Dishes can sometimes be shooting star-like: amazing but entirely ephemeral. It usually happens over the course of temporary bounties. Locally, it could be your annual first taste of spot prawn, your first bite of summer-buttered corn on the cob, or your first inhalation of magical morel. For me, it was bright yellow tagliarini pasta tossed with mint and pea at Osteria Savio Volpe. Few things confirm summer’s arrival more convincingly than those two ingredients, their bright flavours sending the signal loud and clear to my brain. This particular iteration was a subtle job, a real light touch. Bonus: the tagliarini itself was superb — so fresh! Alas, the dish was just a fleeting special, so it’s likely no longer available. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to cross your fingers…

DETAILS

615 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC | Telephone: 604-428-0072 | Email: [email protected]
Web: www.saviovolpe.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Dinner service seven days a week | Sunday to Wednesday, 5pm to 10pm | Thursday to Saturday, 5pm to 10:30pm

GALLERY

Photos: Knauf & Brown

THE TEAM

Paul Grunberg, Partner
Craig Stanghetta, Partner
Mark Perrier, Partner & Executive Chef
Derek Gray, Head Chef
Melanie Witt, Pasta Cook
General Manager, Miguel Quezada

ABOUT Osteria Savio Volpe

Osteria Savio Volpe is a neighbourhood joint. A place that is comfortable for families, friends, and strangers alike, any day of the week; where the food is cooked in its simplest most flavourful way (often over fire or coal); where guests can get a good square meal, una bella mangiata, and a glass of Lambrusco and be on their way without lightening their pockets too much. In other words, an osteria: the Italian predecessor to the public house. The team’s motto is viva la convivialità – long live friendship, affection and hospitality.

Firmly rooted in the Italian tradition of simplicity and freshness, Osteria Savio Volpe’s menu features plenty of fresh, handmade pastas; heavy use of the wood fire grill and spit; and a rotating selection of homemade and artisanal cookies, pastries and gelato. Never fussy, complicated or challenging; always tasty.

Inevitably, Osteria Savio Volpe’s version of Italian will be flavoured by as much of what is grown and sourced right here in the lower mainland and its environs: this is Vancouver Italian. The team also believes that no table should go without wine! The all-Italian wine list is accessible and fun without being shy to explore a less predictable region or varietal from time to time. One will find no fussy cocktails here: simply a spritz, a Negroni and some nice house-made Italian sodas with no / low alcohol.

Simple and somewhat contemporary, classic and light-hearted, reminiscent of a traditional osteria with wicker, wood, and natural stone figuring quite prominently.

A sense of play and sprezzatura is represented in the use of irreverent fabrics and Italian Modernist-inspired lighting. In lieu of a more conventional bar, a center console reminiscent of a kitchen island pays homage to the nerve centre of any great dinner party at home. More than anything, Osteria Savio Volpe is warm and inviting – a place guests would want to walk into out of the rain.