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La Quercia
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
3689 W 4th AveVancouver, BC V6R 1P2
Neighbourhoods: Point Grey, Kitsilano
(604) 676-1007
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
45 reviews for La Quercia
Review Highlights
"Tasting menu is an adventure worth taking, and very filling."
(in 9 reviews)
"Polenta Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Lamb Ragu."
(in 2 reviews)
"The vitello tonnato melts in your mouth."
(in 3 reviews)
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45 reviews in English
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Review from Annie W.
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
One word describes my entire feeling about La Quercia - Ridiculous.
A beautiful, intimate, perfectly tiny dining room? Ridiculous.
Beef Cheeks so tender its like they decided chewing should be optional? Ridiculous.
Chilled Lemon Creme so smooth with just the right balance of tart/sweet? Ridiculous.
Genuinely friendly, yet perfectly polished & professional service? Ridiculous.
Two 7-course tasting menus, half bottle of wine, and a bill under $150? RIDICULOUS.
Our server assured us that we would thank him after for his recommendation to go with the 7-course tasting menu over the 11-course menu. He was right. Ridiculous. -
Review from Melissa K.
Vancouver, BC
11/23/2011
:La Quercia is hands down, the best Italian restaurant in town. The food is always fresh and innovative, and you can always count on the recommendations. They offer a family style menu where the chef prepares whatever he feels like in a sharing manner. Above 4 people I believe you have to go with the chef's menu, and you will leave VERY full. Their wine list is amazing, all Italian. I can't wait till their wine bar opens next door.
Their service is A+, very attentive and polite. Their pastas are awesome, the way it's supposed to be. Without a lot of toppings, but with strong focus on the sauce and the pasta itself. Their appetizers are mains are far better than their desserts, which aren't bad either. For the best carrot cake in town, go to La Ghianda, which is a cafe open during day times across the street.
La Quercia is always a treat. Make reservations 2 weeks ahead of time. -
Review from Jonathan M.
10/25/2011
This is a very intimate place. The service was professional and helpful. It was fancy but didn't feel stuffy.
We got the tasting menu. For me, it was one of those cases where everything was great but we wished we got what was on someone else's table.
The tasting menu items change from table to table so we had fun guessing what would be next. We had some standouts like the rice balls and the pasta course (chingale).
The wines our server helped us with were paired nicely with the dishes.
We were in town for a visit but I could see us going back to try the a la carte choices so we could have enjoyed some of the ones that passed our table and made us ohh and ahh. -
Review from Lynne H.
Vancouver, BC
1/20/2012
Best Italian food! Love the gnocchi!
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Review from Sam S.
Coquitlam, BC
2/2/2012
The tables are very close together, room is very noisy. Waiter that we had clearly had somewhere else that he wanted to be. Our food was mediocre and extremely expensive for what it was. The person beside us asked for cheese for her pasta and the waiter refused her because he said that the chef created it as a non-dairy dish! Later when she asked again and was brought cheese, the chef came to her table and grabbed her dish of pasta and the cheese and stormed back to the kitchen! Why pay big dollars to be insulted and given lousy food. We won't be going back again!
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Review from Kate W.
Vancouver, BC
9/17/2011
Was given a gift certificate from my boss. After she specified all of my food allergies and limitations she was assured that if I called ahead and they knew I was coming they would make me a stellar dish.
Called at least 5 days in advance. When I arrived the server simply asked me what I wanted, I replied with anything but a boring plate of vegetables. Guess what I got... A boring plate of vegetables.
The rapini tasted like fuel, sounds strange I know, imagine my surprise. I actually had to spit it out, awful. I was nearly in tears when I asked her to take my plate away so we could leave (and I didn't eat it) my bill arrives with a $22 charge for the veg.
My husbands, on the other hand, was alright. Also, I'm pretty sure that very annoying server from Parkside works there now.
Unimpressed. Won't be back. -
Review from Katie F.
8/22/2011
4.5 stars.
