Trendy decor, tasty eats at The Italian in Langley
In Italy, the act of eating is as much about getting together with friends and loved ones as it is about fuelling the body.
That idea of togetherness is what originally inspired The Italian Osteria & Cheesebar in Langley.
“In Italy, sharing food and drink and bonding with extended family is a centuries-old tradition, and that idea of bringing family and friends together to share great dishes is what we’re all about at our establishments, too,” Bobby Lewis, chef for Joseph Richard Group, explains.
The modern trattoria, located in Walnut Grove, has a decor that is open-concept, punctuated with stylish free-standing white marble-topped tables and darkleather booths.
But as is the case with most restaurants, it’s not the decor that leaves the biggest impression on diners, but the food.
“It’s creative pizzas, handmade pastas and sauces, and refined desserts to finish a meal,” Lewis explains of the Italian eats on offer.
“We lean toward serving a full range of culinary experiences that Italy offers.” And, that includes a whole lot of cheese.
“Our cheese bar provides new ways to try some of the favourite and lesser-known cheeses of Italy, where 450 different types of cheeses are produced,” Lewis explains.
Our lunch party kicked off the meal with a slightly predictable Caesar Salad ($9), which offered up a shareable portion of romaine lettuce hearts coated in a housemade Parmesan yogurt dressing. The creamy Caesar dressing was given a nice lighter flavour thanks to a lemony kick and the shards of dehydrated olives on top gave an extra bite.
Each shareable dish on offer at The Italian delivered a pleasant twist on Italian classics.
“The menu was originally designed by our JRG Culinary Team, including executive chef Andy Slinn and corporate chef David Jorge — a MasterChef Canada winner,” Lewis says.
“We stayed consistent with Italy’s ingredients and flavours but also experimented with new combinations.”
We tucked into the pillowy, pan-fried Ricotta Gnocchi Pomodoro ($20) next, which proved to be a rich and delicious dish. Substituting ricotta cheese for the traditional potato ingredient in the gnocchi was a nice touch. The doughy delights were bathed in a delicate sauce made with Tuscan olive oil and grape tomatoes. The dish, we quickly decided after a few bites, was a true treat and turned out to be the favourite of our meal.
The Braised Shortrib Pappardelle ($23) with large, flat noodles crafted from perfectly cooked sheets of pasta, was made all the better by the San Marzano sauce. The shreds of braised beef were peppery and flavourful. But, beware, the dish is very filling and is best shared, especially if you’re interested in trying one of the pizzas.
Which, of course, we were — and we did.
The Prosciutto Gorgonzola pizza ($16) was delicious, the crust crispy and chewy. The pizzas are cooked in a clay fire oven, which helps to give the dough a nice texture and thorough cook, says Lewis.
Boasting a combination of ingredients including shaved prosciutto, baby arugula and dried cherries, the pie was a treat, if a tad disjointed.
While a richer base, perhaps with the Gorgonzola mixed in instead of crumbled on top, would have made for a creamier kick to boost the mild-flavoured prosciutto, the addition of the dried cherries added an unexpected hint of sweetness. Well done.
Lewis points to the eatery’s Beehive Pizza, which incorporates spicy Calabrian salami, honey, mozzarella, Grana Padano, and San Marzano tomato sauce as one of the more unique pies on offer. Next time, we’ll give that one a try.
We rounded out the meal with a serving of Nonna’s Lemon Tart ($9), a tart lemon custard with a scoop of vanilla bean gelato, coconut crumble and large wafers of meringue. The sweet-and-tangy serving wrapped up the Italian meal quite nicely.
Creating authentic Italian dishes can present a problem for sourcing all ingredients locally, but Lewis says one area where they’re able to shop local, is with their cheese.
“We are always on the lookout for the best quality products we can find. Sometimes that bring us to our own doorsteps,” he says.
“One of our favourite local suppliers is Farm House Natural Cheese, which is located in Agassiz.”
And, as for Lewis’ favourite dish on offer at the Italian, well, it’s a surprisingly classic — not to mention uncomplicated — choice.
“Personally, I love our Margherita Pizza,” he says of the dish, which we spotted on more than a few fellow diners’ tables. "We use authentic ingredients, from the flour in our dough, to the tomatoes in our pizza sauce.
“The flavour profile is simple yet delicious.”