3689 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6R 1P2
T: 604 676 1007
www.laquercia.ca
Brief Description: A small, intimate neighbourhood restaurant located on the corner of Alma and West 4th, La Quercia offers exceptional Italian food and wine at reasonable prices.
B and I had been plotting our return to La Quercia for some time before friends had mentioned recently that they’d had to wait almost two months (!) for a reservation. Our trip came sooner, rather than later, when I phoned last week and received the surprising news that they could actually take us on Sunday evening…at 5pm…which was definitely earlier than I was anticipating but I snapped up the reservation as I was uncertain how long it would be before another came along.
We ordered what must be one of the best deals in the city – 7 course alla famiglia (a chef’s menu that everyone at the table shares) for $45. I’m still floored by this as it is such good value for money. I was so full by about dish 4 that I struggled to get through the rest of the dishes, but I persevered and made myself walk all the way home as a way to burn off some of the calores. The stand-out dishes for me were the pork belly and the pasta dishes, particularly the stinging nettle agnolotti.
Lattuga con salsa Bolzanese: Butter lettuce and trout
Parmesan Souffle
Pork belly, canederli, cappuccio
Stinging Nettle Agnolotti
Lamb Ragu Gnocchi
Rabbit Duo, leg of rabbit and sausage wrapped with proscuitto
Lemon cream with citrus segments
Final Thoughts: As I mentioned earlier, the chef’s menu must be the best value in the city – $45 for 7 courses or $60 for 10 courses, but you can also order à la carte. La Quercia remains cozy (it is a small space) and the service is still attentive and thorough. La Quercia really has a lot to offer so I can see why they are constantly booked up. Try to book well in advance and go hungry!