Had my b-day dinner here and it was a good choice. Soooo close to 5 stars for me and that's mostly service as opposed to food issues. I love that you can go family style or a la carte... I don't know how you can go hungry here. We went with the $45/pp family style option that includes 7 courses (3 starters, 2 pastas, 1 main and 1 dessert)... everyone needs to go in on it at the table.
The twist to it is that you don't know what you're going to get! So if you're seriously eyeing something at the table across from you, you don't know if you'll get it - not for those who can't handle uncertainty!
Loved the items - a tomato and basil salad, some veal, a cheese souffle to start, an AWESOME sausage pasta, an okay gnocchi with sweetbreads, chicken with watercress as the main, and a fabulous chocolate tart to finish.
My only complaints are some issues with the dinner reservation (the resto got the time confused), drinks running out at times, and some gaps in the service/timing of food at the beginning of the meal.
Overall quite minor issues and the food is excellent. Phenomenal value and I would DEFINITELY come back again! -
Review from Andy W.
7/21/2011 9 photos
Go for the tasting menu and be in for a pleasant surprise. If you have been to Quince in San Francisco, this place is like a casual version of them. Italian inspired tasting menu. Good service, great food and fun experience.
There is an option to go a la carte but that takes the fun out of the experience. We went for the 7-course tasting ($45/person). All dishes come family style and as a surprise. You will not know what you are getting until it comes. Since the menu changes often and everyone gets something different, I'm not going to go into each dish we had (you can refer to my pictures for that if you like). Everything was excellent. Some courses were on the a la carte menu and some were not. The table next to us had a few of the same dishes and few that were different.
They ask if there are food allergies when they take your order. We don't have any food allergies but we told them we had preferences. The gf doesn't like undercooked meats so that is what I told them. When the meat course came, they checked in with us to make sure everything was fine.
The place is small and the tables are pretty close to each other. They have a very small bar area that seats like two. I think that is for walk-ins. I would not come without a reservation.
We will be back the next time we are in Vancouver. -
Review from Brittany W.
North Vancouver, BC
7/13/2011 7 photos
A quaint Italian restaurant in a casual setting with professional service and an evolving menu crafted daily by Executive Chefs Adam Pegg and Lucais Syme, located in Kits on 4th & Alma - moderately pricey for casual Italian, but is of good quality. Like Cibo Trattoria, La Quercia offers an evolving menu with daily fresh sheets that are based on local, seasonal and organic ingredients. Fresh sheets are written on the chalkboard for all to read.
A+ for atmosphere (upscale-casual comfort) and for service. Our servers were extremely mindful, knowledgeable and professional (cute too!). Tonight we shared the 7-course menu for two ($45/per person). Since it was our first time, we wanted to be surprised - let the chefs get creative and have free range to work their magic. We were presented with delish, wholesome and comforting dishes:
- Bread basket with grapeseed oil (i think) - very fresh.
- Antipasti with artichokes, salami, brioche, prosciutto - Loved it!
- Cheese Soufflé - Creamy, succulent, delicious.
- Rabbit gnocchi with Lamb Ragu - My favourite, perfectly crafted.
- Sloping Hills Pork Belly Agnolotti
- Pork Tenderloin w/ quinoa - Very tender. Wasn't a fan of the quinoa.
- Chocolate Linzer Tart with Raspberries - mmmm.
- Valle Reale 2009 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($40) / Espresso
- (See photos.) It's not typically a spot where you see people taking photos, but I did anyway for Yelp-sake :)
The $45 set menu is a really great value comparatively to say the set menu at Chambar or West. I totally recommend it. Overall, the food was satisfying and we had a really great experience.
What's more:
- It's very small and always packed - book ahead!
- La Quercia picked up three BIG VanMag Awards this year: 2011 Restaurant of the Year, Best Restaurant for Informal Dining AND Best Casual Italian
- Suggestion for La Quercia: Share your story and add bios of your Chefs to the website. We want to know more about how you came to be and the fabulous culinary team :)Listed in: Highly Exceptional Service
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Review from Tara C.
