La Villetta is a Burnaby Heights institution serving up European cuisine with world influences. The dining space is quite intimate and is divided into a more casual dining area on one side and a more formal set up on the other.
For Crave the Heights they are offering a $19.99 set menu as well as several appetizer, pasta and drink specials. I stopped by to try their set menu as well as their seafood platter special and vegetarian pasta special.
The mussels were extremely plump and juicy and the serving size was generous for the price. The white wine sauce was very flavourful with strong garlic notes.
The sauce went really well with the warm table bread. Overall, and excellent appetizer to start the meal.
The Caesar Salad was a standard preparation. The croutons were crunchy, and the romaine leaves were fresh, but I would probably not order this on its own.
The lasagna was simple and delicious. The noodles were fresh and cooked perfectly and the beef was delicious. The cheese was broiled on top from being baked in the oven and added a slightly chewy texture to the dish which I enjoyed.
This was another winner for me. All the components worked well together and the Cannelloni was generously stuffed with ricotta. The same tomato sauce was used in this dish and the beef lasagna dish and it worked just as well in this dish.
The gelato was rich and creamy with a strong hazelnut flavour. It was similar to eating a frozen Ferrero Rocher and it was a great way to end the meal.
The tiramisu was light and creamy with a strong punch of espresso flavour. It was served in a parfait style which worked well because the mascarpone cream was on the thinner side.
Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at La Villetta Ristorante. The dishes were all executed well and were not too heavy. Restraint is exercised well, and I didn’t feel like I needed to be rolled out of the restaurant from an excess of carbs and cheese.
The service was friendly and the atmosphere was bustling. It’s a definite gem serving up no frills Italian food with heart.
