LITTLE ITALY, BIG FLAVOURS: SOPRA SOTTO

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LITTLE ITALY, BIG FLAVOURS: SOPRA SOTTO DEBUTS NEW
SEASONALLY INSPIRED SUMMER MENU AT COMMERCIAL DRIVE HOTSPOT

New Menu Refresh Features Handcrafted Classic & Signature Cocktails and
an Array of Antipasti and Insalati, Pasta Fresca, Wood-Fired Pizze and More

 

Summer is officially in full swing at Sopra Sotto Vancouver thanks to the debut of a new seasonally inspired food and drink menu now available in the dining room and patio at the East Vancouver hotspot located at 1510 Commercial Drive.

Open Monday to Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from noon to late and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m., Sopra Sotto first opened its doors in 2018 in the heart of Little Italy and quickly became a favourite for locals and visitors alike thanks to dishes that conjure up the flavours of the Mediterranean and are best enjoyed family style around the table.

Sopra Sotto Head Chef Agnello Lafeta Alvarenga’s new menu showcases hearty, simple ingredients picked at their prime and prepared with respect for the Slow Food Movement that was founded in Italy in the mid-’80s with the aim of preserving traditional culinary practices and local food cultures and as a counter to fast food.

Sopra Sotto’s new summer menu features an array of antipasti, insalati, pasta fresca, pizze and delectable dolci, with some of the highlights including:

ANTIPASTI / INSALATI:
  • Toscana Salad (Tuscan kale, farro, roasted tomatoes, shaved Pecorino Romano);
  • Meatballs al Sugo (beef, pork, tomato sauce, focaccia, Grana Padano);
  • Tuna Crudo (pistachio and fennel vinaigrette, cucumber, radish);
  • Calamari Fritti (deep-fried squid, roasted garlic aioli, agrodolce);
  • Burrata (figs, prosciutto, arugula, balsamic dressing, radish, basil, crostini);
  • Insalata di Burano (crab meat, heirloom tomatoes, watercress, shallots, green onions, oregano);

PASTA FRESCA:
  • Rigatoni alla Norma (tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, whipped ricotta, basil, Grana Padano);
  • Spaghetti alla Carbonara (eggs, guanciale, black pepper, Pecorino Romano);
  • Tagliatelle alla Bolognese (meat ragù, Grana Padano);
  • Spaghetti alle Vongole (steamed clams, white wine, garlic, crushed chili pepper, parsley);
  • Casarecce e Tartufo (creamy truffle sauce, assorted mushrooms, Grana Padano);
  • Gnocchi al Sunday Sugo (braised beef short rib, tomato sauce, Pecorino Romano).

PIZZE:
  • Mortadella (basil pesto, mozzarella, stracciatella, pistachio);
  • Vegetariana (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, olives);
  • Gamberi (Mozzarella, garlic shrimp, sundried tomatoes, zucchini, basil)
  • Pancetta Pesto (basil pesto, mozzarella, smoked pancetta, San Marzano tomatoes, Grana Padano);
  • Capricciosa (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, ham, artichokes, assorted mushrooms, olives);
  • Rucolo e Prosciutto (mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, cherry tomatoes, Grana Padano);
  • Amalfi (mozzarella, anchovy fillets, San Marzano tomatoes, leeks, olives, capers, garlic, Sicilian oregano);
  • Salsiccia (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, onions);

DOLCI:
  • Affogato (two shots of espresso with Dolce Amore panna cotta gelato, cantucci);
  • Tiramisu (savoiardi, espresso, Mascarpone cream, coffee liqueur, cocoa);
  • Olive Oil Lemon Cake (lemon curd, lemon olive oil, crumble, fresh berries);
  • Tortino di Cioccolato (Amaro salted caramel, pistachio, panna cotta gelato).

New signature house cocktails joining the summer menu at Sopra Sotto include the ‘Stella Estiva’ (coconut washed vodka, Galliano, Prosecco, coconut syrup, lime juice, passion fruit juice, pineapple juice), Cucumber G&T (Empress cucumber gin, cucumber juice, lemon juice, Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic), ‘Floralia’ (the Botanist gin, St-Germain elderflower, lime juice, vanilla syrup, mint), ‘Strawberry Swing’ (strawberry infused Bombay Sapphire gin, Starlino rose, gomme Campari, Martini Rosso vermouth), ‘Rosemarino’ (Fandango mezcal, rosemary-infused Siempre tequila, Momo peach sake, rosemary syrup, lime juice), and ‘Final Say’ (elderflower infused rye whiskey, Liquore Strega, St-Germain elderflower, lime juice).

Classic Italian standards like the Aperol Spritz, Espresso Martini and Negroni also get their due on the drink menu, as well as local craft and import beer, a comprehensive list of Italian wine from celebrated regions around the country and digestivi as well as zero-proof mocktails and non-alcoholic options.

Happy Hour is also on tap daily from 4 to 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. to late and showcases drink features such as Sopra Sotto lagers for $6, house wine or Prosecco for $8 and Aperol Spritzes or Negronis for $10 and a food menu featuring Mini Diavola or Capricciosa Pizza Frittas, Arancini or Insalata Verde for $10, Margherita Pizza for $16, Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe for $18 and Calamari Frittifor $20.

Sopra Sotto in East Vancouver is part of an Ionian Hospitality Group (IHG)that also owns and operates a sister Sopra Sotto spot in Burnaby at 4022 Hastings Street as well as Loula’s Taverna (1608 Commercial Drive), Burnaby’s Claudio’s Ristorante (103-4402 Skyline Drive) and Pax Romana (1670 Commercial Drive). IHG will add a new member to its family of restaurants when it opens the door of an Italian-inspired sports bar & caffè-by-day, ristorante-by-night concept called Bar Tifo on East Van’s Commercial Drive neighbourhood later this fall.

To make reservations at Sopra Sotto in Little Italy via OpenTable, click here. To stay up to date on the latest news, sign up for the newsletter at soprasotto.ca, follow @soprasotto.vancouver on Instagram or become a friend of /Soprasottavancouver on Facebook.

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