New Westminster, BC
9/20/2011
I just wrote a review detailing our entire 11 course eating (read: gorging) adventure, but I knew it was going to result in TLDR.
KISS:
The food was pretty fantastic, the atmosphere was pretty fantastic, but most importantly, the service was pretty fantastic. well, except for that part where he dropped "Jason Priestly loves this pasta" on us. That was kinda lame. Other than that, a great meal.
If I were to go again, I think I'd just opt for the 45 dollar 7 course meal. 10 was pretty fantastic, but felt I felt a little gluttonous by the end (well, gluttonous and tipsy. mostly tipsy)! -
Review from Russel M.
7/28/2011
SIX STARS!
What can I possibly say that hasn't been said in the other reviews?
Great Service!
Great Food!
We arrived promptly @ 5:30 and were seated immediately.
We ordered the 11 course Tasting menu (which the chef creates based on your wine choices or his personal feelings at the time).
Our server told us the 11 course is only available @ the 7:45 seating and they could only provide us the 8 course, NOT!
I explained that the "childs" menu wasn't going to cut it and we needed 11 courses to properly experience this dining extravaganza.
After a few minutes of thought we worked out a compromise which allowed them to move us @ 7:45 to the bar so we could finish the final courses. Extra Star for solving the problem.
OUR MENU:
Burrata, Prosciutto wrapped Figs
Eggplant Flan
Vitello Tonnato
Squid Quinoa w/ pork belly
Filet of Sole Bottarga
Gorgonzola Risotto
Wild Boar Tortellini
Polenta Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Lamb Ragu
Roasted Lamb Shoulder w/Cipolline Onions w/ Cauliflower puree
Fontina Cheese w/ Pine honey, Parma Balsamic
Apple Butter Poppyseed Strudel w/ Pine Honey scent.
$70- pp (a bargain) We can't wait to return. -
Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
6/21/2011
While I can't come to this beautiful restaurant on a regular basis due to budget constraints, I can say without hesitation that this is one of the best places Vancouver has to offer for casual dining. It's so good, that we had to make reservations two weeks out (I've never had to do that before in this city!)
Some great notes about the restaurant: it's small, so their service is amazing since they can keep a better eye on their customers. The restaurant purchases mostly local ingredients, which is great because you know it's fresh. The menu changes daily, so you can try new things every time you go. And the food is amazing. Like seriously amazing.
I went with a friend and we ordered the $45 7-course tasting menu (a great choice if you want to sample their menu). The food was delicious, we had their house-cured beef with pickled local morels, endive, grapefruit and fennel salad, crispy pork trotters with salsa crudo, gnocchi with morels and rabbit, tagliata di manzo, and a camomile and honey yogurt pannacotta with rhubarb and almond biscotti for dessert. All the dishes were fantastic. The wine was a bit expensive for me to just enjoy a glass (we split the house wine), but otherwise I felt it was completely reasonable in terms of prices for the food we were getting.
I especially liked how the two tables we were between also ordered the 7-course meal, but received slightly different things - I liked knowing that the restaurant didn't just have generically plated foods for everyone who ordered the tasting menu option.
This is the perfect place for a nice evening out. A lot of families were there when we went since it was father's day. Many couples brought their children there as well, and it wasn't a problem at all. Overall, a great place for everyone, for any special occasion! -
Review from valerie v.
Black Creek, BC
11/13/2011
Hadn't been here for awhile but lucked out with a reso after a cancellation. Wow was it worth it!
We had an excellent dinner. Wine list is great.
New to me was the family style serving which allowed us to share and enjoy more dishes.
Wonderful idea.
The staff were professional and attentive (but not too cloying)
La Quercia is definitely on our list of go-to places for excellent Italian. -
Review from Lisa T.
Vancouver, BC
8/17/2011
Great food & great service!!!
http://foodietang.tumb... -
Review from Cam W.
