- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
The Bibo
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
1835 W 4th AveVancouver
Vancouver, BC V6J 3H3
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 568-6177
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
26 reviews for The Bibo
Review Highlights
-
"Vancouver now has two Neapolitan style pizzerias with wood..." In 3 reviews -
"My favorite pasta's are the Tagliatella Ragu and the BiBo..." In 2 reviews -
"Finally we shared tiramisu, lovely." In 5 reviews
Loading...
26 reviews in English
-
Review from C. G.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
Just the right spot to meet another couple for a quick dinner. Loved the friendly service. It seemed to me that our dining experience really mattered to the establishment. Neapolitan style pizza was very good. Ordered two salads for the table and each ordered our own pizza. Tomato and mozzarella salad was superb. I asked that they cut my pizza - they happily complied. Will go again.
-
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
4/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Worst service for what was meant to be a casual anniversary dinner. (And yes, we tried La Quercia first; another time, another reso!)
The Don Draperesque waiter was certainly not a welcoming comfort to this place. I can't believe I wanted to go here just to try somewhere different. Either Marc D needs a re-match or I'm going to have to face him head on. :) But in his defense, his review was written long before the pizza craze really took off.
I said that we were celebrating (albeit, casually). I mentioned that I was starving, and our server was happy to order us but two things. Usually, this type of declaration makes a waiter salivate for the upsell. Not here and not tonight. He was having no part of our celebration.
The pizza was fine, and possibly could have garnered a three star, but I will never, ever eat here again, so a one it must be.
I ordered a mushroom pasta which looked like slop from a trough (but I'm not one to judge based on looks alone). It was so rich that we could barely eat it, but if you like mushroom "mush" on your pasta served up on a cold night, you might actually like it. Perhaps the waiter recommended it as no one else was foolish enough to order it?
He asked us after only one drink if we wanted dessert. We said, "Sure," which is not usually the norm for us. But since we were only permitted to order one drink, we thought, "Well, dessert would be nice."
He returned five minutes later with our cheque. Wtf? Usually quiet, small places or just "restaurants" beg you to order coffee, dessert, whatever. Nope, not here.
So I announced, "I wonder where we should go for dessert?" knowing full well that Whole Foods would be the only place open at 8 pm on a weeknight. (Sad, but true.) Our server walked away, oblivious, and wished us well. So bizarre. It's not that he was rude, per se, he just didn't care. He received a proper tip, so it's not as if he seemed to notice that anything was wrong. It was bizarre.
On the way out, we couldn't help but wish that we'd just dropped by Romer's instead, which--the last time I checked--isn't exactly Italian.
At this rate, I might never stray from Campagnolo Roma or Campagnolo again. So if you venture to the apathetic West side--for Italian at least--don't say I didn't warn you as you won't see much celebrating going on here.
In sum: another West 4th, Italian fail.Listed in: Just a "Little" of Italy, Places So AwfuI I had to…, Pizza Pies
-
Review from Herman E.
2/18/2012 1 photo
Update from below:
So after a little more research into Italian, "proscuitto" means Italian ham, which can be cooked OR cured. For an average North American person, proscuitto will usually be equated with the cured variety.
Therefore, my previous rant was 1/2 offside. 1/2 because I expected something cured, which is not incorrect, nor unreasonable. The menu was "technically" correct for the cooked ham, since it was labeled that way in English and the type of proscuitto, in Italian, was not specified.
Still disappointed by the soggy pizza.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
One word. Disappointed.
I had higher expectations than what I got tonight.
The redeeming factors were the server was friendly, the service was fast and the gnocchi with ragu was quite good.
For a place who's reputation is based on pizza, this was a HUGE let down.
Anybody ever have SOGGY pizza before? Soggy to the point where you cannot pick it up, but instead have to roll the pointed part towards the edge in order for the thing to hold together, and you can visibly see water on the pizza plate? That's what I got.
