Italians know how to treat your sweet tooth!

Cannoli is an Italian pastry originally from Sicily. In Italy they are commonly known as cannoli siciliani. However, water and borders don't stop people from enjoying this crispy creamy delight!

They are made of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet and creamy ricotta filling. Depending on where you are and of course on the baker, you'll find these treats range in size. The cream itself is usually flavoured with vanilla or orange flower water, and can be decorated with crushed pistachios, semi sweet chocolate pieces, candied citrus or even cherries on the open ends. 

Fun Fact: In some regions of Italy, including Abruzzo and Lazio, cannoli are made using pizzelle cookies for the shell. 

Care for a taste? We've got these on our dessert menu and we can't wait for you to try one (or two or three!).

(Image: Cannolo Siciliano, by paPisc via Flickr; CC BY-SA 2.0; also found in Wikimedia Commons)

Carnevale is just around the corner! Come and celebrate it with us! 

We shall have a magnificent feast prepared by Chef Claudio!

Begin with delectable appetizers. Try our antipasto "la piazza" for a delicious assortment of cured meats, fish, cheeses and marinated vegetables.

Next enjoy your entree. What would you like? A fresh and perfectly seasoned pasta or a hearty carne? Or perhaps you'd like both! Remember this is a time for feasting and celebrating so don't be shy! Try our fettuccine al pistachio for the richness of Chef Claudio's pistachio pesto cream sauce. What about a cut of grilled AAA tenderloin beef? Order the filetto di bue al pepe verde!

Lastly but certainly not least - for what would Carnevale be without sweets - treat yourself to dessert. Perfect tiramisu and melt in your mouth créme caramel awaits you here at La Piazza Dario.

Join us anytime for your Carnevale feast!

[Image: By Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA - Couple in love at the 2010 Carnevale in Venice (IMG_9534a), CC BY 2.0]

Come celebrate the weekend with Chef Claudios's chocolate mousse!

The weekend is almost upon us and it's time to reward yourself for working hard all week long with a treat (or two). With that in mind, we can almost guarantee that there is no better treat out there than Chef Claudio's torta di cioccolata, or chocolate mousse in English. Sweet and, oh so chocolatey, torta di cioccolata is one of those desserts you will dream of.

Come join us for dinner tomorrow night and kick off the weekend right. Enjoy some authentic Italian cooking, a glass or two of Italy's finest wine, and top it all off with some sinfully delicious chocolate cake! It will leave you feeling terribly happy, we promise.

Even if chocolate is not your thing, we feel pretty confident that you will love Chef Claudio's torta di cioccolata. That said, we'd never want to limit your options! Peruse the rest of the La Piazza Dario dessert menu. Listed, you will find Italian classics, such as cannoli, zabaglione and tiramisù, and other delectable treats, including St. Honore cake.

Make your reservation today online through OpenTable or by calling us at 604-430-2195.

(Image via Pixabay)

Sweet and rich, Chef Claudio's tiramisù is the perfect way to finish your meal!

There's no better way to end your meal at La Piazza Dario than with a delicious and sweet pick me up! Coffee lovers, you're going to want to try this classic: tiramisu!

Sweet, spongy, and rich coffee flavours are what await you here. Espresso, lady fingers and mascarpone combine to become a delectable dish of authentic Italian flavour, made with love in Chef Claudio's kitchen.

Don't miss out on this tasty treat! Call us today at 604.430.2195 to make your reservations and enjoy authentic, Italian home cooking. Let our kitchen be your kitchen away from home!

See you soon!

Treat yourself and indulge in Chef Claudio's delectable créme caramel!

Créme caramel may not be a traditional Italian treat, but trust us when we say that La Piazza Dario serves the best créme caramel around. Handmade by our very own Head Chef, Claudio Ranallo, this dessert is the perfect way to finish off a meal when dining with us at La Piazza Dario.

For those of you who have never experienced this one of kind dessert, créme caramel is made of custard and topped with a delectable layer of soft caramel. As seen below, the La Piazza Dario version of créme caramel is beautifully presented with a little extra caramel, a gooseberry and a wafer cookie! Served chilled, this is the perfect dessert to enjoy on a hot summer evening. And with all of that delicious caramel, it will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth!

