurant called Campagnolo Roma (http://www.campagnoloroma.com/) located at Hastings and Nanaimo, which I'm looking forward to trying next!

Crispy Ceci: chickpeas, chilies, mint and citrus.  ($8.50)  We would have never considered ordering this, but our server suggested it and we were glad she did.  Very yummy in our tummies!  Definitely keep this item on your short list as you narrow down the menu items.

Local Octopus: fregula salad, red endive, grilled coppa (pork sausage), grapefruit.  ($13)  If you're anything like me, you'll be blown away to know that we have local octopus.  Who knew?  Needless to say, I had to try it just for that reason.  This dish was delightful!  The fregula was definitely a big hit for me.  It's a small pasta ball, similar to cous cous.  

Rigatoni: chorizo ragu, spot prawns, 'sole food' arugula.  ($18)  Who can resist spot prawns when it's spot prawn season?  This was really nice.  The pasta was super fresh, the sauce was nice and light, the spot prawns had a lovely flavour and texture, the greens were oh so fresh, and the cheese (we think fresh ricotta)...well cheese is always the icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned!

Flank Steak: semolina gnocchi, ramps, roasted radishes.  ($21)  This was very nice.  The gnocchi literally melted in your mouth...it was like they were only solid until they hit your mouth...the flank steak was cooked very nicely and the radishes were awesome!  I've never had roasted radishes before, but I think I'm going to have to figure out how to cook them at home.

 

The X that marks the spot.

http://www.campagnolorestaurant.ca/

Twitter: @Campagnolomain

Chicken Saltimboca and Summertime Pasta

I've been spending so much time with Jamie recently that my Whitewater Cooks cookbooks were starting to get a wee bit jealous.  So, I decided to make it up to Whitewater by making two recipes from Whitewater Cooks at Home the other day.  As always, the recipes were simple and delicious!  I highly recommend the Summertime Pasta recipe...it was out of control!!  I've included my versions of the recipes below, for your viewing pleasure.  For those of you that have this cookbook, you can find the recipes on pages 102 and 122.

Chicken Saltimboca

• 2 chicken breasts
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 large sage leaves
• 4 prosciutto slices
• Olive oil
• 1/2 lemon

Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Pour enough olive oil into a pan to just cover the bottom and heat.  Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Then place the two sage leaves on top of the chicken breasts and wrap the chicken in the proscuitto slices.  Whitewater suggests 1 slice of prosciutto per chicken but I found it difficult to wrap with just one.  I found the easiest way was to go bottom to top with one slice and top to bottom with the other slice and then skewer a toothpick in on either side.

Add the chicken breasts to the pan and sauté until the prosciutto is browned on either side.  Then pop the entire skillet into the over for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.  Whitewater then suggests taking the pan out and adding enough red wine to the pan to take all the little brown bits off the bottom, then adding the juice of 1/2 lemon and create a bit of a sauce to pour over top of the chicken breasts.  I had added too much olive oil, so there were no brown bits and this wasn't possible.  I simply drizzled a little lemon juice over each chicken breast and I thought it still tasted nice and was more simple.  Serves 2-3.

This was a nice change from my regular chicken cooking method.  I really liked the sage and prosciutto flavours together.

Summertime Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Fresh Parmesan

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 good-sized garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bunch/basket of cherry tomatoes, cut in half so you can see the seeds (or 2-3 large tomatoes cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1/2-1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil and garlic, together in a large bowl.  Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic.  Stir for about 10 seconds and then add this mixture to the bowl.  Stir, cover and set aside.  This can be done ahead of time in the morning, or right before hand.  The longer you let it sit, the more the flavours meld.  I did mine as I was cooking dinner and I still found the flavours were unbelievable!

Cook enough pasta for 3-4 people.  Add to the bowl, mix and serve.  Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese over top if so desired.  I actually found that I preferred it without the cheese...and I never thought those words would come out of my mouth.

This dish is absolutely amazing!!!  Plus, it was so easy.  This is definitely going to become a staple for me. 

