Elio Volpe has some big shoes to fill

Elio Volpe is the sister restaurant to Savio Volpe, which in my opinion, is one of the best Italian restaurants in the world, not just in Vancouver. Therefore, the former has some big shoes to fill. Would it live up to expectations? Lets find out. The restaurant is located on Vancouver’s Westside, around 17th and Cambie, which is a nice change as many new restaurants open in areas of the city with lower rents. The inside is very reminiscent of Savio, with a kind of modern “hipster” vibe. Here was the menu that evening.

We started with marinated beets and whipped ricotta which was similar, if not identical, to a dish that I remember having at Savio. It was just as fresh and delicious.

Next, culatello, 20 year balsamic, and some parm. Having just returned from Emilia-Romagna, I was curious as to how a local restaurant in Vancouver would execute this dish, and they delivered! The taste was fantastic. However, the dish came with 3 crackers and I think the restaurant could of put more effort into providing a more interesting/authentic accompaniment like gnocco fritto.

For our pasta courses, we had the risotto with uni, and vodka pasta with crab. Both were good, but not amazing like the pastas at Savio. Every single time I have ordered a pasta at Savio Volpe, I am blown away by the creativity, ingredients and taste. While this was not the case here, they were still solid dishes.

The fish dish and dessert were the most disappointing. The fish was halibut with beurre blanc sauce. The fish was cooked well but the sauce lacked a lot of flavor. I have had some beurre blancs that made my head spin and make me want to mop up every single drop. Unfortunately, this one was bland. I wasn’t getting much acidity, or umami from the sauce. Seasoning could of been more also.

The ice cream was good, but I was disappointed to learn that it was being bought, not made in house.

Overall, service was VERY good, and the atmosphere was good. The food on its own was good, but compared to its cousin, was not as good. It lacked the details in dishes and flavor that make Savio Volpe such an outstanding place. I would probably still return at some point to try the pizza and give it another shot.