Restaurant Porn is a regular column of daydreams presented as a means to introduce Vancouver diners and designers to concepts, looks, and fully-formed ideas that they might draw an inkling of inspiration from. We do our best to pair the foreign rooms with local addresses so as to let everyone in on the fantasy.
One of the most frustratingly first world disappointments in the life of a serial diner is coming to terms with the fact that delicious things aren’t forever. Sometimes they just disappear. Such was the recent case at Chinatown’s award-winning Kissa Tanto, which had – for a long time – offered a phenomenal lasagna on its dinner menu. Perhaps you remember it. Most lasagnas have about four or five layers to them. This had at least twice as many – a towering, otherworldly stratification of pork and winter chanterelles suspended in miso bechamel while sitting in a bright puddle of basil cream sauce; the sort of thing that would make nonnas and traditionalists blanche. Until they tasted it. And then the kitchen changed it. Why? I have no idea. One day the lasagna became something just as interesting and very tasty (layered with buckwheat noodles and sausage), but it just wasn’t the same. I wanted the original back, murmuring my stupidly spoiled protestations to the empty plate I left behind. Fast forward a few months later and there is now no lasagna on the menu at Kissa Tanto at all — a tragedy I sniffed a solution to when I saw this particular project on my web travels…
WHAT IT IS: A new (2017) restaurant called Lasagneria that features at least six different types of lasagna on the menu at the same time. We’re talking Mozzarella, Salmon, Bolognese, Four Cheese, Spicy Sausage and Vegan. Admittedly, they aren’t as breathtaking odd as the flavourful comets that once flashed so bright at Kissa Tanto, but the place looks good and to the utilitarian point with a large communal table artfully capped by a web of black string. I’d eat here for sure.
WHERE IT IS: 35 Korunní Street in the Královské Vinohrady district of Prague in what used to be a grocery store.
WHERE WE WISH IT WAS: The Little Italy section of Commercial Drive — a fitting location by relativity, plus it’s fresh in mind after yesterday’s Italian Day celebrations. And why stop at six lasagna options? There would need to be a gluten-free choice and perhaps another meatless one or two, so let’s aim for at least ten!
Photos by BoysPlayNice
Just moving from Prague to Vancouver, I was just searching for this type of restaurant here. Lasagneria in Prague is one of my favourites!