Carlino is the newest fine dining Italian restaurant on the block. Located inside the Shangri-La, Carlino pays pays homage to Northern Italy and its similarities to British Columbia. The menu at Carlino depends on fresh and seasonal ingredients and it will change to highlight the freshest ingredients. Carlino is known for their fai tu chef’s family-style tasting experience, but did you know they also did brunch? I had the opportunity to come by and try their new brunch menu over the weekend. Check out my full Carlino Restaurant review below!
Carlino Restaurant – Interiors
The dining space at Carlino Restaurant is truly stunning. It is an airy an elegant space that features an olive tree right in the center of the dining room! The olive tree represents the historic and crucial role olives take in Italian cuisine. This tree can be seen from almost every part of the dining room. In addition to a large main dining room area, there is also a large and expansive bar and lounge area.
Carlino Restaurant – Easter Brunch
Carlino is offering a special Easter brunch menu on April 16-18. For this weekend you can indulge in a delicious brunch board for two. We got to try a sneak peek of this board. The board will include mixed seasonal fruits, avocado, San Daniele prosciutto, bacon, poached eggs, chocolate covered strawberries, crostini, rosemary potatoes & mini yogurt parfait. For the Easter version, it will also include carrot cake waffles.
Our board was made for five, however for the Easter brunch it we be for two people and included with the board will be two hot drinks (coffee or tea) and two bubbles (prosecco or mimosa) for $69.00.
Carlino Restaurant – A La Carte Brunch Menu
Carlino has a fairly wide selection for their a la carte menu which should satisfy all palates. From Eggs Benny to house made gnocchi, there was so much to choose from. For my section of the table we had:
- Eggs Benny ($22.00)
- Chicken Cacciatora Waffles ($24.00)
- Housemade Gnocchi Alla Carbonara ($25.00)
- Italian Baked Eggs ($23.00)
For the Eggs Benny there are three flavour combinations to choose from:
- gravlax, dill, cream cheese
- spinach, mushrooms, goat cheese
- prosciutto, avocado
I went with the Prosciutto and Avocado Eggs Benny and it was divine. Instead of an English muffin, the base of the benny is Filoncino bread. Filoncino is a classic Italian bread that is long and airy, similar to a French baguette. The avocado was luscious and the prosciutto was nice and salty. It was a solid eggs benny.
The Chicken Cacciatora Waffles features braised chicken, tomato sauce, parmigiano, herbs waffles and a side of smashed rosemary potatoes. You can also add an egg for an additional cost. Unfortunately I did not have the chance to try, but it looks very delicious!
The Italian Baked Eggs features Italian ragu, soft baked eggs, parmigiano, filoncino bread and a side of smashed rosemary potatoes. Trudy got this dish and she said it was very decadent. The ragu was flavourful and she can definitely imagine enjoying this with some pasta!
The Housemade Gnocchi Alla Carbonara features guanciale, pecorino, and egg yolk. The majority of the table got this dish and the overall consensus was it was delicious albeit incredibly rich. However, I did get to try, so I cannot comment on the taste.
Worth a Try?
Yes! I found the brunch menu at Carlino to be incredibly well priced given its location and quality. The space is absolutely stunning, and the ambiance cannot be beat. There was live music playing softly in the background and it definitely enhanced the experience. I can’t remember the last time I had such an enjoyable and leisurely brunch. I will definitely be back to try their dinner menu!
Carlino Restaurant
Address: 1115 Alberni St Vancouver, BC V6E 1A5 (Shangri-La Vancouver)
Telephone: 604-695-1115
Website: https://www.carlinorestaurant.com