I ordered a prosciutto e funghi pizza. The English translation was "Tomato, mozzarella, cooked ham, mushrooms" Well the English translation was what I got. Not prosciutto, but thinly shaved cooked ham. WTF???? Why would you put "prosciutto" on the menu when it CLEARLY ISN'T prosciutto?? Prosciutto is cured. This was not cured. Cured and cooked are not the same thing. Check it out here, a screen shot from the website:
http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
One last thing. I asked whether they had pecorino cheese. He said he would check. He then came back with cheese. Problem was, it WASN'T pecorino. I cook with pecorino. What I got was parmesan. I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the server. Maybe he didn't know what pecorino was and the kitchen staff told him that it is the same as parmesan, because a similar thing happened to me at Italian Kitchen where the server thought it was the same. At least at IK, they said they didn't have any.
Maybe today was an off day.
Sorry for my rant. -
Review from Tess M.
Vancouver, BC
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
So as I have mentioned I have been on a bit of a Neapolitan Pizza tour lately and I'm sad to say this was my least favorite so far. The customer service is what got to me the most, it just felt cold and almost rude. When I arrived there were very few people in the restaurant but the server seamed irritated that my party was smaller than expected. My waiter didn't even point out the specials menu and so I missed it and then he never cleared the menus and on such a tiny table I ended up balancing my plate on a menu.
A nice touch though was the olives ... I REALLY LIKED THAT. To be fair I really like olives, but it was a super nice touch for them to just bring them over.
I had the Boscaiola Pizza. The sausage was actually nice and flavourful but I was disappointed in the selection of mushrooms of the pizza.
For dessert I had the Tiramisu and it was pretty good, not as flavourful as others I have had but I loved the amount mascarpone in it...YUM.
There is also quite the nice piece of eye candy in the kitchen. It's almost like dinner and a show with those muscles. -
Review from E C.
Vancouver, BC
5/4/2012
Wanted to try this place for a long since it opened as there is lots of positive reviews. I order a pizza and waitress asked if I wanted cheese on it because it was not included. This was strange why a pizza would not include cheese. In Italy, all pizza comes with cheese. I said yes I wanted cheese. Guess what? The pizza arrived without cheese. Waitress is not too smart. Also the pizza arrived without being cut then waitress asked if I wanted it cut. Waitress takes it to chef who cuts it and brings it back. Pick up one piece by edge, had to also hold centre because it was too soggy. The Pizza tasted like crap, soggy crust, skimpy toppings, expensive. Tratoria Italian Kitchen across the street is much better.
-
Review from Reena M.
10/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was good Neapolitan style pizza, but not the best I had in Vancouver. I've been craving proper Neapolitan pizza since I was there in 2008 and this was decent, but didn't hit the spot. The service was also pretty snooty. I remember pizza joints in Naples to be civilized, but family friendly, cheaper dining-out options in Naples. Even the nicest ones. Unfortunately, that is the part that probably won't have me going back to The Bibo anytime soon. They also managed to burn half our table's pizza crusts so there was disappointment all around.
I did like the pizza at Pizzeria Farina better and it's less pretentious.Listed in: Yelp Vancouver 30 day…, When Yelp Leads Me Astray
-
Review from George H.
10/6/2011
I've been coming here since it opened in Kitsilano and I enjoy it every time. My favorite pasta's are the Tagliatella Ragu and the BiBo Matteo (porchini mushrooms). I love that they make their pasta noodles in house daily and you can definitely see the difference.
My friend had the Cacio e Pepe and we realized that this noodle wasn't freshly made so stay away from that.
Since they've opened they've raised their prices twice but it's still a decent price for amazing pasta. Id much rather pay $18 here then at one of the major chain restaurants that dominate Vancouver (I'm sure you know which ones I mean: "Desert plant", "Wine Barrel", "Important time in your life", and "A landholder from olde england").
The spanish owners and chefs are pretty gregarious but be aware that the service can be slow at times. Wave someone down if necessary.
Finally they like to book their restaurant full with reservations so make sure to call in advance or be ready to wait.
Even with all the cons I wrote about, the food is what I base my star rating on so I'm still giving them 5 stars for the quality of their pastas. -
Review from Tinella T.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2011
Waw, I just got back from BIBO and have to say it was AMAZING!!! We started with BIBO tagliere cold cuts & cheese and it was so delicious with freshly made bread. Then we shared BIBO Matteo which was incredibly flavorful, and we shared one pizza Margherita (my husband says you have to try simple dish to see if its really authentic). Finally we shared tiramisu, lovely :*
I am already planning to go back for our wedding anniversary in three weeks and want to recommend to everyone, its really YUMMY! -
Review from Kate S.