Come try Chef Claudio's delectable créme caramel! We invite you to join us for lunch, dinner or even just dessert! Make your reservation online via OpenTable or give us a call at 604-430-2195.

See what else is on the La Piazza Dario dessert menu.

Join La Piazza Dario for tasty Italian treats on our garden patio!

Although it's felt like summer here in Vancouver for well over a month now, summer only officially arrived just a few weeks back near the end of June. The Summer Solstice, which occurs every year on June 21st, brought about this official change in season. However, with the heat wave that our city has been experiencing since the beginning of June, we're almost certain that this seasonal change may have gone unnoticed!

Come celebrate summer and cool off from the heat with a delicious Italian meal on our beautiful garden patio. Once you're done enjoying your lunch or dinner, treat yourself to an ice cold dessert! Indulge in a scoop or two of gelato, or a zabaglione to satisfy those cool summer cravings. Looking for a lighter dessert that will still satisfy your sweet tooth and help you beat the heat? Order an Italian soda for a refreshing alternative!

Call 604.430.2195 now to make your reservation or reserve your table with us online at OpenTable.

(Image via Pexels)

Join us and experience the most delicious kind of before and after experience!

We guarantee that when you come to La Piazza Dario you are going to enjoy this exact "before and after" experience:

You are delightfully full of fresh, home cooked pasta or carne (or both?) and then it's time to peruse the dessert menu. We have a good idea that this beauty will catch your eye! This is our decadent St. Honore Cake! Layers of sponge cake and fresh cream and a chocolate drizzles are topped by a profiterole! You dessert stomach has given you no choice: it must be ordered!

Before:

After:

Come and join us this weekend to enjoy this delightful dessert after a truly authentic Italian main course, specially cooked for you by Chef Claudio!

It's the perfect sunny day for some delicious Italian desserts!

Wouldn't you agree? How delicious! It's a beautiful Friday and there's no better way to spend your evening than with family at a truly authentic, family owned Italian restaurant like La Piazza Dario.

After a delicious meal of your choice then satisfy your sweet tooth with Chef Claudio's cannoli!

It's an explosion of flavour that will go perfectly with an espresso after your dinner. Soft, creamy and sweet ricotta cheese gets wrapped in a crunchy shell creating taste and texture. And dessert is always best when it comes with a pop of colour and fresh fruit!

Come on down to La Piazza Dario! We can't wait to see you and share a meal with you and help transport your palate to Italy!

So what do the people in the UK is the tastiest country in Europe?

ITALY!

And we couldn't agree more! With such delicious drinks like limoncello, grappa, prosecco and chianti, Italy has your thirst taken care of with delicious liqueurs, coffees, wines and spirits. 

Your taste buds will never be left wanting what with all the delicious pastas like Chef Claudio's fettuccine al pistachio, linguine al mare, spaghetti alla vongole veraci and tortellini cardinale! 

Perhaps pasta isn't your favourite? Well Chef Claudio and Italy have much more to offer than just pastas! What about antipasto, calamari fritti, prosciutto di parma, stracciatella or tagliata di manzo?! Delicious!

And to take care of your sweet tooth (or teeth) with tiramisù, St. Honore cake, zabaglione, and gelato e sorbetti!

Here are the numbers in a handy infographic. But here are the best numbers: one car ride to visit one La Piazza Dario for many delicious flavours! 

(Infographic via Exl Italy)

Discover how to eat like a true Italian!

Eat like an Italian & indulge in the traditional Italian meal structure.

With so many courses, it's no wonder that the meal structure of a traditional Italian meal remains a mystery to many of whom are not of Italian descent! However, although a traditional Italian meal can seem overwhelming on paper (or on a menu!), each course is perfectly balanced to compliment the next. So, come visit us at La Piazza Dario and dine like a true Italian with our guide to a traditional Italian meal below!

The Traditional Italian Meal Structure

Aperitivo: The aperitivo is close to the equivalent of the North American appetizer. Examples of an aperitivo are olives, cheese, etc. and are often accompanied with wine or other alcoholic drinks, such as prosecco.

Antipasto: An antipasto is a starter that follows the aperitivo. It is a lighter course than the first course and is often served cold.