Vancouver, BC
5/13/2011
This restaurant is excellent. The food, refined modern Italian, was superb and the service was very professional and welcoming. Was expecting it to cost a lot more than what it did, but food and wine prices were quite reasonable.
The restaurant is only small but the ambiance was very lively. Their menu changes often so you'll probably get something different every time you go. However, if you see the quail on the menu I can highly recommend that!
Enjoy! -
Review from JRJ J.
Vancouver, BC
2/13/2011
The two of us opted for the alla familia - 7 course meal - at $43 a head and a bottle of wine. The chef decides what he's going to serve you, based on their daily menu.
good or not so good?
well, you will need to tell them your likes/dislikes and any allergies you may have if you opt for this.
This place seats about 30 - its a small intimate place. And since it is a small restaurant, intimacy means you'll be seated quite closely to the other tables around you, if this is how you prefer it. There's only enough spacing between the tables for your server to stand, or for you to slide through if you or your partner needs to use the restroom. Also, I don't want to be hearing another tables conversations, as was is the situation, that's too "intimate" for my tastes. It can also get quite noisy - that's expected in a smaller open seating concept.
Overall, the alla familia we opted for was very good. Every table that opts for this will get something different. Portions are ok, however, they need to balance the portions on the main course meal. The table to the left of us, received what we thought was an large cut as compared to what the table to the right of us received - one was pork belly, the other was cornish hen. By comparison, they were not the same size portions.
Overall, we did enjoy the service, our meal and bottle of wine.
Would I come back?
There are other true italian restaurants with the same great service that I would choose first over this place. -
Review from Jon S.
Vancouver, BC
3/19/2011
This has got to be one of the best restaurants in Vancouver and all the way out at Alma!
I took my partner here for a belated Valentine's Day and we were both incredibly happy with our night out. We ended up just ordering items off the board and sharing. The menu changes a lot, so my review will just have to serve as an example of a great meal!
The Endive, Gorgonzola, Hazelnuts was a large starter and we didn't end up finishing it between the two of us. We ordered two pasta dishes. The potato and bacon ravioli was excellent and the waitress informed us that all the stuffed pastas were to die for. I believe her.
We also ordered two mains, but probably could have made do with just one. The pork was phenomenal. There was so much on the plate, I felt embarrassed that I wasn't sharing. My partner tried the Tagliata Di Manzo (sliced seared beef) which would also be good for sharing.
I'm sorry to say there was no room for dessert! I'd go back here for any special occasion. -
Review from Raffy E.
Vancouver, BC
2/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here for a late night dinner with friends to try out their $49 tasting menu. For starters, the value of the meal was missed by no one; each person at the meal left the table stuffed to discomfort. None of us had ever tried a tasting menu done family style, but man that was a lot of food.
The dishes fell sharply at both ends of the taste spectrum, which ranged from "meh" to "marvelous". The pasta (and I'm oversimplifying the dishes here I'm not familiar with -- ravioli stuff with pork and cheese, tomato-based penne, and vongole) were pretty bland and unremarkable.
However the bread, which was baked on-site, was fantastic. Two of the dishes that stood out were the eggplant souffle and the cornish hen with crispy skin. THOSE dishes I could have eaten all night. (With or without my clothes on; try getting THAT visual out of your head! Bwahahahaaa!)
Overall, dining at La Quercia was a great experience otherwise marred by a few underwhelming dishes. I'm not sure how I should rate an Italian restaurant for serving lame pasta, but rating it on the likelihood I would come back to try their other dishes marks this restaurant pretty high. -
Review from Randy K.
Vancouver, BC
9/26/2011
Consistently excellent food, wonderful service, nice atmosphere AND a great value. Now stay away, because I'm tired of having to wait for a reservation!
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Review from Dr Bart B.
Vancouver, BC
4/19/2011
Great restaurant!
We went there for my birthday and had the "family style" meal.
It was a 10 course meal, and man was it ever delicious.
Great food, great atmosphere, but can only accommodate a certain number of people. -
Review from Anne R.