Vancouver, BC
11/6/2011
I was looking forward to a nice casual Friday night dinner. We decided to try something close to the house and picked The Bibo, as we had walked by it and hadn't heard much about it.
We were greeted warmly at the door and seated immediately. Then waited about 10 minutes before our server even acknowledged us. From the get go, the waiter was unfriendly and quick with us. It was obvious that he didn't have time for us, as he was friendly and chatted with other tables around us.
When we ordered, he scoffed at our addition of cheese to one of the pizzas and when the pizza finally came, it looked like the ingredients had been thrown on with no care whatsoever.
Our salad and wine was delicious, but our waiter never asked us how our meal was or if we needed anything else. The rude service would prevent me from ever returning. -
Review from Jon S.
Vancouver, BC
6/18/2011
This place is simply phenomenal. We made reservations for a Friday night (highly recommended, although not on OpenTable). When we arrived at 6:30, the restaurant was already hopping. It's well laid out and offers lots of intimate tables and tables for groups of 6 or so. They were playing subtitled Italian movies on two-screens which was a nice touch to the atmosphere. Lots of people got seated at the bar after we arrived and I even saw one guy get a take-out pizza.
The food....oh the food! We decided to split an antipasto, pasta, and pizza between the two of us. The Breseola plate was a great start and served with fresh bread and olive oil. The gnocchi with pesto is amazing! The gnocchi actually melted in our mouths. I've never experienced the like! And we ordered one of the pizza specials which was very good but the toppings weren't so evenly spread. I do have to say that the crust and the cheese made me miss Italy though! The crust was light and crispy at the same time.
The wine menu is very good. My partner chatted up the waitress and ordered a Montepulciano. She later returned with a sheet of paper with more wine recommendations for a trip to Napa that they incidentally discussed. I indulged in a Unibroue Blanche de Chambly. After supper, my partner ordered a macchiato and even this was phenomenal. All told, this was the perfect meal and the bill only came to $100. We will definitely be back! -
Review from Feifei R.
Vancouver, BC
7/6/2011
Firstly, you may not want to have a birthday dinner party here. The limited sitting and the popularity of the restaurant make it almost impossible to accommodate a group of 14.
The first time when we were here for my bf's birthday dinner. 14 of us waited for almost half an hour to be seated, waited two hours from stepping in the restaurant to having the first bite of the pizza. We were one next to each other crowded together. The house gave us a bottle of wine to say sorry, which was really nice of the house. But overall it was not good experience with that large group of people.
Regardless, the Pizza was still good. My bf and I decided to give it another try after that party. This second time, not only the owner remembered us, also gave us each a glass of Bellini. We seated at the bar quickly. Overall, the pizzas we eat there were all pretty good with reasonable waiting time for small group of people. -
Review from Ernesto G.
7/13/2011 1 photo
A-OK.
Came here for dinner last nite with a couple of friends and it was all right. We ordered two pizzas and a pasta dish. Nothing special. Best part of the dinner was the dessert, where we shared tiramisu.
No alcohol, dinner for 3, ran us $70 before tip. -
Review from Melissa K.
Vancouver, BC
7/17/2011
I normally don't write reviews but I come to Bibo so often I feel like I am due for a review.
First off, as any newly open restaurant, Bibo has its growing pains some days but hopefully customers will find some patience to stick around because the food is simply amazing.
Bibo is one of those places that may underwhelm you the first time because of the simplicity of the dishes. They put a strong focus on quality and authenticity at the expense of creating dishes geared towards North American preferences. I spent some time in Italy last year and the food was simple so that you could taste the freshness of the ingredients; Bibo does it the way it's supposed to be. High quality, authentic, delicious...no compromises. No other restaurant in town has the same philosophy. If you don't love it the first time, at least try to remember what you had, go somewhere else, then go back to Bibo. You will be pleasantly surprised and will surely come to appreciate it more.
