Discover the Soul of Sicily at the Glowbal Restaurant Group’s Italian Kitchen
SOLE, MARE E SICILIA!
Chef Matteo and his team will take you on a culinary journey through the island’s bold and sun-drenched flavours. The menu celebrates Sicilian tradition with dishes like Nodi Marini alla Norma, a comforting pasta layered with eggplant, tomato, and ricotta salata; Clam Mezze Maniche alla Diavola, featuring manila clams and nduja for a spicy kick; and Pesce Spada alla Griglia, a swordfish steak finished with bright Mediterranean accompaniments. For a show-stopping highlight, the Spaghettoni Aragosta Oreganata pairs fresh Atlantic lobster with lemon, garlic, and a rich lobster bisque. Each dish is thoughtfully complemented with regional Italian wines, creating an authentic taste of Sicily, one plate at a time.
Discover the soul of Sicily, one bite at a time. As part of this regional journey through Italy, enjoy exquisite dishes thoughtfully crafted by the culinary team to showcase the vibrant flavours of Sicily.
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to sample every dish on this exquisite Sicilian menu at the Italian Kitchen. The experience was nothing short of incredible. These entrees are a must for your next visit to the Italian Kitchen at 860 Burrard Street.
I have been a big fan since the Italian Kitchen was still on Alberni Street. Now is an even larger location with a year round, covered patio, the exclusive La Serra Room for smaller groups, La Luce Room for a few more guests and a spacious main dining room.
We were really looking forward to trying the soul of Sicily features on the special menu. Little did we expect to work our way from the top of the menu all the way to the bottom. An experience I highly recommend, just bring friends. This is not a tasting menu this is a list of well thought, expertly executed dishes that represent the best of Sicily.
What we enjoyed, in the order Chef Matteo presented each dish:
The first dish was a taster compliments of Chef Matteo.
SEARED SCALLOP with a ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM
Two of my favourites things together in harmony. Just enough for a taste. The scallop was perfection seared and cooked just right. I love zucchini blossoms and this is the best season to enjoy them.
HOUSE BAKED FOCACCIO BREAD
So good. This is a must have accompaniment to every Italian dish. Served alongside a quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
We followed with the top of the menu:
NODI MARINI ALLA NORMA 27.
sautéed eggplant, rich tomato sauce, peperoncino fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, shaved ricotta salata
This dish will make an eggplant lover out of the biggest skeptic (my guest) it was creamy and just the right level of richness. The sautéed eggplant was in season and was such a tasty dish. Finished with olive oil and shaved ricotta salata and freshly ground pepper. An excellent sized portion for someone with a hearty appetite or two with lighter appetites. Like nonna would serve.
SPAGHETTONI ARAGOSTA OREGANATA 42.
½ lb fresh atlantic lobster, garlic, lemon zest, savoury herbed crumbs, lobster bisque
For this delightful dish Chef modified the pasta portion knowing we had two more dishes to come. This dish was delicious, the pasta perfectly al dente and the sauce was a match made in heaven. The lobster is chopped, breaded with just a touch of heat making it a very pleasing dish. Served themador style in the shell. With the regular portion size this dish is a share plate for two or more.
CLAM MEZZE MANICHE ALLA DIAVOLA 35.
half rigatoni, manila clams, nduja sausage, white wine, pomodorini, herbed bread crumbs
Spicy deliciousness, you will love this dish. Take heart spice lovers this dish has your name on it. The Nduja sausage and sauce takes this dish to the next level. Local clams bring the dish to life. Outstanding with authentic imported Italian sausage as the star in this dish.
PESCE SPADA ALLA GRIGLIA 45.
grilled swordfish steak, roasted heirloom tomatoes, salsa verde, toasted pinenuts, salsa puttanesca
Again Chef considerately reduced the portions on this dish. The swordfish portions totalled about 1.5 ounzes for both vs the regular portion which is a generous 5 oz. Remember these were four main dishes and we were tasting each one so adapting them to a smaller portion was appreciated and did not take away from the dishes in any way.
Have to admit neither of us had ever had swordfish. I was surprised to discover the fish is quite moist, dense and flavourful. Accompanied by roasted, smoky tomatoes, pea shoots and capers adding interest to the swordfish dish which was a medley of fresh flavours.
HOUSE MADE CANNOLI
one half of the cannoli was filled with Pistachio cream, the other half with Ricotta and orange
A crispy shell filled with a creamy mixture of flavours. The cream was rich but not too sweet. It was an interesting and tasty combination. Cannoli originaed in Sicily also known as the Land of the Sun,
There you have it, an authenticly inspired Sicilian menu from Chef Matteo. My recommendation, besides highly recommending you reserve in advance, take a few friends and try one of everything. You will not be disappointed. Or mark your calendar for a weekly date night to try every one of these superb dishes. Just don’t wait too long.
The Italian Kitchen also has an excellent wine list and we were happy to let the beverage team make a couple of selections for us.
TORRE ZAMBRA Pecorino
Opening with fragrant orange blossom and a hint of pineapple with tropical notes. On the palate a hit of minerality, freshness along with grapefuit and pith. Although I wouldn’t call it crisp it is refreshing with a close to medium body. Eccellent acidity with a lingering finish. Loving the citrus notes.
ETNA Planeta
First the subtle old world aromas. Quite light in colour but clean with a hint of citrus. The barnyard begins to develop over time. A gentle yet provocative wine, perhaps because it is still quite young it is delicate. I continue to ejoy the light scents as they start to open.
Interesting mix of rich ripeness and lively spice, very nice lingering acidity. The spice continues to develop and take centre stage but not totally masking the tannins which give this wine its fire. A very nice wine that will age into an excellent food friendly pairing.
MATTEO FONTANA
Executive Chef
Matteo Fontana comes by his classical skills and passion for traditional Italian recipes and regional cooking styles quite honestly. His roots run all the way back to the Veneto area of Italy, where the seeds of his culinary career were planted when he was just a youngster lending a hand in his mamma and nonna’s kitchens.
He sharpened those skills while working his way up the back-of-house ranks in restaurants in the Veneto, Trentino Alto Aldige and Emilia-Romagna regions of his home country before emigrating to Vancouver 15 years ago and becoming a friendly face and fixture at Italian Kitchen. Over the last decade he has climbed the ladder from line cook to Sous Chef and chef de cuisine before taking over the helm of Executive Chef.
“I love how cooking brings people together around the table and that it’s a never-ending learning process,” he says. “One of the most amazing things about Vancouver is how lucky we are to have such easy access to fresh, local and seasonal ingredients provided by our local farmers, foragers and fishermen,” he says. “I also love the fact that I have the latitude to be inventive and add some Pacific Northwest-inspired twists to dishes without clashing too much with beloved Italian traditions and approaches.”
Are you intrigued by the idea of making any of these, or other Italian pasta dishes, at home? If you said yes please, then the Imagine the Pastabilities pasta making experience is for you. It also makes a terrific gift. Details and booking link here.
Old World Charm. New World Vibe. Simple ingredients creating the ultimate in fresh and classic Italian dishes. Take The Art of Sharing to a new level with us today.
The Glowbal Restaurant Group’s Italian Kitdhen team did a fantastic job given the restaurant was full through the entire evening. We spent just short of three hours and had an incredible time and a wonderful dining experience. I highly recommend the “Discovering the Soul of Sicily through Food” menu which is available for a limited time. Reservations are highly recommended. My tasting notes (in italics). All images MyVanCity. With thanks, our dinner, with wine was complimentary to facilitate this feature. A gratuity equal to 20% of the total cost of the food and wine was left for the team.