Rea’s Italian Cucina

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I wanted to take my brother Five Stars (formerly known as Jacuzzi) out for Italian food. I picked Rea’s Italian Cucina, a restaurant I’ve heard from acquaintances who swear the food at Rea’s reminds their nonna’s cooking. Let’s listen to the “Pasta Song” La Famiglia for this post.

When we arrived, I noticed most of the customers appeared to be of Italian heritage, which I considered an excellent indicator of what was to come. L commented he liked the old-school vibe, dark furniture, prominent paintings, and curtained windows. Five Stars said he was surprised every table was filled by 6:35 pm. L informed him that Calgarians prefer to eat early.

Our server, Dante, greeted L as he recognized him. It turns out that Dante is the owners’ son and a Haskayne School of Business student. What a small world.

For drinks, I ordered a glass of Ripassa (9 oz, $19), L picked a glass of Peroni ($8.50), while Five Stars chose an Orangina ($4.50). For food, I ordered the Calamari ($17), Salsiccia Casa Sausage ($17), Linguine Mare ($31), Fusilli Ferraro ($23), and a medium pizza, the Sandro Special ($24).

I recommend ordering appetizers, as the two we tried kicked some serious ass. The sausage had a spicy kick with a generous fat-lean ratio. What stood out for me was the chewy texture and unique seasoning. The tomato basil sauce was just beautiful, robust with a vibrant tomato flavour. All sausages should aspire to be Rea’s sausage. L and Five Stars said this was their favourite appetizer.

Five Stars noticed that I handed my phone to L to take pictures of the food and asked him if he usually took photos. With a long-suffering sigh, L rolled his eyes and confided that he had always taken the pictures but never received any credit. I retorted that L has a better eye for photography than I do, and I also make Five Stars take photos for me. I thought but did not say it was lovely they could bond over a common complaint.

I preferred the calamari wasn’t deep-fried because you could enjoy the satiny texture, and L mentioned it was cooked perfectly. The ringlets were silky smooth, and tender. We both loved the tangy sauce. L pointed out the big difference between the sausage’s tomato sauce and the calamari. I tried the two side-by-side and thought the tomato sauce in the calamari tasted more like olive oil. I would get the calamari again.

After a suitable amount of time, our mains arrived. The pizza dough was homemade and in between a Greek-style and Neapolitan crust. Covered in molten cheese, I could detect a pleasingly strong smoky flavour. The olives, prosciutto and cheese tasted extra good to me.

The fusilli was my favourite because of the pure decadence of the rose sauce. The creamy sauce was so smooth and luscious that I cleaned the plate. Five Stars mentioned he liked the texture of the fusilli. Slick with a slippery sauce, the surface still had a slight chew.

The linguine mare is one of Rea’s signature dishes. There was almost as much sauce as noodles, which I loved because the tomato sauce was so thick, fresh and balanced. L and Five Stars were surprised there was so much seafood. The ratio of clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and calamari to noodles was even. The flavour of all the shellfish was prominent, though the brightness of the tomato sauce cut through some of it. I dig the cheeses Rea uses in the pasta and pizza – it’s more flavourful and tastes better than the one I use at home.

I would come back. I’d order everything again, but I want to try the veal tortellini for variation, and L said he wants to try the chicken parmesan. We shared everything, so the amount of food we ordered was perfect. We only had half a pizza left over. Five Stars declared this was his favourite meal in Calgary. He asked how we found it. L gestured to me, and I explained I’d heard about this restaurant for over a decade now, as it has a reputation for homestyle Italian food. Hitting the Sauce gives Rea’s two phat thumbs up.

Italian · Special Occasion

D.O.P. – Celebration dinner

October 21, 2021December 4, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Tuesday was a day of celebrations! First, I accepted a new position. Then, my friend Honesty quit her second job. Finally, Jyoti Gondek became Calgary’s new mayor. L took me, Honesty, and Glen Jr to D.O.P to celebrate this series of beautiful events. For this post, let’s listen to “Paperback Writer” by the Beatles.

I’ve been trying to get into D.O.P. for weeks. Even on a Tuesday night, the restaurant was packed, vibrating with energy from the open kitchen and the loud chatter from the customers dining at the bar. Pro tip – if you visit right when D.O.P opens, you’ll likely snag a spot at the bar.

We began with a round of drinks. Glen Jr chose a beer from Inner City ($8), L picked an Annex Italian Pilsner ($8). Honesty ordered a non-alcoholic Negroni ($6), and I sipped on a flute of Lambrusco ($14). I found the pinkish sparkling wine light, clean and minerally. L enjoyed his beer, which he said tasted like Peroni but better.

I heard D.O.P.’s antipasto are excellent, so we ordered two orders of Grilled Bread ($10); White Anchovy ($10); Whipped Ricotta ($9); Meatballs ($21.50); Eggplant ($7); and Green Pickled Tomatoes ($7). Holy moly – this bread is wondrous stuff. The innards of the bread were light and fluffy. I love how the bread puffs up and the big air pockets within. The outer layers of the bread were crispy, hot and salty. The olive oil was excellent – grassy and smooth. I know the French are known for their bread, but the heavyweight title should go to the Italians in Calgary. D.O.P, Rocket Pie, Savino, Azzurri, and Cotto – these chefs create magic with just flour, water, yeast, olive oil and salt.

