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Zambri's
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Zambri's
17 reviews in English
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Review from Salsaboy S.
8/30/2011
More appropriately, 3.5 stars.
We recently had dinner at Zambri's. The menu is nice, and the staff and kitchen is knowledgeable about its food and what is (and what is not) vegetarian. Many of its sauces and/or soups are made with pork stocks, so vegetarians/vegans beware. That said, the staff seems to know much of this, and I implored my server to check on a chickpea soup that sounded vegetarian but turned out was not.
Overall, the menu at Il Terrazzo (another Italian restaurant where we ate the night before) was a bit more flexible and varied for vegetarians. I think the menu here was a bit more high-end and nuanced (in theory), and it was probably a few bucks cheaper to boot. That said, I preferred my meal, hands-down, at Il Terrazzo.
We started with a mushroom-cream pizza. Because of a misunderstanding in the kitchen, we were served a pizza of the day, which was a pureed vegetable, tomato sauce, bechamel, and smoked cheese. They brought out the mushroom pizza afterwards. Of the two, to my surprise (because I'm loco for mushrooms), I found the pizza of the day more delicious (though the mushroom pizza was also good, and my father preferred that). The crust was good. It wasn't blistered or flakey or Neopolitan-thin, but it was good. Pizzas weren't too heavy. The highlight of the meal.
My entree was a pesto dish. The server seemed to hesitate about the tomato-sauced pastas, and when she checked with the kitchen, she was told that the linguini pesto with long beans and potatoes was the best vegetarian pasta offered. So I went with that. My initial reservation was that the pesto would be over-powered by the linguini if it were not robust enough. True to her word, this was not a problem. Rather, this pesto got boring after a while. Zambri's serves good-sized portions for dinner (at least with the pasta), and it was a lot of pesto to eat. On the plus-side, it wasn't oily pasta. My father got a tomato-based pasta with scallops and something else. He said it was very good.
At the end of the day, the meal was good. If the pasta would have been as good as the pizza, it would be a true 4-star. It's the kind of place that were I a local I could experiment with different possibilities and find what works best for me with this kitchen. Truth be told, I wouldn't order the pesto again, and if the server was correct -- that the pesto is the best vegetarian item on the menu -- then I'd have a difficult time here. Other than a mixed salad and a couple of pizzas, pasta is all that's left for vegetarians. No risottos, no eggplant, no vegetable-based creations or lasangas or inspirations. It has options, but it's limited. For meat and fish eaters, there is much more from which to choose.
On the plus side, it seemed like more of a local haunt than Il Terrazzo, several blocks away from downtown and flying beneath the radar on TripAdvisor. That said, if I had to choose between the two, I'd unquestionably choose Il Terrazzo, even with the tourists. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
4/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've heard from many a friend that Zambri's is a never miss when you're in Victoria, and well after six months of living on the Island I finally made it.
We got there at 12:30, mid lunch rush but it was no problem because they have a patio in the Atrium building which feels like you're outside, but you're just in the heart of the Atrium. I though it was actually really lovely.
The menu is amazing, really great selection of pizza, pasta, some salads and sandwiches. I settled for the gnocchi with sausage ragu which has their housemade sausage and braised kale. I am always a little hesitant to order gnocchi because it's often really rich, but after receiving three separate recommendations for it I thought I'd try. It was divine. It wasn't too rich at all, the sausage was perfect and the kale a really nice addition. It was a more than generous serving for a lunch portion, and about right at $14.
My colleague had the spaghetti aglio olio peperoncin which was spaghetti with olive oil browned garlic, chilis, parsley and breadcrumbs. I stole a little bite and it was really, really lovely. Light sauce and strong garlic flavour balanced with the chilis. I really appreciated that both dishes weren't too rich.
All in all I thought it was really great food. And I have to comment on the atmosphere as I know there are some foodies who aren't super pleased that Zambi's moved into the Atrium building. I thought the decore was perfect, the layout actually quite intimate while remaining open with large windows looking out to Yates and Blanchard. I thought that they had done a really good job with the bar and lighting. I was very impressed. -
Review from Quoc H.
Edmonton, AB
4/18/2011
Had dinner here on a Sunday evening with 4 other adults and child (less than 1 year old). Complements: First off, kudos for being open on a Sunday in Victoria. Secondly, they were very accommodating for the young child and our server was quite with the kid as well. Finally, we started with a series of apps that included the octopus that came with some fried broccoli, pizza with potato/gorgonzola/olives/herbs and an endive salad - all very tasty and we felt these stole the show.
We all ordered pastas as our second course but none of us were blown away by what we got - the Garganelli with balsamic lamb ragu (prefer a more rich, meaty sauce - this one was lighter and sweetened with peaches), Spaghetti alla sabbia (wished the taste of the sardines was stronger), and Orecchiette with rapini pesto & cherry tomato sauce (flavours settled during the meal so dish was better later than when first served).