Vancouver, BC
1/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Every pasta dish at La Quercia is guaranteed to flip even the toughest "why-order-pasta-at-a-restaurant-when-you-can-make -it-at-home" objector.
This restaurant is, simply put, full of life. It is an intimate, elegant and yet energetic dining experience that leaves you wanting more despite being completely stuffed. The food is delectable. Portions are not small, nor are they huge. The vitello tonnato melts in your mouth.
Pricing is fair, and I would not hesitate to pay more for some dishes. There is a great selection of wines, with a few under $30! A great cast of waiters who know so much detail about each dish/wine you'd think they had been observing the chef's and sampling all day! This restaurant is a neighborhood gem and it is as close to a perfect restaurant as you can get. -
Review from Chris L.
Vancouver, BC
1/15/2011
Ahhh, La Quercia... what a lovely way to spend 3 hours on a chilly winter Sunday evening, sampling 9 courses of fresh, simple authentic Italian cuisine 'alla famiglia' (actually 10 because they threw in a cheese plate with amazing pine honey that tasted of strawberries).
We started off with an artichoke and sablefish soup, creamy and rich with a subtle smokiness from the sablefish. Then it was on to veal loin with tuna sauce and house-cured beef, both delicious. Next was a smoked trout plate, followed by an endive salad with tasty crunchy bits of fried prosciutto. Very fresh, perfect texture. This was followed by linguine puttanesca, raviolo (yes, one giant ravioli) stuffed with veal and swiss chard, risotto to order, and then the masterpiece of the evening, a Sterling Silver beef porterhouse fiorentina, what a sublime piece of tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned meat. Wow. Gotham, eat your heart out. Our waiter then offered us a plate of asiago, blue and sheep's milk cheeses before dessert. The sheep's milk cheese dipped in honey = YUM!
The only slight disappointment of the evening came at dessert time, which consisted of a chocolate hazelnut torte, apple strudel, and carrot cake, with some cinnamon ice cream and fresh whip on the side. All three were somewhat bland and probably could have used some warming up as they were a little cold and hard. But overall, an excellent dining experience, with attentive and unobtrusive service, and a lively atmosphere in an intimate room (which incidentally is almost identical to Andrey Durbach's Pied-à-Terre on Cambie, another excellent eatery). -
Review from Anthony C.
8/7/2010
After dining at La Quercia multiple times, I can safely say that (at least for now...) this is my favorite restaurant in Vancouver.
Everything about this place tickles my fancy just so. It's elegant but not too elegant, small but not too small, cozy but not overcrowded, pricey but not too pricey, and delicious, well... too delicious! I've indulged in fine Italian food around the world, and while nothing can compete with cuisine had in the actual homeland, La Quercia puts up a darn good show.
The menu changes all the time so don't expect to have what I had last night, but here it is anyway: Vitello Tonnato, Agnolotti di Guido, braised Beef Cheeks, and to top it all off a gentlemanly dessert of vanilla ice cream with fresh espresso poured over top, appropriately served in a short glass (yes, after a few minutes the ice cream has melted, and you simply *must* drink the rest).
For those less versed in the language, my appetizer was thinly sliced veal covered in a tuna sauce - served cold and scrumptious, and my pasta dish was agnolotti (sort of like small stuffed purses) filled with braised veal, ricotta, parmigiano, and swiss chard, drizzled with the jus from the braise. Whoah that was good!
Without rambling on, I'll end with a mention of the wine list - small and fabulous - once again just right, filling only two sides of a half sheet of paper. Entirely, or nearly so, consisting of Italian wines, they have a range from the under $30 category all the way up to the Ornellaia, which is over $300. With many finds in between, my date and I settled on a 1999 Brunello di Montalcino followed by a half bottle of Amarone, both reasonably priced and exceedingly delicious.
Service, quality, value, delight - La Quercia has it all!Listed in: On the Finer Side
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Review from Janice F.
11/10/2008 ROTD 8/17/2009
Hooray for good quality Italian joints popping up around the city!