Our server instructed us to eat the anchovies with ricotta and bread. What a knock-out pairing! The ricotta was cool and creamy, rich like whipped cream. The anchovies were bursting with umami – salty and pungent. I appreciated the crunch of the white onions against the oily mixture of fish and bread. This was my favourite bite of the night.

L doesn’t generally like eggplant, but he declared D.O.P’s version excellent. The eggplant was soft, tart and smokey. L thought he could taste balsamic in the eggplant.

L also doesn’t like tomatoes, but he was a fan of the pickled green tomatoes. He liked how the tomatoes were crunchy and tart. There was something in the tomato dressing that sparkled on my tongue.

Honesty loved the flavour of the meatballs. I was impressed with the soft, fluffy texture. The red sauce was delicious. Having made meatballs before, I could tell labour and a lot of love goes into this version. I would order this again and I’m not a fan of meatballs.

The Tajarin ($26) was a saucy, cheesy pasta dish. The thin egg noodles were soft and soaked up the flavour of the garlic and tomato sauce. I could see my father enjoying this dish. This pasta dish reminds me of an elevated version of the pasta at Nick’s Spaghetti House, an Italian restaurant my father would eat at weekly back in the 1960s.

I loved how the Veal Chop Parm ($49) arrived in this impressive, super-sized portion. The exterior was crunchy and sizzling hot. The veal itself was tender, blanketed in a heavy layer of melted provolone cheese. As I gnawed on the bone, I could feel the shards of the batter shatter and land in my hair. I’m not a dainty eater.

I ordered a bottle of Noelia Ricci Sangiovese ($65) to enjoy with our meal. I found this wine easy to drink, smooth and bright on my tongue. I also tried a glass of the house white wine ($9). I was so happy to find such an enjoyable glass of wine for only nine bucks; a tear escaped from the corner of my eye. Thank you D.O.P., you are my unicorn.

For dessert, we shared Gelato ($11), Plums ($11), and Limoncello ($16). The plums tasted like cherries to me. I thought I could detect a bit of licorice in the dessert. The gelato was cold and creamy, with a salty, crunchy garnish.

I’m a big fan of D.O.P. The antipasti, veal chop and wines are impressive. Hitting the Sauce gives D.O.P two phat thumbs up.

Italian · Restaurants · Vancouver/Richmond

Vancouver – Lupo

August 14, 2019June 10, 2020 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

For our first night in Vancouver, L and I went our separate ways. He went on a bicycle and brewery tour with Moody and Cuz, while I took Beep Beep and N out for dinner. I’ve asked L before to set up N with his single friends, but he said she’ll eat them alive. When I told N, she agreed with L. Unlike me, she doesn’t like nice guys. In honour of N, let’s listen to “Bad Guy“ by Billie Eilish.

N recommended we dine at Lupo Restaurant & Vinoteca, an Italian restaurant in Yaletown. Beep Beep and N suggested that I pick all the dishes and wine. I chose a bottle of Burrowing Owl ($96, Cabernet Sauvignon 2016). I found the wine full-bodied, intense but still fresh enough to sip on a warm summer night.

We shared the Bufala Mozzarella ($20), Parmigiana Custard ($20), Ricotta Gnocchi ($28), Taglierini ($28), and an order of Focaccia Bread ($7.00). A server accidentally brought over a plate of Octopus Mosaic ($20). When he realized his mistake, he told us to enjoy the octopus appetizer on the house.

We all thought the burrata was excellent. The cheese was creamy and smooth. The tomatoes were ripe and sweet. The organic greens were crisp and the basil noticeably fragrant. This dish rivaled the caprese salad at Cotto Italian in Calgary.

I wasn’t as crazy about the Parmigiana Custard. The texture was smooth and rich, and I enjoyed the cheesy custard-like texture, but it didn’t stand out like the other dishes.

We all loved the focaccia bread – it was ultra light with a crusty, airy exterior. The toppings of cheese, olive oil, cooked tomatoes and mushrooms made it almost pizza-like. The texture and flavour of Lupo’s bread is far superior to my homemade focaccia. I would order this again.

If you are into tomatoes, you must order the ricotta gnocchi. The gnocchi was soft, warm and gooey. Beep Beep said she could taste the fresh tomatoes in the sauce. I liked the addition of the eggplant. This was Beep Beep’s favourite dish. N was tipsy at this point and didn’t comment on the food, except to say it was good.

My favourite dish was the linguini with wild mushrooms. I enjoyed the sensation of crunching into the delicate earthy mushrooms. I found the chili and garlic oil downright decadent. I would order this again.

N informed me that Lupo is one of her go-to restaurants because of the excellent food, professional service, and the fact it’s a hidden gem in Vancouver. I enjoyed the food and company immensely. Hitting the Sauce gives Lupo two fat thumbs up.