Thanks for another delicious meal Whitewater!

The prosciutto-wrapped chicken sautéing away.

Oh how I love you Summertime Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Fresh Parmesan! 

Dinner!!  I wilted the kale in the same pan that I heated the olive oil and garlic, and added a squeeze of lemon juice.  Delicious!

 

http://www.whitewatercooks.com/

A taste of Italy at home...

Have you ever had one of those recipes that you absolutely love, but have altered so much from the first time you tried it that you're not even sure if it even resembles the original recipe anymore?  That's Spaghetti alla Puttanesca from the January 2008 edition of Bon Appétit for me.  So, this past weekend when I started getting things together to make it, I decided to try it verbatim again, to see if my taste buds had changed at all.  This is one of my all time favourite sauces to make...you'd be crazy not to try some version of it!

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 796mL can of peeled tomatoes in puree with basil (I couldn't find a can with basil, so I chopped up a fresh bunch of basil and added that instead)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved and pitted (I bought the pre-sliced type...slacker, I know)
• 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp drained capers
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
• 3/4 pound spaghetti
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute (I found this was less than 30 seconds.  I find if you leave it for a full minute your garlic is on the verge of burning).  Add remaining ingredients, excluding pasta, parsley and cheese.  Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon for about 8 minutes (I left this close to 20 minutes as I was getting the rest of dinner ready).  Season with salt and pepper (I didn't add any...didn't think it needed it).

 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until it's tender but still firm to bite.  Drain the pasta and return it to the sauce pan.  Add the parsley and toss the pasta until it's coated with the puttanesca sauce.  Let meld for a couple of minutes and then serve with cheese.  Serves 4.

 

My conclusion?  This is an absolutely lovely recipe that is good no matter how you make it.  However, I do plan on reverting to my version of the recipe in the future...changes included below:

1. Instead of using a can of tomatoes, I like to use fresh tomatoes when they're ripe and in season.  I'd normally use 5-6 roma tomatoes, diced small.  It increases the simmering time, but tastes oh so fresh.
2. I generally don't add the anchovy fillets.  It helps cut down the cost of the sauce, plus I prefer the saltyness of the olives and capers on their own moreso than with the anchovy fillets.
3. I normally only add a pinch of crushed red pepper rather than a half a teaspoon.  The half a teaspoon isn't too much heat, but I find it overpowers the flavours of the rest of the ingredients.  So, I prefer to add just a bit so there's a kick but you enjoy the other flavours more.
4. I tend to add less pasta because I like there to be a little extra sauce to spoon on top of the pasta when you put it on your plate.
5. I generally don't add cheese to this pasta dish.  I have a hard time believing this myself, because I normally like to slather my pasta in parmesan cheese, but I definitely like this sauce naked!

Enjoy! 



 

Now that's one heck of a puttanesca sauce, if I do say so myself!

Dinner...Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, halibut grilled and seasoned with sea salt, and grilled peppers and asparagus.  After this photo, I tried adding some of the puttanesca sauce to the halibut...delicious!  Would have worked very nice with sole or tilapia as well.

Tilapia with Fresh Salsa and Tomato Spinach Orzo

If you're racking your brain trying to figure out what to make for dinner this week, I highly recommend this recipe.  I tried it over the weekend and loved it!  The orzo was out of control...jam-packed full of flavour and freshness, and the salsa gave the tilapia that extra something which was really nice.

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/tilapia_with_olive_salsa_and_spinach_orzo.php

Things to note: (1) I find tilapia lacks a bit of flavour on its own, so I like to have a bit of salsa with every bite.  If you're in the same boat, you'll want to double the portions for the salsa.  (2) I used olive oil to cook the tilapia instead of butter.  This allowed me to use the same pan as I used to wilt the spinach.  Same yummy taste + less dishes = a much happier cook.  (3) I think the orzo recipe would taste really nice cold as well.  I'm planning on adding some cooked tofu to the leftovers and taking it for lunch this week.  (4) I got so excited about the new recipes that I forgot to plan a veggie, so I just had some raw red pepper, but I think some kale slightly wilted in lemon juice and garlic would go very nicely with the tilapia and orzo.  (5) The recipe calls for 2 tilapia fillets, halved.  However, my fillets were quite small and I ended up making one per person (approximately 110g each).  So, I'd recommend getting them weighed to double check proportions.

