Have you tried Chef Claudio's yet?

Spaghetti all'Amatriciana is a pasta dish originally from the Italian village of Amatrice (unfortunately very well known now thanks to the recent earthquake tragedy that occurred). For the whole month of September we have a special promotion: 

For every plate of Spaghetti all'Amatriciana sold, $5 will be donated to the Red Cross to help the people of Amatrice rebuild their lives.

The spaghetti is dressed with a traditional Italian sauce based on guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese and tomato. It is one of the best known Italian pasta sauces, even if it's not often known by its official name.

Come join us for a delicious plate of Spaghetti all'Amatriciana and help us raise funds for a very good cause!

Give us a call at 604.430.2195 to reserver your table, or book online directly through our website!

(Image via Pexels)

A special thank you to our recent guests!

We absolutely love seeing familiar and new faces at La Piazza Dario. We're happy to be a part of your lives and share a little bit of our love of Italy with you here in Vancouver. But my goodness do we ever get thrilled when we see photos of your visit! We just absolutely love it!

Special thank you's to Angela Waterman and Meighan for sharing your pictures with us! We absolutely loved having you at our table

Here are some of their tasty shots:

Photo by Meighan

Photo by Meighan

 

Photo by Angela Waterman

Photo by Angela Waterman

Summer isn't quite over. Bring on the cold treats!

We're willing to bet that you've had the pleasure of feasting on a scoop (or two or three) of gelato. That delicious, sweet, dense frozen treat that is rich with flavour and melts in your mouth. How about granita? 

Granita and gelato are both Italian frozen desserts that are perfect for the hot Italian summers and satisfying the sweet tooth. So what's the difference between them?

Granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavourings like fresh fruits and/or fruit juices. It's an icy treat with a courser texture in comparison to gelato. It originally comes from Sicily but it can be found throughout Italy.

Gelato is more like ice cream. It is made of milk, cream and sugar. Like granita, it is also flavoured with fruit but also with nut purees and other flavourings. It is creamier in comparison to granita but is not quite the same texture as ice cream. Why? Gelato has less air making it denser than ice cream. It also contains less fat and more flavouring.

Either way, granita and gelato are delicious all year round!

(Image via Pixabay)

Dear friends and family of La Piazza Dario...

We have a new promotion for September and we want to really spread the word. You would have already heard by now about the devastating earthquake that occurred last week in Italy.

For the month of September we have a very special pasta dish, spaghetti all'amatriciana. This dish originated from Amatrice, the town hardest hit by the earthquake. No amounts of money can make up for the loss of life, but it can help survivors rebuild their lives and their town.

For every plate of spaghetti all'amatriciana ordered in September, we will donate five dollars of to the Red Cross earthquake relief efforts. 

Please join us in our efforts to help the Italian community recover from the tragic events of last week.

See you soon!


(Image via Pixabay)

In the mood for some bubbly?

Sometimes we need some bubbles when we are celebrating. Other times we're just in the mood for bubbles. Why not have a glass of prosecco if your tastebuds are craving for it? 

Champagne and sparkling wines each have their own history and complexity of flavours. Today's feature infographic is all about the history, the grapes, the process and the fun facts about champagne. 

And if you are ever in the mood for some tasty prosecco, give us a call! 

From Visually.

(Image via Pexels)

If you're going to Venice, visit Murano!

Murano is a colourful gem just a short boat ride away from Venice. It is a frazione of the comune of Venice and is best known for it's skilled glassmakers. Murano is composed of seven islands linked by bridges. If you are looking for an interesting and unique souvenir, a beautiful piece of glass art is the perfect way to go! 

Fun Facts! 

Murano earned its reputation as a centre for expert glassmaking all the way back in 1291 when the the glassmakers were ordered to relocate their foundries in order to remove the risk of fire and destruction of Venice's wooden structures. Glassmakers become some of most prominent citizens through ages. 

Here's a fun video with even more fun facts about the history of Murano glassmaking!

(Image via Pixabay)

Looking for vacation inspiration?

Just the thought of Italy causes our mouths to water and stirs the desire to travel. You probably don't need more inspiration to travel to Europe, especially Italy (can you tell we are biased?!). However, perhaps you might need inspiration on which cities to pick for your next vacation. In Italy alone there are so many fantastic locales to visit. That's why we're sharing this video of one global citizen's journey through Venice and Florence.

Of course, if you need a taste of Italy before you go, we're much closer than a plane ride!

See you soon and enjoy!

Let's talk wine!

We've a wine to suit every taste and dish. Whether you want the perfect flavour to match with your linguine di mare (seafood medley in a tomato sauce) or a bold partner for your vitello al portobello (veal medallions with portobello mushroom sauce), we guarantee we have something for you in our extensive wine selection.

Don't worry, you don't need to be an expert. We will be happy to help you pick your vino for the evening. However, in case you want to know more about the vast world of wine and wine tasting, we found this handy infographic to share with you!

Give us a call and we'll have our wine menu at the ready for you! Enjoy!

by madelinep.

From Visually.

Let's hang out!

We're getting social offline and online! Join us online on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and right here on our blog. We're sharing Chef Claudio's dishes, tasty travel bites and snapshots of the Italian life.

So let's connect and hangout online!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram 

What we love most, however, is getting social offline. Come join us for lunch or dinner or dessert or even just a drink - although we highly recommend you enjoy one of Chef Claudio's creations! 

Call 604.430.2195 to book your table or make your reservation online through our website! See you soon!

(Image via Pexels)