Primo: As the first course, the primo usually consists of a non-meat dish, such as risotto, pasta, gnocchi, or soup.

Secondo: The secondo is the second course dish and includes different types of poultry, fish and/or red meat.

Contorno: A contorno is a side dish that is usually served alongside the secondo, however, each dish is always served on two separate plates. More often than not, a contorno is made up of vegetables.

Insalata: The insalata is normally a fresh garden salad.

Formaggi e frutta: Litterally, formaggi e frutta means cheese and fruit and is a dish that consists of locally made cheeses and whatever fresh fruit is in season.

Dolce: Dolce is the dessert of the meal, with popular dessert dishes being tiramisù, panna cotta, gelato or sorbetto, or cannoli.

Caffè: A caffè is traditionally had at the end of an Italian meal. The caffè of choice is, more often than not, an espresso.

Digestivo: The digestivo are drinks consumed at the end of the meal to help aid digestion. Popular digestivo drinks are grappa, amaro and limoncello.

(Image via Pixabay)

Lift your mood & your energy with the appropriately named Italian dessert!

As we have explained in a past post, tiramisù is Italian for "pick me up." Appropriately named, this popular Italian coffee-flavoured dessert is a pick me up in more ways than one. Dipped in coffee and layered with a combination of lady fingers, separated egg yolks and whites, tiramisù is also often flavoured with cocoa. It's bound to lift both your energy and your mood! 

Although you may have enjoyed tiramisù in the past, you have yet to experience a little piece of Italian heaven until you try Chef Claudio Ranallo's recipe. Garnished with small cannoli, gooseberries and berries, we think the picture above speaks for itself!

Book a reservation today online or by calling 604.430.2195.

Fried pastry shell & sweet cream filling. Yum. Need we say more?

When I think of Italian treats, cannoli are definitely at the top of that list. A gourmet dessert that originated in Sicily, Italy, cannoli are tubular-shaped pastry shells that have been fried and filled with a creamy ricotta filling (as pictured above). Depending on where you find these tasty morsels, they can also range in size from tiny, skinny ones to big, fat ones. 

The first time I tried one of these little guys, I nearly fainted (well, not quite - but it was that good!). Clearly, I was in heaven when I discovered that La Piazza Dario makes them. 

Come visit us on Slocan Street and try Chef Ranallo's cannoli for yourself! You'll be glad you did. :)

Synonymous with thoughts of Italy are the thoughts of rich, decadent desserts, like panna cotta! Wouldn't you agree?

Panna cotta, coming from the Italian for "cooked cream", is a deliciously simple and creamy Italian dessert. The beauty of this dessert is that, even though it is so simple, it embodies a richness and decadence that is the perfect finishing touch to the meal.

And we'd like to think that panna cotta is the perfect metaphor of the authentic Italian experience: simple, fresh ingredients that together create that gioia di vivere so natural to Italians!

That perfect blend of cream, sugar, and vanilla flavours, panna cotta is a delicious culinary experience your taste buds are craving to have! ;)

(Image via Pixabay) 

What's not to love about Italian formaggio?!

As you've probably already guessed, formaggio is Italian for cheese! You think France is the only European country renowned for its cheeses? Think again. If there was a contest for the most delicious, delectable, tasty cheeses, Italy would be the running for gold!

Asiago, taleggio, parmigiano reggianno... The list of delicious Italian cheeses is actually quite long! 

Learn about some of Italy's tastiest cheese and the best places to try them in The Walks of Italy Blog's, The Best Cheese in Italy: Some of Our Favourite Formaggio!

(Image via Pexels)

Indulge yourself & stay cool with these tasty & refreshing Italian treats!

It's incredible to think that we are already halfway through this summer. For those of you who were able to get away for the August Long Weekend, we hope you had a relaxing getaway.

Unfortunately for most, it's back to reality this week even though the sun is still shining and the weather has remained hot. Personally, I think that this reality check of ours calls for a tasty treat or two - especially treats of the cold or frozen variety! Below are some ideas we came up with that we thought could help cool you down when you're not hard at work at your desk. ;)

1. Indulge in an Italian soda: an easy and refreshing drink to make at home or grab on your lunch break, this fizzy concoction is made with carbonated water and flavoured syrup. 
2. Put your espresso on ice: re-energize on your break and head back to the office feeling cooled off and ready for those afternoon meetings.
3. Make your own gelato: a fun weekend activity, especially with small kids! If you're not into the amount of work it takes though, you can always head down and visit us for some gelati or sorbetti!