Enjoy!

Dinner!  Tilapa with fresh tomato and olive salsa, tomato spinach orzo, and raw red peppers. 

Dessert: fresh strawberries with 2% milk.  My favourite summer dessert!

Pasta and a long lost friend, all in one Nook...

When I was growing up, I went to kindergarten and grade one in the lower mainland and then my family moved away.  Being a typical seven year old, and having to leave all of my nearest and dearest friends behind, I was heartbroken!  Looking back on it, I realize how silly it was, but I never did forget those friends.  Fast forward fifteen years, and I ended up moving back to the lower mainland.  As I was moving into a new apartment, my friends who were helping me move bumped into their cousin and his girlfriend, who happened to have the parking spot next to me.  Over the next year I became good acquaintances with these neighbours of mine, only to get a facebook message one day from the cousin's girlfriend.  As she was looking through her boyfriend's cousin's friends on Facebook (come on, you've all done it!), she noticed my full name....we'd been best friends in Kindergarten and grade one!!!!  What are the odds of that?  Needless to say, we felt that it was a friendship sign that was not to be ignored.

Fast forward to this past weekend when we headed to Nook for a great visit, a fabulous meal of homemade scrumptious pasta, equally delicious non-homemade wine (thank goodness!), and heavenly desserts.  I had heard nothing but amazing things about Nook and I agree with each one whole-heartedly.  If you're in the mood for some true Italian and a fun comfy-cozy atmosphere, you definitely have to make your way to Nook.

Things to note: this restaurant is truly a Nook.  It completely made the atmosphere, but it is jam-packed all night long.  We got there around 5:45 and got the last table.  From that point on, there was a line of about ten people for the rest of the night.  So, moral of the story is, go early or be ready to have a glass or two of wine in line! 

My Casarecce: italian sausage, roast fennel, olives, tomatoes and chilies.  Yummy!  You can't beat fresh pasta.  My favourite part?  The large mountain of parmesan cheese that the dish came with.  You didn't even have to sit there and feel like a glutton as they looked at you with their "you don't want me to stop yet?" look.  Fabulous!  ($16) 

My long-lost friend's Gnocchi with baby meatballs.  This dish was, without a doubt, out of control!  I highly recommend trying this yummy goodness.  ($17)

My view of Nook.  I loved the way that the one wall was covered with mirrors.  Even though I was facing the wall, I still could still see and feel the atmosphere of the restaurant.  It was great!

 

My long lost friend's Panna Cotta, which she thoroughly enjoyed. 

 

If you're anything like me, you'll also noticed the very cool ring she is wearing.  I loved it!  When I asked her about it, I discovered that it is made out of a fork.  It was one of the neatest rings I'd seen in a long time.  If it intrigues you as well, you can find more of this talented lady's creations by searching Yubiwa on facebook.  They're beyond neat.

 

My Tiramisu.  This Tiramisu was unbelievable!  I can't even describe it with any justice, so you're just going to have to try it.  Unreal.

The X that marks the spot!

http://nookrestaurant.ca/nookrestaurant.ca/Home.html

 

The best dinner I've had in months...

As you all know, I love going out, trying new foods and enjoying the atmospheres of different restaurants.  However, this past weekend I feel very lucky to have been invited over to a friend's for dinner.  It re-reminded me just how gourmet and relaxing a meal at home can be.  It was a real treat and I definitely plan on re-creating all of the recipes again myself.  Thanks a bundle for the scrumptious meal!