Their pizzas are delicious. Yes, their crust is not thin and crunchy, but it's not supposed to be. The only place I've had better pizza is in Milan. I just went to Serious Pie in Seattle, a 4star restaurant with 988 reviews, boasting the best pizza in Seattle, and Bibo just blew it out of the water. So much so that with every bite I took I wanted to head to Bibo as soon as I get back to Vancouver just so I can have some real pie.
The owners are new in the business which leads them to focus on the quality of the dish rather than their return on investment and marketing to the masses. This may not be the best approach for business, but customers will get Italian food the way its meant to be; right out of Italy.
The owners are passionate and friendly, and have never failed to show us a good time. On top of that, they make the best wine recommendations. The staff is friendly and attentive, and seem to love working there which adds to the ambiance. I look forward to seeing this restaurant grow, and hope that people will come to see what my friends and I love so much if they don't already. -
Review from Sophia C.
Vancouver, BC
4/8/2011
The Bibo has been receiving a lot of good press lately, so I was pretty excited to have a dinner date at this buzzing restaurant. However, there are certainly a few things this hot-spot needs to work on before achieving 'ace' status in Vancouver.
First off, the food was very well done. I enjoyed all the dishes thoroughly, especially the pesto sauced gnocchi. I normally don't order gnocchi because of its heaviness, but this one was light as a pillow. We ordered the Margherita Formula One pizza and the flavour combination tasted great! I am not used to the neapolitan style of pizzas, but do love flat and thin pizzas. The crust was a favourite of mine. My group also ordered Bibo's buretta cheese plate, which is definitely to-die-for. They pair it with some greens and tomatoes. Highly recommend!
What they need to work on is a bit of finesse and efficiency with their service. Our server was slow and hovered around too much when we were calculating our perspective bills (she stood right at our table and waited). It is always great to get a hello from the owners, even if it is quick. However, although they were around and greeting familiar guests, they didn't touch base with any other tables, including our own. Maybe I am picky because I am used to the fabulous service Albert at Q4 Al Centro gives, but it is a nice touch, especially for a new restaurant.
I look forward to visiting The Bibo again in a few months and see how they grow. -
Review from Sherry L.
Coquitlam, BC
7/27/2011
I had my birthday party here (for 15 people) after dined here previously. Our reservation was for 8:45pm, but that was my own fault for trying to make a reservation the day before. We were promptly seated, and the service was quick.
The gnocchi with pesto was phenomenal. Their pesto is made by hand! My friends got the margerita pizza, which also seemed delicious.
For dessert, we got the chocolate pizza (excellent idea), and the tiramisu (AMAZING). -
Review from Rick C.
3/20/2011 39 photos
I was more than a little famished when I arrived on the scene. I gobbled up some appetizers readily including some exotic (to me) veggies of pickled and cold prepared variety. They were quite edible.
The cheeses and sliced meats with bread were very good as well as the assorted Italian items. I enjoyed the diversity and attention to detail in the food quality.
The joint was buzzing with the sweet smells of Italiano. Everything was so "Italian". The owners Lorenzo Bottazzi and Andrea Bini were vibrant with their pin-striped suits, thick accents, coiffed hair, and zeal for food. I also adored the fact that they played the Italian cinematic masterpiece 8 1/2 on two massive televisions in the background.
From olive oil, olives, wine, cheese, pizza, pasta, everything was authentic Italian to the nth degree. The attention to detail was so great. It felt like a slice of Italy right on West 4th Avenue in rainy Vancouver.
The pizza was super authentic with thin bread and cooked in a visible wood oven fire. I was told that the owners especially recruited their pizza chef from Naples going through the whole immigration process and that he had only been in the country a few short months, speaking not a lick of English.
The pastas were incredible. I was impressed with their diversity from veggies, to mushroom, to cheese and pesto and so on. So very good. They did very little talking or selling. The food, atmosphere, and service spoke for itself.
The space was cleared out with plenty of room to mingle and lounge. I liked the setup a lot. Nice and open. The service was also stellar. The staff were very friendly, knowledgeable, fast, attentive, and sharp. My only complaint would probably be that there was too much food and I filled up on appies. Seriously, the entrées were never ending.