(Image via Pixabay)

Come help us celebrate 35 years of serving authentic Italian cuisine!
 

We're extremely proud to have provided Vancouver with authentic, quality Italian food over the last 35 years and we want to celebrate this milestone with you! Come down to 3075 Slocan Street, right by the Italian Cultural Centre, and enjoy a hearty meal made by Head Chef Claudio Ranallo.

Having worked at La Piazza Dario since his move to Canada in 1979, Claudio became Head Chef not long after. Chef Claudio's mission as a chef is to provide all customers with the best of Italy. And through his authentic yet innovative creations at La Piazza Dario, he does just that.

Learn more about la storia di Claudio Ranallo and discover what Chef Claudio is cooking. We look forward to seeing you for lunch, dinner, dessert or just a celebratory glass of wine!

Cool down from those hot summer days with the frozen treat of gelato!

Summer is in full swing here in Vancouver and it is getting HOT! And what better way to cool off than with a delicious frozen treat? (Hint: there is none!)

Gelati (the plural form of gelato) or sorbetti (the plural form of sorbet) is the perfect solution to those sizzling summer days. Italian ice cream made with milk, rather than cream, gelato is my absolute favourite Italian dessert. My first experience tasting gelato was not unlike many of my other Italian cuisine experiences: it was love at first bite. I didn't quite understand the difference between North American ice cream and Italian gelato before I tried it, but there definitely is a difference. And given the option, I would pick gelato every time.

Fortunately, for me (and all you Vancouverite gelato lovers out there!) La Piazza Dario boasts a selection of delightful gelati and sorbetti flavours. Come give them a try one night after a hot day on the beach or after a hard day at the office.

Ice cream not your thing? Check out the rest of the divine Italian after-dinner treats we have.

(Image via Pexels)

When a post-meal caffé just isn't cutting it, try the Italian classic dessert, zabaglione!

Eggnog lovers rejoice! Today we're looking at the "classic" Italian dessert, zabaglione, otherwise known as zabaione, which literally translates to eggnog. Although not quite the same as the North American holiday treat, zabaglione is just as creamy and delicious with the sweet addition of dessert wine. Now you won't have to wait until Christmas to indulge in a delicious, creamy eggnog-like dessert!

Often served with biscuits and made with egg yolks and sugar, this Italian dessert is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth after a hearty Italian meal. Discover what else is on the dessert menu at La Piazza Dario!

(Image via Pixabay)

Whether a sophisticated appetizer or the parting glass to a meal, the wine and cheese combination is a classic...

Chardonnay, Merlot or Riesling; malbec, rosé or Chianti and... what?! Why not cheese! But how do you choose from among the infinite number of choices of wines (of which we have many and definitely worth a trip to our lovely and humble restaurant to enjoy!) and the many sticky mild to strong, crumbly dairy delights?

Well we found a little infographic that helps pair cheeses with their perfect wine partners! We recommend a delicious Italian chianti with parmigiana.

(Image via Love Letters to Home)

Add a taste of Italy to your reading list!

 

So you want to add a little bit of Italian culture to your day? Well of course, our first suggestion is to come visit La Piazza Dario since we'll really be able to help you add some authentic Italian flavours to your day. However, we've also got a book suggestion!

"How to Order an Italian Coffee in Italy" by Sara Rosso is a fun book that is meant to enlighten all her readers on the ins and outs of ordering coffee like a true Italian in the motherland! It's a wonderful guide to all the unique variations of caffé espresso you can find in Italy, along with detailed pictures, Italian pronunciation guides and several bonus chapters that will open up the world of Italian breakfasts, Italian bar culture and creating your own caffé Italiano at home!

Doesn't that sound delicious?! If you're not sure what to think of Italian coffee, visit us for a cup and begin your exploration into the world of espresso the Italian way...

(Image via When I Have Time)