In the end, enjoyable meal. -
Review from John W.
Richmond, BC
8/9/2011
Went there for lunch with a client.
The patio was beautiful, i had Gnocchi with kale. Very interesting dish and it was very flavourful. For your bread tray to start, they include two different types of olives and pickles. The olives were delicious, velvety in texture and wonderful aftertaste.
i would give it 5 stars but the menu is very limited, not too much variety to choose from. Other than that, everything else is excellent. Definitely coming back here next time i'm in Victoria -
Review from Dave D.
Victoria, BC
6/19/2011
I'd give it 5 stars but for this level of restaurant 5 stars means flawless.
Very good food, great atmosphere, wonderful service. A few plates in our party weren't as good as mine so I'm not counting it as perfect but I'll definitely go back. -
Review from R E.
North Saanich, BC
10/8/2011
Just had lunch there today and was quite disappointed. To give a context we are pizza aficionados and eat at Serious Pie as much as possible. We had never had pizza here so thought would give it a go. Not something I would recommend. Both in conception and execution all our pizzas were just average. Another person had the fritatta which I sampled and it lacked seasoning and was quite bland. The service also was lacking. Ordering, clearing and the presentation of the bill were all slow. And failing to check on how are food was is a major faux pas in my opinion. Food was a 2.5 and service 1.5.
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Review from Wade P.
Victoria, BC
11/20/2011
Service was excellent. Food was delectable and satisfying. Will definately return.
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Review from Tom B.
1/18/2011
We stopped in for lunch, and the pizza was as good as I'd expected. After choosing to skip eating there on a Sunday night when the spot was almost completely empty, it was a nice surprise to see a bustling crowd at lunch on a Monday.
Service was pretty solid, and I absolutely saw a pretty wide variety of items being ordered across the restaurant, so they're definitely not a one-trick pony, to say the least. Would definitely go again and perhaps try a couple of courses to get a better vibe, but was pleased with the price, portion, location, and quality. -
Review from Erik M.
12/1/2008
"Don't be put off by the fact that it's in a strip mall behind a London Drugs" is how our friend suggested Zambri's for dinner. The location isn't all that odd, but parking may be a bit of a challenge if you arrive at the wrong time.
This award-winning restaurant is small and cozy with a romantic, rustic ambiance featuring an open kitchen and natural wood tables and chairs. They don't take reservations and are only open four hours for dinner, so get there early to ensure a table - we arrived at about 6:15 and had a reasonable 20-minute wait, but parties arriving later waited a fair bit longer. They have a private room in the back for groups of up to 20 if you're looking for a larger get together, which I assume requires a reservation.
Once seated, the service was good, although we had someone greet us and bring us a drink menu in case we "wanted something while waited for our table," but she never returned to actually take our drink order until we were seated.
The wine list is reasonably priced and offers a large number of good wines by the glass or 1/2 litre. The food menu is simple but well-rounded and any of the dishes included in the daily three-course dinner may be ordered a la carte.
All of the food was fresh and tasty, with ample portions for most of the dishes. The crispy octopus appetizer was very good, and the gorgonzola sauce for my perfectly-prepared beef tenderloin was flavorful but not heavy or overpowering. My polenta was a tad overcooked but not offensively so. The mixed greens were very fresh with a light dressing, but one of the salads was little heavy on the radicchio without enough less bitter veggies to balance it out. For dessert, we opted for a glass of port, but the dessert menu had a selection of the usual, finer suspects (creme brulee, pot du creme au chocolat, etc).
Overall, it was a very enjoyable dining experience and the only hesitation I would have recommending Zambri's for a romantic evening or special occasion is that they don't take reservations, so it might be a bit of a crapshoot as to when you'll get a table.Listed in: On the Road - West
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Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
11/16/2008
Zambri's serves some of the freshest Italian food I've ever tasted - the pastas, the bread, the fish - everything is fresh. Zambri's also has a tendency to overload its tomato-focused sauces with tomato itself, drowning out all other flavor, making for acidic sauces. Its non-tomato based sauces are intensely and differently flavored, with compositions that distribute the flavors evenly. It's a gastronomic event.
Zambri's is a rather small restaurant, located in a strip mall with one of the oddest-shaped parking lots ever. But there's always free parking! Once inside the restaurant, you wouldn't know its true situation, as it does a good job of shielding the pedestrian architecture and cars the restaurant's windows face. The walls are white, the paper table covers are white - the design is minimal, but comfortable.
We found the service to be especially slow and inattentive, but the restaurant provides the warning that food may take over 30 minutes to be served, as everything is made to order.
There's always a wait and no reservations are accepted. -
Review from Sara W.
Victoria, BC
12/12/2009
Hmm. I'm definitely in the minority by giving this place a mediocre rating when everyone else seems to be raving about it, so I'm hoping I just hit an off-day or something. I've certainly heard enough good things about Zambri's over the years to fill a small book, and when my mom and I met here for lunch a few weeks ago my expectations were definitely high.
