Antipasto: The perfect solution for a light Italian snack or a lovely start to a meal!

If you're in the mood for a light meal, or are just looking to round out your Italian feast, indulging in an spread of the delectable flavours of of an antipasto platter is a wonderful way to go!

Antipasto, which can be translated into English as 'appetizer,' is a starter course within the traditional Italian meal structure that generally follows the aperitivo. Often served cold, the antipasto is a light course that usually includes cured meats, olives, cheeses, and pickled vegetables and meats.

Learn more about the traditional way to order an Italian meal.

When the mood strikes for a plate of antipasto, we hope that you will visit us at La Piazza Dario to satisfy your craving! Our antipasto “la piazza” is an assortments of cured meat, fish, cheese and marinated vegetables that serves two. Now, doesn't that sound delicious!

Make your reservation with us online via OpenTable or call us at 604.430.2195.

La Piazza Dario Lunch Menu
La Piazza Dario Dinner Menu

Eat like royalty, eat like Italians!

You don't need to be a part of a monarchy or old world nobility in order to eat like kings and queens! Italians pride themselves in creating beautiful food, full of simple, fresh ingredients, all whipped together with love. Food has always been a sacred experience in Italy. Wine and delicious, home-cooking bring generations of friends and family together to celebrate the every day and experience true Italian culture! 

Join us for that authentic Italian experience and feast the Italian way! Here's a delicious video to inspire your tastebuds! Don't worry, you don't need to fly all the way to Florence in order to enjoy Italy's cuisine. Just come on by to La Piazza Dario and Chef Claudio will make sure those cravings for Italy are taken care of for the evening. ;)

Enjoy a delicious meal of Italian comfort food lovingly made by Chef Claudio!

It's the first weekend of cool weather and typical fall skies and nothing goes best with chilly weather than a full plate of hearty, fresh pasta filled with flavours of sunny Italia! Chef Claudio has created a delicious menu of pastas that provide an incredible variety of flavours that will have you appreciating this weekend's cozy weather!

After an authentic Italian meal, enjoy a sweet dessert, a cup of hot, specialty Italian coffee to really warm your stomach and heart as we get ready to enjoy the long weekend!

Celebrate the summer's end with a delicious family dinner that will have everyone sleeping soundly and happily full!

Contact us today to make reservations! We can't wait to see you and share the taste of our homeland!

Discover la lingua della mangia!

Not understanding a language can be tricky, especially when it comes to ordering food.

Don't let the Italian terms on our menu scare you off! First and foremost, we welcome and encourage you to ask any of our servers about any item on our menu should you have any questions. Furthermore, you will find detailed descriptions of each dish on our menu, translated into English.

However, if you still find yourself scratching your head, below are some Italian dining and food terms to help you out during your next visit to La Piazza Dario.

Italian Dining Terms:

• Antipasto: Antipasti are appetizer dishes.
• Bufala: Water buffalo; this term is used to describe the type of mozzarella.
• Funghi: Mushrooms
• Insalata: This term refers to a salad course; it is generally eaten between the main course and dessert.
• Polpette: Meatballs
• Prosciutto: Cured ham
• Tagliatelle: Noodles

Tonight, why not make your dining experience an truly Italian one! Come visit us in East Vancouver and put your new knowledge to the test. In the mean time, have a look at our menu.

We look forward to seeing you!

(Image via Pixabay)

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)

The Mediterranean dish with the Italian name!
Calamari is thought of by many as a Mediterranean creation that we've come to enjoy deep fried and breaded, especially in North America. However, did you know that calamari is actually the Italian word for squid? It was adopted by many Mediterranean languages and English alike to represent this delicious dish!

At La Piazza Dario, you can find Head Chef Claudio Ranallo's authentic version of this tasty appy with a little bit of an Italian flare to it. Available in three different dishes, Chef Ranallo's calamari fritti are incredible. Fresh, tender and flavoured to perfection, you can order your calamari as an appetizer, have it accompany your salad or get it atop your pasta entrée. You can even find Chef Ranallo's calamari on our lunch menu!

Che cosa è Lumache alla Pavarotti si chiede? What is Lumache alla Pavarotti you ask? Escargot! 
 

Now doesn't that make your mouth water?! Escargot is not only for the French. Chef Claudio makes a delicious appetizer of escargot with a light and savoury tomato sauce. This is the perfect way to whet your appetite and keep your taste buds watering for more!

So come down to La Piazza Dario's and try some of this delicious antipasto, Lumache alla Pavarotti (Snails alla Pavarotti)! See you soon!

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)

Authentic Italian cooking rooted in the traditions of Italy and family.

La Piazza Dario's Antipasto della Casa

For the East Vancouver Italian restaurant, La Piazza Dario, it isn’t just about bringing great, authentic Italian food to the neighbourhood (although it is about those things), it’s about family.

Born in Ateleta, l’Aquila, Italy, La Piazza Dario’s Head Chef, Claudio Ranallo, has been cooking since he was a small boy in Italy. Claudio grew up raising animals, herding sheep throughout the vast mountains of Ateleta. Growing up with such a close relationship to animals, Claudio appreciated from a very young age the meaning of quality and fine food. Learning to cook alongside his father, who was also a chef, food has always been a family affair. The lessons and traditions that were ingrained in Claudio from his father have stayed with him throughout his entire life, apparent with each bite of every dish served at La Piazza Dario. It is truly a restaurant rooted in Italian tradition and family.

Claudio Ranallo

Claudio went on to become a culinary arts student at Cesare Augusto Hotel in Sorrento, Italy at the age of 15 and, post culinary arts school, he became a member of the Italian army where he was chosen to cook for many of the well known generals. When Claudio was finished serving the army, he became a chef in Northern Italy in an area known as Lago Maggiore. Here, Claudio worked with some very well known Italian chefs who helped cultivate his knowledge of authentic Italian food.

It was not until 1979 that Claudio and his parents came to Canada, a move that was made in order to be with their extended family. It was then that Claudio began working at La Piazza Dario. It wasn’t long before he was made Head Chef. Five years later, Claudio became a partner in the business and this April will mark the 34^th year since Claudio began creating the authentic Italian food that La Piazza Dario is so well known for.

Discover what’s on the menu!