The 9th annual Vancouver Foodster Pasta Challenge was a success featuring creations from restaurants around greater Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their Pasta creation from October 4-29, 2023. Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
The Winners are:
1st Place:
{107 points}
Vivace on the Drive
L’oceano Vivace
Price: $29
Created by: Chef Rory Byrne
Description: House made squid ink tagliolini with seared scallops and lemon butter foam with trout roe and chorizo. The design of the plate is intended to be the sea foam at the edge of the sea colliding with the land, the capers representing rocks on the side and the scallops and roe living inside the ocean.
Offered: Everyday from 3pm until close (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
Available: Dine in only
Vivace on the Drive
1728 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Tel: 604) 253-0888
Web: https://vivaceonthedrive.ca/
Instagram @vivaceonthedrive
2nd Place (TIE):
{97 points}
Broli Kitchen
Lobster Crab Spaghetti
Price: $38
Created by: Chef Zhuang Li
Description: lobster, crab meat with fresh tomato in a lobster butter sauce topped with micro basil and Grana Padano.
Offered: Tuesday – Sunday for lunch and dinner
Available: for dine-in
Broli Kitchen
186-8180 No 2 Rd, Richmond
Tel: (604) 271-0268
Web: https://brolikitchen.com/
Instagram @brolikitchen
2nd Place (TIE):
{97 points}
Robba da Matti (Yaletown)
Ricordo d’estate
Price: $35
Created by: Chef Laura
Description: spaghetti with pistachios pesto and clams, topped with murello burrata and tuna tartare.
Offered: everyday 5-9pm
Available: for takeout and dine-in
Robba Da Matti
1127 Mainland Street, Vancouver
Phone:(604) 558-1174
Web: http://www.robbadamatti.com/
Instagram: @robba_damatti
2nd Place (TIE):
{97 points}
Robba da Matti (Westend)
Ravioli di Zucca
Price: $30
Created by: Chef Dolly
Description: Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Creamy butternut squash, Sage, Walnut and Brown Butter Sauce
Offered: Daily 5pm-9 pm
Available: for takeout and dine-in
Robba Da Matti
1906 Haro Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-423-3553
Web: http://www.robbadamatti.com/
Instagram: @robba_damatti
3rd Place:
{95 points}
Robba da Matti (Kitsilano)
Amalfi
Price: $35
Created by: Chef Ann
Description: A squid ink pasta tossed in a chopped prawns sauce and blistered gem tomato; served with prawns and topped with toasted pistachio and burrata cheese.
Offered: Monday– Sunday 5-9pm
Available: for takeout and dine-in
Robba da Matti
1898 West 1st Avenue, Vancovuer
Tel: (604) 428-1565
Web: http://www.robbadamatti.com/
Instagram: @robba_damatti
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Pasta creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Vivace on the Drive
L’oceano Vivace
Price: $29
Created by: Chef Rory Byrne
Description: House made squid ink tagliolini with seared scallops and lemon butter foam with trout roe and chorizo. The design of the plate is intended to be the sea foam at the edge of the sea colliding with the land, the capers representing rocks on the side and the scallops and roe living inside the ocean.
Offered: Everyday from 3pm until close (closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
Available: Dine in only
Vivace on the Drive
1728 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Tel: 604) 253-0888
Web: https://vivaceonthedrive.ca/
Instagram @vivaceonthedrive
2nd Place People’s Choice:
Robba da Matti (Westend)
Ravioli di Zucca
Price: $30
Created by: Chef Dolly
Description: Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Creamy butternut squash, Sage, Walnut and Brown Butter Sauce
Offered: Daily 5pm-9 pm
Available: for takeout and dine-in
Robba Da Matti
1906 Haro Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-423-3553
Web: http://www.robbadamatti.com/
Instagram: @robba_damatti
3rd Place People’s Choice:
Robba da Matti (Yaletown)
Ricordo d’estate
Price: $35
Created by: Chef Laura
Description: spaghetti with pistachios pesto and clams, topped with murello burrata and tuna tartare.
Offered: everyday 5-9pm
Available: for takeout and dine-in
Robba Da Matti
1127 Mainland Street, Vancouver
Phone:(604) 558-1174
Web: http://www.robbadamatti.com/
Instagram: @robba_damatti
Our Media judges for this challenge were: Cheery Chow, Rick Green and Emma Clark.
Each media judge will have scored the creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points). The total number of points a pasta creation could earn is 120 points.
Thank you to the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured their pasta on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their pasta creations! See the entries here.
By: Richard Wolak