La Quercia specializes in Northern Italian cuisine - the menu is traditional, refined, and uncomplicated. I adore how the pastas are available in half portions, there's only so many carbs a girl can handle in one night especially when you're trying to save room for dessert!
Their blackboard specials and a few of their menu items are written in Italian - it requires a bit more interaction than usual with the waiter before decisions can be made, but it does bring back fond memories of vacationing in Italy. And this time around, you don't have to worry about the waiter not speaking any English!
As for the food, the "Crespelle ai funghi" a wild mushroom "crepe" appetizer was delicious - rich and heady, served with a creamy mushroom sauce. Another stand-out was the Flat Iron steak special, served on a bed of arugula, with roasted pine nuts and parmesan shavings. The meat was perfectly medium rare, seared yet juicy. The spaghetti vongole, simple white wine garlic sauce with clams was good but perhaps a bit too subtle and al dente for my tastes.
And luckily, I had room for dessert! I was a little apprehensive when we ordered the lemon creme brulee tart - it sounded like an after-thought on the menu, but it turned out to be fantastic. Exactly what it was - a creamy lemon curd with the burnt sugar brulee crust .. but the kicker was the mascarpone (I think) lemon cream that was served with it. Chilled subtly lemon cream together with the warm lemon tart was phenomenal. Ranks up there with the top of my favourite lemon desserts of all time (lemon gelato in venice.. the deconstructed lemon cheesecake from the defunk Rare..)
The one complaint I have is the size of the room. I am not into intimate dining.. with the rest of the restaurant. You are literally a half a foot away from the next table - get ready to share your opinions and conversations. To remedy that, I will never again go on a weekend or a busy time. See you there (or hopefully not) on the Tuesday night 5:30 pm seating! -
Review from Stephen Y.
Vancouver, BC
9/5/2009
Maybe it was the high expectation. BTW Masa was awesome.
Sardine (apparently from Port Hardy) appy was OK - would prefer entire fish instead of fillet.
They were really pushing the chanterelle and I the stuffed pork chop was OK - had a strip of pure fat (could have cut that off before frying). Prefer Berkshire... but pork nicely done, alas couldn't really appreciate the chant mushroom
Desert strudel was disappointing - dry
Restaurant crowded - tables very close together... Loud fat hairy man by window talking about vagnismus...
Would give it a go again but will lower my expectation slightly next time -
Review from Randy M.
Vancouver, BC
7/11/2011
Awesome.
If you are from out of town, make the trip! It's 15 mins from downtown. -
Review from Andie A.
Vancouver, BC
5/14/2011
Book a table immediately. Order the courses. Enjoy.
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Review from Brett C.
Toronto, ON
2/4/2010
When you receive a phone call verifying your cancellation of your reservation that you never attempted to cancel, you get a little apprehensive.
Luckily the apprehension was not needed. Our meal turned out well, both food and service. We had the famiglia meal where the chef prepares a multi-course meal at their discretion. I did this at Fuel multiple times to great results so we gave it a try here.
While the outcome was very good, I have to say it did not match to what I had at Fuel. No single dish dragged down the overall experience, but nothing blew my mind to lead to that coveted fifth star.
But I would still be quite happy to go back whenever I have a craving for northern Italian food. -
Review from Claudio B.
5/3/2010
Great Italian in the slow food tradition... Just sit down and enjoy being treated to the chef's six or ten course dinner.
Together with Pair Bistro, another true gem in this neighbourhood. -
Review from Johann G.
Vancouver, BC
5/5/2011
One of the best in the area for excellent quality of food at reasonable prices.
Reservations ahead of time are a must, especially since it's a small restaurant. My family went there for the first time last week and wanted to go back again before my parents' visit ended, and they were booked straight for the next 10 days. Yup, they're that good. :)
The four of us shared the alla famiglia style 5 courses, which they say is technically 7-courses because of the 3 starters. They don't let you know the menu beforehand since the chefs decides, so every table is slightly different. Nevertheless, everything was beautifully arranged and more importantly, tasted very flavorful without being too salty or inundated with sauce like others. The amount is just right, too.