Oh my goodness. I love, love dessert and these desserts were stellar. The solid creme was intriguing, but the tiramisu was delicious with its sauciness and espresso flavour. The chocolate and flaun were also scrumptious. However, the chocolate pizza was insanely amazing with its rich, melty Nutella goodness.
Everything was superb and authentic. I chatted with maestro gelatiere James Coleridge from Bella Gelateria and he marvelled at the owners' expertise and commitment to authenticity. The event was well hosted and organized and the food was ample and superb. I left so very full.Listed in: Diverse Eateries
-
Review from Suiki S.
Vancouver, BC
5/7/2011 3 photos
I had my big 3-0 birthday party at The Bibo, located on 4th and Burrard across from Trattoria. Due to the huge popularity of this restaurant, I made my reservation for a group of 20 on a Saturday night at 6:30pm 2 weeks in advance. My boyfriend and I arrived at 6:20pm and were standing at the front of the restaurant for at least 10 minutes before we were greeted and seated. Later on, I found out our party was split into 2 tables of 10 - which is a very odd arrangement since it divided my group into 2 separate tables - it was a terrible setup for a party/mingling.
The decor and ambiance at The Bibo is upbeat and trendy - white brick walls accented with deep burgundy red features/upholstery and chrome light fixtures - classic yet modern. The highlight of the room is definitely the big projection screen at the back of restaurant playing vintage Italian movies - it definitely created a nice and romantic atmosphere.
My entire party didn't arrived until 7pm. During that period, we were approached by our waiter at 3 different occasions to put in our orders. Our mingling was constantly interrupted by the rushed service and the constant demand for us to order ( ie, wine, appetizers, dinner, dessert) - a little bit too pushy. Since we took up 1/3 of the restaurant and there is a long line up at the door - I felt like our party was consistently rushed throughout dinner; therefore, no being able to enjoy ourselves completely.
Now, down to the Food and Menu. The Bibo emphasized on providing the best quality and authenticity in ingredients imported from Italy; however, I believe their great vision has failed to translate properly in their dishes. Their pizza and pasta are average but not extraordinary nor unique. For Dinner, we had:
Gnocchi $16 - Fresh homemade Gnocchi pasta served with meat ragu with your choice of pesto or tomato sauce. The Gnocchi is well prepared - fluffy and light - pillow soft; however, the sauce was average.
Tagliatella Ragu $16 - The pasta was a bit overcooked and not al dente. I was expecting a meaty ragu sauce but the dish was served in a Bolognese type of ground meat sauce - not what I was expecting.
Crudo Pizza $20 - Featuring mozzarella , prosciutto , arugula flakes and parmesan. The pizza crust was terrible - very soggy and soft and lacks texture; however, the the proscutto and mozzarella topping was good.
Tiramisu $8 - What a disappointment - I couldn't taste the Espresso nor Rum in the soaked ladyfingers and the Mascarpone wasn't rich enough - I only tasted cream but not the creaminess of the mascarpone cheese; however, it had a nice velvety texture.
Overall, the food is average and overpriced for the small portions. Bibo's vision of fresh imported ingredients did not translated well into the taste and quality of their pasta and pizza dishes. Restaurant operation requires organization and services needs to be more attentive. If you have a big party, this is not the place to go unless you want to be rushed.
Food - 3 stars
Ambiance - 3 1/2 stars
Décor - 3 1/2 stars
Service - 2 1/2 stars
Value - 3 stars -
Review from m l.
Vancouver, BC
5/21/2011
Totally authentic. I've spent lots of time in Campania, Liguria, Lazio and Toscana, and this food represents the best of Italian food -- and, I would say, is even better. The standard of care, and the attention to quality is on another level than even Italy itself. This is like eating at your best friend's Italian mama's house for dinner.
Flavors are fantastic, as they should be, but the demeanor is not arrogant in the least. The BiBo presents all the quality that you would expect in a memorable dining experience, but retains its rusticity. You want authentic Italian food, but don't have time to fly to Italy: go to BiBo! -
Review from Lyndsay S.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2011
Walking into this place and you're transported to a classy, Euro nouveau-riche 90's-feel atmosphere - everything is bright and nice and shiny, with shades of red and green popping out in various places, glass and metal and leather abound. The giant flatscreen TVs are a bit weird, they were playing what looked like an old period-piece Italian movie. Kind of added to the overall strange atmosphere, in a good way.
