Locanda dell’Orso is inspired by the old legend of the Innkeeper and the Bear. They have taken over the former space of Autostrada on Pender Street. This intimate and cozy spot has the ambiance of a warm and welcomin Italian home. Their menu features dishes found across Northern and Coastal Italy. Locanda dell’Orso is commited to using ingredients from local farms as well as imports directly from Italy. I got a sneak peek ahead of their opening, and in true family style, we ordered a pretty wide variety of dishes to cover all our bases. Check out my full review of Locanda dell’Orso Vancouver below.
Locanda dell’Orso Vancouver – Starters (Antipasti and Insalate)
To start we had a few starters:
- Crostini Trio ($27.00)
- Burrata di Puglia ($30.00)
- Hallmark Farm Chicken Liver Mousse ($24.00)
- Carne Cruda ($30.00)
The Crostini Trio consists of:
- Whipped ricotta, agrodolce chicories, brown butter & chili honey
- White anchovies, dragoncello, soft boiled egg
- Nduja, braised fennel, guanciale, caciocavallo
The crostini were very colourful with a great selection of different toppings and textures. My favourite was the white anchovy crostini. The fishiness of the anchovy balances out the richness of the yolk from the egg.
The Burrata di Puglia was the highligh of the night for the table. The burrata was so silky smooth and fresh. The crusty bread was the perfect accompainment to the smooth cheese. This is a must order dish for me.
The Hallmark Farm Chicken Liver Mousse features preserves, carta di musica, fruit & nut seeded crisp. I love chicken livers so this dish was right up my alley. The mousse was thick and creamy with a strong liver flavour. The tartness of the preserves help to balance out the richness of the mousse – a little goes a long way. I actually prefer having the mousse with the bread that came with the Burrata and the Cruda.
The Carne Cruda features capers, dijon, pickled shallots, horseradish aioli, egg. This was a solid Italian Steak Tartare. The beef was fresh and the capers and pickled shallots add bright acidic notes to balance out the overall richness of the dish.
Locanda dell’Orso Vancouver – Mains (Pasta Fresa and Carne Pesce)
For our mains we went with:
- Agnolotti ($35.00)
- Risotto dell’Orso acquerello ($42.00)
- BC Halibut al Cartoccio ($50.00)
- Canestri Caponata ($32.00)
The Agnolotti features a chicken & beef filling, rosemary, red wine and jus. Agnolotti is a type of stuffed pasta typical of the Piedmont region of Italy. It is made with small pieces of flattened dough folded over a filling of roasted meat. Each piece was perfectly made and the rosemary was crisp which was a nice textural contrast from the softness of the pasta.
The Risotto dell’Orso Acquerello features Carnaroli rice, peas, stining nettle pistou, pecorino romano. The risotto was another favourite of the night. The pistou was very bright and the peas bring a nice freshness to the overall rich dish.
The BC Halibut al Cartoccio features Cropthorne beans, Swiss chard, peppers, soft herbs, charred lemon. The halibut was perfectly cooked – tender and flakey. The beans were a little underdone and was a bit chalky in texture.
The Canestri Caponata features Calabrian chili, basil, ricotta salata. Canestri means ‘basket’ and it’s in reference to the shape of the pasta. The ridges in the pasta was perfect for clinging to the zingy and spicy sauce. This was another favourite of the table. It’s a simple dish, but all the ingredients work so well together. The dish has eggplant as well as olives, so if you’re not a fan of olives this may not be the dish for you.
Worth a Try?
Locanda dell’Orso is a welcome addition to the Downtown Vancouver area. They are serving up homey and comforting Italian dishes in a cozy space. It’s a great Italian spot for girls night out, a dinner date or a casual catch up with friends. As they are freshly opened, there are definitely a few kinks they need to work out, but overall the food was tasty and I can see it thriving as they continue to grow.
Locanda dell’Orso
Address: 350 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1T1
Website: https://locandadellorso.com/