When I arrived I was asked if I wanted a drink.  I thought the offer was for a beer or glass of wine...not a homemade margarita!!!  And let me tell you, these margaritas were dangerously good.  You couldn't even taste the alcohol...just yummy frozen lime juice.  I can picture many of these in my future this summer.  For those of you who would like to try and create this at home: 1.5 oz tequila, 1.5 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz cointreau, 1 cup ice, 1-1.5 oz simple syrup.  Blend and enjoy!

As we were enjoying our margaritas, we started making our starters: Amalfi Baked Lemons from Jamie Oliver's Italy cookbook.  They were absolutely delightful!  Every flavour that I love, all in one dish.  To replicate these, go to page 20 of Jamie's Italy if you have it, otherwise, you'll need 2 large lemons, buffalo mozzarella, 2 cherry tomatoes (halved), 4 basil leaves, freshly ground salt and pepper, 1/2 dried chili and 2 sardines.  Cut the ends off of the lemons and then cut them in half and scoop out all of the lemon pulp to create bowls.  Put a layer of buffalo mozzarella at the bottom of the lemon bowl, then place one half of a cherry tomato, one half of a sardine, a sprinkle of freshly ground salt and pepper, a few flakes of dried chili pepper and a basil leaf on top.  Cover with another layer of buffalo mozzarella and bake in the oven at 400F until golden (about 10 minutes).  Serve on toasted bread which has been rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil (subsequent to toasting).  Heaven on earth!  Supposed to serve 4, unless you have an appetite like mine.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Jamies-Italy-Jamie-Oliver/9781401301958-item.html?ikwid=jamie%27s+italy&ikwsec=Home

Our main consisted of David Lee's Baked Halibut with Tomato Salsa and Jamie Oliver's Risotto Bianco.  This was nothing short of mind-blowingly spectacular.  The halibut was perfectly cooked, the homemade tomato salsa was bursting with flavour and the risotto was divine.  As you can tell, I was a little excited to eat it and almost forgot to take a picture!  The true sign of a delicious meal.

 

The recipe for David Lee's baked halibut can be found at the link below...I highly recommend trying this recipe...and by highly, I mean you're crazy if you don't!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/recipes/david-lees-baked-halibut-with-tomato/article1056772/

The Risotto Bianco recipe can be found on page 130 of Jamie's Italy, or a very similar recipe can be found at the link below.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/rice-recipes/a-basic-risotto-recipe

As for dessert, The Udder Guy's Vanilla ice cream and raspberries.  The perfect end to a delicious meal!  Apologies for the lack of a photo.  By that time, I was too engulfed in food heaven to remember to take out my camera.

My day of eating: Victoria, Joe Fortes and Don Francesco

Today was literally a day of eating.  How I managed to fit in a full day of work as well is beyond me.

It all started off with a birthday dim sum lunch at Victoria.  It consisted of the gorgeous (inside and out) birthday girl, two of my other closest girlfriends, and one of the cutest baby girls known to mankind!  Getting to share lunch with three of the loveliest ladies I could ever be lucky enough to call friends was a real treat.  I'll let the photos do the talking with regards to the food.  Thanks for the fabulous lunch ladies!

Steamed shrimp cannelloni.  If you look very closely, you may also see the birthday girl's stunning dress.  It's a favourite of mine!

 

Pan-fried squid.

Gai lan, spring rolls and shrimp dumplings.

Chicken chow mein.

One lonely steamed pork dumpling.  Have no fear, he was reunited with the rest of his dim sum friends in the birthday girl's belly shortly after this photo was taken!

 

My photo regret?  Not taking a photo of the baby girl's outfit.  She had ruffles on her bum!



 

After work, my day got even better.  My Dad happened to be in town so I was able to spend the evening visiting with him!  We started off with a drink at Joe Fortes and discovered they have happy hour!  Who knew?  As far as I could figure out, their cocktails and appies are 50% off, and they have $1 oysters until 6pm.  We most definitely couldn't resist some appies, so I had a few scrumptious oysters and we split a prawn cocktail.  The best part?  The teeny tiny tabasco they gave me for my oysters.  Now I can carry it around in my purse and will never be without hot sauce!

