The other restaurant that I visited during the Taste of Yaletown media event was La Pentola at the Opus Hotel. La Pentola also offers a 4-course menu for $45.
Food
It’s a big menu, with two salad options for first course:
Beets, Frisee, Pickled Onion, Hazelnuts, Whipped Ricotta
Duck and Radicchio, Frisee, Grapes, Pecans, Balsamic, Parmesan
Both salads were tasty. Frankly I was so focused on the hot dishes I only had a small bite of each salad. They looked good, with just the right amount of dressing. I probably would’ve chosen the beet salad because I like beets, but the duck salad sounded more interesting.
Second course is pasta. The Linguine Vongole was quite good. Pasta was al dente, clams tasted fresh. I would’ve liked a bit more sauce to get a better taste of the ocean but I enjoyed it overall.
Tagliatelle Bolognese is definitely a richer pasta option for meat eaters. The pasta was well cooked, lots of meat in the sauce. A hearty, satisfying plate.
We didn’t get to try the vegetarian pasta, which is a Rigatoni with an Arugula Pesto. It sounded quite good.
Third course, meat course. The Grilled Hanger Steak was tender, the sauce was rich and luscious. The cauliflower and wild mushrooms soaked up the sauce and they were delicious.
But the Ling Cod was to die for! Fish was flaky, with crispy skin. The prawn brodo was almost like a bisque, sitting on the bottom. Had a bite of a little bit of everything and it’s like comfort food but dressed up and fancy. My favourite dish for sure.
For vegetarians, there is the Roasted Squash and Chestnut Risotto.
Last but not least, desserts! I’m a sucker for anything lemony so the Lemon Cream and Biscotti just won my heart. It was citrusy, smooth and silky. I could’ve finished it all by myself, if I didn’t have to share with fellow media folks.
The Flourless Chocolate Almond Tort made a sweet ending for chocolate lovers. It’s nutty, crunchy, yet decadent. Menu said it’s paired with brown butter ice cream but I couldn’t really taste any brown butter flavour. It’s a good accompaniment nonetheless.
Final Thoughts
If what I ate was an indication of the food quality at La Pentola, this was a solid $45 menu. Lots to choose from the menu, good portion, and good flavours. Any salad + Linguine Vongole + Ling Cod + Lemon Cream would be my recommended combination.
La Pentola
350 Davie Street, Vancouver
604-642-0557
lapentola.ca
Disclosure: The meal was provided to me complimentary of the restaurant. However, the views and opinions expressed in this post are purely my own.
VanFoodies.com 