787 Columbia Street, New Westminster
Tel: 604-522-0221
Web: http://pivarestaurant.ca/
Twitter: @PivaRestaurant
Instagram: @pivanewwest
Advice: Reservations suggested, walkins welcome.
With it’s central downtown setting inside the Anvil Centre, Executive Chef Subraaz Abdullah leads the kitchen where he offers up a creative and flavourful menu of Modern Italian influenced fare. This beautiful fine dining restaurant offers a large open kitchen, high ceilings and a nice bar area.
Arancini stuffed with wild mushrooms, mozzarella with a house-made truffle aioli was a great sharing dish to start off this wonderful meal. With a couple pastas to share, I loved the Fettucini with Prawn, scallop, white wine, tomato; followed by the Gnocchi with Eggplant, broccolini, tomato, chickpea, cipollini onion, artichoke, roasted lemon.
Both mains stole the show as these were my favourite dishes of the night, the Sablefish Pan-seared fish, bagna càuda, spaghetti aglio e olio, broccolini, tomato, salsa verde was truly outstanding as was the flavourful Lamb Chops Chicago-style double-cut chop, fig demi-glaze, gnocchi, brussel sprouts.
Tried one of their house-made pizzas, loved the flavours on the Duck & Fig Pizza with fig jam, spicy pancetta, mozzarella, apple, spinach.
For dessert, Lawrence and I shared a couple of their offerings, the Chocolate Cake – Flourless, butterscotch budino which was more like a cake with butterscotch sauce, followed by the favourite, For Nonna – Crispy phyllo, cherry compote, vanilla bean mascarpone; a wonderful dessert to end a fine Italian meal.
They offer up a good selection of wines, they also offer beer as well as cocktails. Take friends, take family and truly enjoy the wonderful food and experience at this gem.
Review by: Richard Wolak
New Westminster, BC V3M, Canada