 

Who doesn't love a couple of oysters every once in a while?

 When they said prawns, they meant prawns.  There was nothing shrimpy about these shellfish.

The teeny tiny tobasco!

 

Our next order of business was dinner.  My Dad was in town for business which meant I had to share him with the fellow he works with over dinner.  However, since my Dad has worked with the same fellow since I was 7, it goes without saying that I've known this fellow for quite some time and it was really nice to see him and hear how he and his family are doing.  The fellow my Dad works with is Italian and his favourite restaurant in Vancouver is Don Francesco's so we headed there.

 

I'd never been to Don Francesco's before.  It's quite a bit more fancy than the restaurants I normally frequent, so when I first walked in in my black and white polka dot rain boots I started to think maybe I should have left my work shoes on and braved the rain.  However, it didn't take me long to realize that the people who work there were spectacular and the atmosphere was more about enjoying your fabulous food and drink than caring about what you were wearing.  And when I say fabulous, I mean fabulous.  It was hands down the best italian food I've ever had in Vancouver.  Hopefully the photos will convey the yumminess.

 

To start, my Dad and I split the Caprese Salad Con Fogliolini Verdi (Small bite size pieces of fresh mozzarella bocconcini with sliced tomato, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and garnished with small seasoned mesculin greens) and the entertaining Italian man at our table had the West Coast of Mexico Crab, Lobster and Avocado Salad Ensalada De Cangrejo, Langosta Y Aguacate (Avocado, crab, lobster meat, chopped shallots, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, touch of fresh mayonnaise).  Both were amazing and full of flavour.  I would warn you that if you're looking for a traditional crunchy salad, the crab and avocado salad may not be the one for you.  It is more of a melt in your mouth salad but the flavours are amazing.  Apologies for the lack of photos, I forgot to take them.

 

My out of this world Squash Agnolotti (Dumpling style pasta filled with squash, cheese, herbs, with a sauce of fresh tomato, onion, white wine, black truffle puree).  The flavours were unbelievable.  I really don't know how to describe it other than delicious!

 

My Dad's Gnocchi Al Pomodoro e Basilico (Tomato sauce, fresh basil, herbs). He absolutely loved this dish.  I managed to wrangle a taste from him and I would have to agree that it was scrumptious.  It literally melted in your mouth.  

 

The Italian man's Rack of Lamb with mushroom risotto and fresh vegetables.  From the moment we sat down, the Italian man couldn't say enough about the mushroom risotto and really wanted us to try it.  I enjoy risotto but, to be honest, I've never found it mind-blowing.  That was until I tried this mushroom risotto.  It was perfectly mouth wateringly good.  I'd highly recommend it.

 

For dessert, my Dad and the Italian man each had Tiramisu.  I'm not a huge fan of Tiramisu because I don't like coffee.  I did try a piece of my Dad's and it tasted good for Tiramisu.  On the other hand, my Dad loves Tiramisu and he gave this Tiramisu the highest compliment I've ever heard him give: "This tiramisu is the best Tiramisu I've ever had at a restaurant.  It's almost as good as your Mom's homemade Tiramisu."  Holy toledo!

 

Despite the fact that I hadn't been able to finish my meal, I knew that this was one of those restaurants that you just had to have dessert because you'd regret it if you didn't.  So, I took one for the team and ordered the Limoncello Parfait with fresh berries.  It was light, refreshing, and scrumdidliumptious!  The two triangles were almost like a cross between lemon cheesecake and lemon ice cream pie.  The flavours were heavenly and it was just what the doctor ordered because somehow I managed to polish the entire thing off!

 

http://www.donfrancesco.ca/

 

As delicious as the food was, though, the best part of the dinner was getting to spend time with my Dad.  Thanks for the visit Dad! 

 

Things to note: After my day of marathon eating, I anticipate that my posts in the near future will be more related to recipes than to restaurants.  Stay tuned!