The 2 hour time limit is more than enough, especially since we decided right off the bat to do the alla famiglia. We finished early with time to chitchat with our neighbors during dessert even!
I'm looking forward to our next time there so we can try the 11-course tasting menu! -
Review from Jason R.
6/12/2010
We loved La Quercia. The food and service were outstanding.
We arrived early, and were happy to wait while the manager engaged us in conversation, suggested a fantastic bottle of wine, and reviewed the entire menu with us, going into detail about each selection.
The restaurant was cozy, everyone was friendly, and the service A+. When we're next in Vancouver, we're making a reservation here. -
Review from Sunny S.
Vancouver, BC
2/17/2009
La Quercia means "The Oak Tree" in Italian - Strong, steady and rooted. This tiny Westside restaurant was a gem to find and equipped with top notch owners Lucas Syme and Adam Pegg, both former Parkside and La Buca employees.
You may drive right by it because it's a small 35 seater. La Quercia offers a casual seating, cozy, great for small parties as well as first dates. I thought the service was professional and the food was exceptional!
They focus on mouth watering traditional Italian food - Completely uncomplicated yet every bite you take feels like a bite of heaven. Most ingredients are sourced local and organic wherever possible and they have plenty of feature dishes along side their set menu.
Here's the line up: Eggplant Sformato with Prawns as the first, Tagliolini alla Bolognese as the second and Veal Agnolotti as the main.
3689 west 4th Ave, Vancouver
T: 604-676-1007
E: info@laquercia.ca -
Review from Juan R.
Vancouver, BC
1/8/2011
Really good Italian and very reasonably priced. When you have a group of 6 or more you have to get the tasting menu which is very good. They have a vegetarian option for this as well.!
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Review from Jespeter L.
Vancouver, BC
12/19/2010
I am safe to say that I am no whiz to Italian food because one of my friends call Italian food one of the easiest to make. But the quality of the food I tasted is something I could not make, and that is for sure. The wine selections the waiters would suggest are always fantastic. I love how there is no children running around in this restaurant, most of the hustle and bustle of the cold city wind is blocked from a large curtain just square of the door. The dim new-age lighting and the hand-written chalkboard menu elevates how intimate and warm the service is along with food on warm plates. The best thing about this place I will comment on is the assertive service. It is as close to a 5 star restaurant as you can achieve in an affordable price.
Food is always fresh here, mind you, and a new menu seems to magically appear every day, so me sitting at the window seat means I can not get a good picture of the menu served at that day. The table bread is heavenly moist and perfect with the complimentary olive oil. Now as for a warning, most people will think that a small place would be cheaper. This restaurant hit a little high on my "university eating-out budget" so be sure to save this as a "special occasion." (As an idea, I had a wonderful mind-blowing beef soup, and a some sort of mushroom in potato ravioli. All rounded to $50 with 10% tip.) There is a special 5-course ($43) or 9-course ($59) meal, so do not lose hope and think it is a blue-blooded restaurant. I have a small stomach so I didn't eat the coursed meals.
This is a reservation-type restaurant. I was only lucky enough to be going in by myself in order to get a seat. But sometimes even couples find it hard to find seating so be sure to reserve online on their website, or call early for a reservation asap (they sometimes do cater to special events at their restaurant for paid customers. Then they close the restaurant for that day) La Quercia is so good that I do not want you to be standing outside in the cold with an angry date at your arm if you decided to come here on the spot.Listed in: Dinner Specials
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Review from Pork Fried Rice C.
11/15/2010
First of all for those of you that have read down to my post, all those comments about how small the restaurant is and how cramped you are, you need to lose some weight or seriously go to a buffet-style restaurant. I hear The Olive Garden and Red Lobster is nice and spacious! I didn't know the square footage of a restaurant predicated the quality of the food or establishment. Anyways .... SETTLE the F*CK down !!