The first thing I noticed though, was the dark haired Italian muscleman in tight white tshirt, standing guard in front of the pizza oven, patiently awaiting to destroy people's minds with his pizza-making. And pizza we did have! I had the Tonno, which sounded like it could be either super gross or super delicious! Since I am crazy about tuna-melts, this was like an elevated pizza version - mozzarella, red onions caramelized and sweet from the mega hot pizza fire, and tuna scattered on top. The crust was chewy and crisp and good, although the crust itself tasted a little too salty for my liking. I also had the Funghi Porcini! The mushrooms tasted salty like soy sauce! Interesting flavour. I liked it. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating, we also ordered the Tagliere platter to start but since we don't eat meat, we got plenty of cheese and bread, and a lowered price as well (which we didn't expect).
Next time I'll try the pasta too! -
Review from Trevor M.
Vancouver, BC
4/25/2011
I was in Naples a couple years ago and the pizza is fantastic! Everywhere you go around Italy the word is that Napolean Pizzas are the Bee's knees. I tended to agree although I had some good pizza in Tuscany.
Anyway, the pizza at Bibo's is to die for! Yum. We had the Crudo pizza and I am in love. The dough is better than the pizzas I had in Italy. Basically, the best pizza ever. The Gnocci was scrumptous also. Add a beer and I was very happy.
Oh, I almost forgot, the desert menu was great also. We had the panna cotta and it was great.
Will be back. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
3/25/2011 2 photos
* Neapolitan prizefight *
Vancouver now has two Neapolitan style pizzerias with wood fired ovens. Time for a prizefight!
In one corner we have the much hyped Gastown Nicli (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) known for their knockdown PR punch. In the other corner we have the relatively unknown Kitsilano challenger Bibo.
* Ding Ding Ding *
* Round 1 - PR skills *
Nicli wins this round hands down. There was so much anticipation and buzz surrounding their opening that there were lines on the first night of the soft opening. Bibo quietly opened without much fanfare (they had a small opening party but it wasn't as well publicized). Nicli 1, Bibo 0.
* Round 2 - Origin *
Nicli's owner's last name is McCaig and he grew up in Ontario with an Italian mother. He traveled in Italy last summer tasting pizzas and then took a course in Southern California from the Vera Pizza Napoletana Americas Association. Bibo's co-owners' last names are Bottazzi and Bini and they came to Vancouver from Italy. Their master pizza maker, Salvatore, trained for four years in Naples. This round goes to Bibo. Nicli 1, Bibo 1.
* Round 3 - Pricing *
The pricing is fairly similar with a basic margherita at both places being $12. Nicli seems to mark up the toppings a bit more with a diavola being $18 compared to Bibo's more reasonable $15. Bibo also has a higher end version of the margherita though called the Formula One at a much higher $22. So this round is basically a wash. Nicli 1, Bibo 1.
* Round 4 - Oven *
Both places have a nice wood burning oven. Tie. Nicli 1, Bibo 1.
* Round 5 - Taste *
Nicli's crust had a nice char, but the pizza arrived lukewarm and had accumulated way too much steam under the crust to bring it past the point of the typical Neopolitan pizza softer centre into the steamed range. The toppings were of decent quality, but extremely sparse. Bibo's pizza arrived nice and hot with a wonderful char on the crust. Surprisingly it was cut, which I don't think they normally do based upon reading about them. But in any case, the outside edges were crunchy with a softer centre - like it should be. It had a lighter overall flavour. The toppings were also of good quality, with a slight edge to the quality of toppings at Nicli (particularly the cheese). But overall this round goes to Bibo. Nicli 1, Bibo 2. Photos of the Bibo margherita: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
* Round 6 - Menu variety *
Nicli's menu focuses heavily on pizzas and a few antipasti and salads. Bibo has a much more extensive menu with housemade pastas and a wider selection of antipasti. On the pizza options Bibo has a larger variety of toppings too. I haven't sampled outside of the basic margherita pizza, but on variety Bibo wins hands down. Nicli 1, Bibo 3.