First of all, the food: Both of us ordered a bowl of farfalle pasta with wild mushrooms in a butter/white wine sauce. Sounds simple but good, right? Well, not really. The flavours were so simple that I ended up getting bored of it after a few bites -- the mushrooms were few and far between, and the sauce didn't have even a hint of wine-ish flavour to it. Essentially, it just was a gigantic bowl of plain buttered pasta.
I wasn't a huge fan of the atmosphere in the restaurant either. Granted, there's not much they can change about the parking lot view, but I felt like the layout of the restaurant itself was kind of cramped (as soon as we walked in, we were smack in the middle of a crowd of people trying to peruse the menu, place their orders, and pay), and the decor felt pretty sparse.
All this said, I'd probably give Zambri's a try again sometime in the future, most likely for a dinner this time, to see if I can get a taste of what everyone else has experienced here. -
Review from Dustin D.
Victoria, BC
7/15/2010
Date night dinner at Zambri's was a success, though a full bottle of well recommended wine at the table may have played a small role.
Zambri's is usually busy and this was no exception, so a 10 minute wait for two people wasn't bad at all. The restaurant is fairly tight inside for a guy my size, so I was actually happy to get offered a pair of bar seats since all of the tables were full.
We were seated quickly and were well attended with our bread refilled a few times. Our wine glasses were generally topped for us throughout the night. The buffalo cheese was a nice start and we tried the mussels (something we normally don't order, but were feeling adventurous) and surprisingly managed to finish them. We shared the gnocchi which was quite nice, though I was probably a kid the last time I had it, so I don't have a good frame of reference for quality gnocchi. For mains I went with the highly Yelp recommended bleu cheese beef sirloin and my fiancee had the lamb. We were both already so full that it was hard to get through them despite them being well prepared and quite tasty.
The whole night was quite good from start to finish... but that's part of the reason they got a 3 star but not a 4, I had pretty high expectations and I just found that every thing was very good, but very little was great. The layout also doesn't suit me very well. For the cost of the evening, there's a number of other places I would return to before Zambri's. All that said, I can still recommend it for the quality food and service we received, it's just not a top ranker for me personally. -
Review from Dan D.
Victoria, BC
8/6/2009
Santa Cleopatra! The food is so damned good. Jeez it's good.
The ambience, the service, the menu, the wine... always great.
The chairs, though... bloody hell! The chairs were taken from some Puritan torture chamber. And the location: a strip mall. Uggh.
But they are moving soon, I read somewhere.
And the food is so so so good. -
Review from Jennifer H.
Victoria, BC
10/25/2010
Sunday lunch couldn't have gone any better. A last minute decision for a lunch location brought us here and we were not disappointed. The service was outstanding from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. I had the Homemade Meatballs with Polenta, followed by lemon gelato. Both were out of this world delicious. The meatballs were large, moist and smothered in a perfect tomato sauce topped with fresh peas and polenta slices. I believe plate lickable are the appropriate words. The gelato was heavenly, both fresh tasting and loaded with sweet tidbits of candied lemon peel. If this is what lunch is all about I can not wait to taste the dinner selection.
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Review from Brad M.
6/2/2010
Just had dinner there based off Yelp review's. Service = mediocre to poor, did not refill drinks, bread below avg with no oil nor butter, food average to below avg for price, lot of work for the linguine w/ prawns/messy, gnocci nothing special to write home to mama, had better in Italian district in San Fran. Ambiance - poor, small, cramped, better ambiance in backyard of home. Will I visit again - NO!
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Review from g s.
6/24/2009
The best Italian and one of the better restaurants in Victoria. Excellent food and wine, with a knowledgeable staff to help with pairing the two. Service is generally good. It would be nice to be able to make reservations. The location isn't ideal, but the food always makes up for any shortcomings. Overall, I've been there dozens of times and have always had a great meal.
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Review from Caro W.
Victoria, BC
4/23/2010
I guess I'm hopping on the "Yay Zambri's" bandwagon!
Atmosphere: very pleasant and cozy. Knowledgeable staff (they gave great input on the dishes)
Beef sirloin was according to my mom (probably the greatest foodie of all) a 10. It's hard not to like it when it comes drowned in a melt-in your mouth cheese sauce, with a well-prepared polenta. The beef sirloin was topped with truffles (not the chocolate but the mushroom kind - addictive nonetheless).
The gnocchi were drowned in a cream/mushroom sauce I found to be a bit heavy, but the amount of mushrooms didn't disappoint and the sauce disappeared along with the dish.
The ox tail pasta was mediocre (a solid 7 was the consensus) but a safe dish to get.
The appie we shared was very good. I'm not a fan of salad, but this one was topped with beef heart and tongue, and I only wish there would've been more of both! (I apologize to the vegans and vegetarians out there)
I'll definitely be paying Zambri's another visit and I'll check out their lamb and desert menu!