La Quercia IS very small, but intimate. You can still have a conversation with your table and even get to eavesdrop on the tables next to you. Getting to hear the gossip at other tables is sometimes just as fun !!
The service was fantastic and very professional. It was my first time here and I heard about the tasting menu. Me being a gluttonous pig, I wanted the 9 course meal, but was quickly asked if I have ever eaten there before. Our server, Zack, simply said that the 9 course is quite a bit of food, and that IF you really were still hungry .... we'll see how it goes. I trusted him and agreed, especially since my wife is not a huge eater and I would have ended up eating 80% of the dinner.
The first course was a burrata cheese and salumi. It was a wonderful opener to a soon to be fantastic meal. The following dishes were: veal Tonnato (tuna sauce), a marinated squid dish, a spaghetti Amatriciana (tomato, pork cheek), a lamb ragu orecchiette. At this point Zack came by to see how we were doing and let us know that there was going to be a main and a dessert left. I was still feeling a touch hungrier and wanted to try more so he recommended a half order of the gnocchi ai funghi. OMG this was amazing !!! So buttery and rich. The deep mushroom flavors came through so perfectly with the gnocchi. This is going to be my goto dish if I need a quick pasta fix !!! The main course was a trio of lamb. The lamb chop was HANDS DOWN the BEST LAMB CHOP I have ever had. The most tender and succulent lamb I've had. We finished off with a trio of desserts; flourless chocolate cake, a quince tart, apple strudel and caramel ice cream.
We were completely satisfied and happy that Zack was so attentive with the recommendations. A great experience and would highly recommend this place for everyone !!! The bill was sub $ 150. I was shocked to see that it was that low !! Will definitely be back !!!
Thank you La Quercia ! -
Review from Daniella E.
Vancouver, BC
8/31/2010
One of the top Italian restaurants I've been too.. and I'm Italian! My wonderful boyfriend took me here on the most wonderful date and I fully pigged out far beyond ladylike. It's a nice place. Everything about it is perfect.. I don't even know where to start. we got the family style dinner.. they just bring out dish after dish after dish and when you think your it's over.. more food comes out. The chefs pick what your eating and I'd recommend you to let them as long as you have an appetite on you. I had the most delicate handmade pasta that I've only ever had a my nonna's house before.
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Review from Samantha T.
Vancouver, BC
8/17/2011
Best restaurant in Vancouver, hands down! This is where I spend every special occasion, and where I bring all out of town guests for an impeccable and outstanding experience. Almost every dish I've tried here is the best of I've ever had--best pasta (Spaghetti all'Amatriciana, um, hello!), best duck, best lamb...I could go on. Make reservations well in advance--it's getting tough to even get a mid-week reservation now.
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Review from Justin M.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2010
Absolutely excellent. Service was professional, friendly and informative. Food was exceptional. Had the 10 course set menu. The chef is not afraid of being adventurous, but doesn't go overboard. Dish 3 was a salad with veal tongue. Tasty but hard to get past the mental image. Followed up by a great piece of sole cooked in saffron. Delicious comfort food to reel you back in after the tongue. Tasting menu is an adventure worth taking, and very filling.
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Review from Seann G.
Vancouver, BC
9/30/2008
This place is great. First-class, simple, traditional italian cooking. We went with a group of six and all of us were impressed with the food and service. The menu is small, but supplemented by an equal number of specials on the chalk board, capturing the best of what's fresh and local. The wine list is as reasonably priced as the food menu. We shared a few desserts and they all went quickly. We'll be back!
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Review from Bill E.
12/21/2009
The best Italian food I've ever had in Vancouver! Small, charming and a place that needs to be booked in advance, usually. It's about 30 seats, plus two at the bar. Small menu with numerous nightly specials. We had a "5 course" that turned into about nines courses. Everything was delicious and prepared perfectly, service was great. Those complaining about it being "too cramped" have obviously never been to the rest of the world... (Europe, NYC for example)