* Ding Ding Ding - We have a winner! *
Overall Nicli only won the PR round and Bibo tied or won every other round. They also will be winning my future Neopolitan pizza purchases going forward. I'm looking forward to trying more of their menu as well.Listed in: Vancouver European Food, Vancouver Pizza
-
Review from Todd M D.
Vancouver, BC
4/20/2011
our first and last experience at The Bibo started bad and ended terrible.
the manager (owner?) first words to us as we were being seated was "you have until 8:30pm" and then he walked off. this gave us two hours which was fine because we had plans. however, his delivery was arrogant and hostile...
the server approach us after 30mins with "can i get your order in?" unfortunately, we didn't have menus. eventually, we received menus which were saturated with pretentious descriptions and lacked sophistication...
"the most expensive and distinguished tomatoes." expensive? is expensive a flavour? in the end, it took 45mins to place our orders...
the food was okay. the ingredients were good but are they worth "importing them to The BiBo from Italian farmers" as they claim especially in a city where supporting the local organic farming community and minimizing our carbon footprint is a priority. personally, i wouldn't advertising such irresponsible behaviour...
while we were eating the manager (owner?) began pacing around our table. at first, it was a bit comical eventually it went from annoying to infuriating. the waitress never asked us about the food or if we wanted more drinks or dessert. she simply placed the bill on our table and continued on her frantic way. note: two of six people were still eating...
at the end of the meal, when we expressed our dissatisfaction at the service and treatment to the manager (owner?) he rudely and arrogantly replied he didn't care and lots of his patrons were happy. i was shocked at his unapologetic attitude. this city is filled with great restaurants who are happy, grateful and thankful to provide wonderful dinning experience and if this is "the TRUE Italian experience" as the owners claims then i'm not interested...
this place is a big disappointment with terrible service... -
Review from daisey d.
Vancouver, BC
4/24/2011
The short version: Not good enough!
The long version:
The disappointing service started when they took our reservation and informed us that we had better be on time because they are very busy... We were on time, the restaurant was full but not packed and the waitress took 20 minutes to take our drink order and bring us water (hint: if you're concerned about turning over tables, don't have them sit for over 30 min before taking the food order!).
Speaking of drinks - don't order wine you're not familiar with, as the wine list is highly variable in quality (there are no useful descriptions and some are not what you'd expect given the type of wine) and the servers answer questions about a wine with knowledgeable gems like "well, it's a pinot grigio."
Now onto the food - but first a note about the menu. Ideally when writing a menu for a loud restaurant one would name the dishes so that they don't sound the same, but not at Bibo. Yes, two people at the table were brought the wrong pizza because the server misheard the order (apparently prosciutto and porcini sound very similar - little did we know that we would have been better off with the prosciutto since the porcini, normally one of my favorites, were shriveled and flavorless).
There were 4 of us at the table and 2 loved their pizzas and 2 thought they were the blandest things they'd ever eaten. The secret seems to be in the ordering. The sauce and mozzarella are very bland, which is fine for the pizzas with strong toppings (e.g. gorgonzola or prosciutto), but they don't adjust it for the plainer pizzas.
Overall, the food just isn't good enough to be worth the price or the attitude. -
Review from Van T.
Vancouver, BC
4/16/2011
Loud, fast music, slooooooow service.
The food was good, but good food isn't hard to find. This place doesn't have the whole package. They need to work on the quality of their service, particularly in the area of timing. Your meal here could easily take twice as long as more polished establishments, especially if they lose your reservation.
Menu is full of pretentious quotes by the owner, telling how fabulous Italy and Italian food are. -
Review from P M.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 3/28/2011
Quite disappointed with their pizzas. Way too chewy, sometimes soggy.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/23/2011
I went here with a group of friends for the first time. We heard rave reviews about the pizzas and… Read more »
-
-
Review from Dontcallmeafoodblogger D.
West Vancouver, BC
12/12/2011
Pretty good pizza. Pasta fresca not as good. What was sad was that the restaurant was empty when we were there for lunch. We were there from around 12:30 pm to 2:30 and we were the only table there the whole time. Hopefully the place does good business during dinnertime because good pizza is hard to come by, especially in this city.
