Curious about the coming of Chris Stewart and Andrey Durbach’s new Italian American eatery Sorella at 3369 Cambie Street, I slipped in for the staff tasting yesterday afternoon, just a few hours before the red sauce joint opened its doors to the public for the first time, and just five days after the quiet end of its reliably delicious French predecessor, Pied-a-Terre. I won’t comment on the few bites they shared with me except to say that they were unsurprisingly good. That Durbach and Stewart had been talking about and planning on opening a restaurant like this for years showed loud and clear in the execution. It’s a killer menu, loaded with all the red-tablecloth classics, everything from Spaghetti Puttanesca to Veal Parmigiana. Also worth noting was Chris’ all-Italian wine list: every bottle on the list is just $39. Take a look…

ALL ANTICIPATED OPENINGS