So I finally made it to Ask For Luigi. After hearing repeatedly that it was a great spot for Italian food and handmade pasta, I decided it was time to try it out. It took me two weeks and a $50 dollar deposit to secure a table on a Saturday night, which built up even more anticipation.
The Atmosphere
Ask For Luigi is a casual Italian eatery located close to East Hastings. The dining area is rather small and the tables are lined-up very close to each other, so it gets pretty lively.
There is an open kitchen and the décor is very simple. A few plants and paintings are hanging here and there, and that is it. I would say it has a charming simplicity.
The Food
Ask For Luigi specializes in handmade pasta, but they also serve other Italian classics. It’s a family-style restaurant so all the dishes are meant to be shared.
Burrata & Seasonal Accompaniments ($26)
We started our meal with the Burrata & Seasonal Accompaniments. The bottom layer was a medley of poached pear and roasted beetroots. The creamy burrata was placed in the middle, topped with greens dressed with pear vinaigrette. This summery dish was very refreshing, and I thought the play on textures was well thought out.
Mussels, Nduja Sausage, Fennel & Pomodoro ($19)
Next, we ordered the Mussels, Nduja Sausage, Fennel & Pomodoro and it was fantastic. The sauce was extremely flavorful. The tomato and fennel taste was so rich! The chopped nduja sausage added a touch of spiciness and, although I was unsure about the meat and seafood mix at first, it ended up blending very well together. The warm, fresh focaccia was also excellent. It was so good we ordered a second one to dip in the sauce.
Mafaldine: Guanciale, Morels, Summer Truffle & Pecorino Tartufo ($35)
The Mafaldine was part of the seasonal menu. It was by far the best pasta dish I have had in a while. It is actually the only outstanding pasta dish that I can remember of — and that includes my 6 month stay in Italy. This rich and creamy pasta was served with a generous amount of crispy guanciale bits. The morels and the truffles had that deep earthy taste, and the pecorino was delicious. This dish was a 10 out of 10!
Bigoli nero, seafood, cherry tomatoes, uni butter & pangrattato ($34)
I had set my expectations very high for the Bigoli Nero. Honestly, this dish was also amazing, but I couldn’t really taste the uni butter. The flavors probably got lost among all the other strong seafood flavors. Too bad… but I really enjoyed the thick pasta and the generous amount of seafood. I would definitely order it again.
Desserts
Olive Oil Cake ($11)
I must say that I was pretty full after the two shared antipasti and pasta dishes. But I would have hated myself if I didn’t try one of the desserts. I had never had Olive Oil Cake so I was really intrigued. So yes, it tasted like olive oil — but strangely, the cake itself wasn’t too oily. It was served on a bed of candied orange slices and topped with ricotta, which was a terrific combination. Overall, it was well balanced and felt rather light.
Cinnamon Meringues
We were served two very cute cinnamon meringues with the bill. They were very enjoyable!
The Drinks
Glasses of Nebbiolo
This is where Ask For Luigi fell short. Let’s start with the wine glasses. I have no problem with stemless wine glasses, but these specific glasses felt very out of place and overly casual. Try and swirl your wine to enjoy the aromas… Regarding the wines, I tried two different red and they were average. Besides, there was no prosecco by the glass on the menu, the best I could get was a Lambrusco, so I was a little disappointed. That’s a shame when food is so good. However, they do have a decent grappa list and that was nice to end the meal.
Overall
Food was great. From the antipasti to dessert, everything was delicious. The Mussels and the Mafaldine were outstanding, and the rest was very good.
Now, wine was not really satisfactory, let alone the wine glasses. I also felt that the tables were too close to each other. I understand that it is a casual eatery, and that close proximity somehow goes along with this concept, but it felt like the people next to us were almost eating with us. For a $200+ dinner, I would have liked a greater sense of privacy.
That being said, I would go back to Ask For Luigi for a casual night out, just not for a special date.
Ask For Luigi
Opening hours: open every day for lunch and dinner. Brunch available on weekends. Hours vary depending on the day. For more info click here
Website: click here
Address: 305 Alexander St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1C4
Telephone: (604) 428-2544
Note that prices and information featured in this article are subject to change.
