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Adesso Bistro is now open in the space previously occupied by L'Altro Buca. Adesso (meaning now in Italian) serves modern, authentic northern Italian cuisine.
I came here with my brother and his girlfriend on a saturday night. There is no parking but they offer valet so that worked out. We sat outside on the patio, beautiful restaurant. For an appy I had the Cozze - $12 (mussels)
This dish was WOW, one of the best I've ever eaten. A generous portion of perfectly cooked mussels in a delicious clear broth. When the mussels were finished I drank the broth like a soup, 5 out of 5. Next I had the Aragosta - $26 (mascarpone & whiskey risotto with lobster). This dish was great, you could taste the whiskey. If I was a whiskey drinker I'd like it a bit more but still, great dish, 4 out of 5. For dessert I had the Cioccolato - $8 (dark chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream). This was good but didn't amaze me, 3.5 out of 5. My other 2 dining companions enjoyed the place as well.
Round 2:
I return taking my wife here for dinner. No parking again so we used the valet parking - $7.
For an appy I ordered the mussels again! once again fantastic!
She ordered the Bresaola - $12 (house cured & dried bison, lemon, arugula, shaved grana padano) this dish was nice, kind of like a carpaccio, 4 out of 5.
Entrees I had the Spaghettini di Mare - $20 (seafood pasta) Dish was great, 4 out of 5.
She had the Risotto Verde - $16 (basil, peas, spinach, ricotta salata) Another solid 4 out of 5 dish.
Dessert we shared the Crostata - $8 (chocolate & ricotta tart with almond ice cream) great dessert with a nice mix of sweet and savory tastes, 4 out of 5.
We love prosecco and they offer it by the glass here so with the meal and 3 glasses the bill came to $96 taxes in.
While leaving they grabbed our vehicle and when I asked how much for the valet parking they said not to worry, it's on us..
What I love about this place, nice and small, has a good friends and family feel to it. Has a patio. The staff are great and very knowledgeable.
The food is excellent and reminds me of some very high end fancy schmancy places but without the snootyness and overly expensive prices.
Will I return, YES.. If I lived closer I would become a regular here.
Came here on a weeknight and was friendly greeted at the door. Decor is similar to when it was Parkside, but slightly brighter. Service was sort of attentive in the beginning of the meal, but we had to track down our waitress as it got busier through the night. Food was not bad, but not amazing. I think I had higher expectations. The Arancini Ball was okay, but I think the oil used to fry it was a bit old, because the coating came out a bit darker. My husband enjoyed his lobster risotto, but I can't really remember my dish because it was only okay. It was a nice lamb sirloin, but It didn't give me that wow factor. The location is a bit secluded and quaint, but overall I wanted so much more. It needed a more "melts in your mouth" feeling and while Adesso has great potential, in my opinion, did not deliver the best. =(
I don't know what happened to my earlier post from the summer. It seems to have been deleted. I agree with a previous post the food is okay not memorable. In fact I can't even remember what I had it made so little of an impression on me. For the prices they charge the food should be significantly better than it is. We sat outside on the patio and the setting is truly lovely. The have plenty of greenery surrounding the pation so it is very secluded and private. The service was decent as I recall but again nothing exceptional. We would not return. There are many restaurants that provide far better value for the money.
From all the raves I guess I was expecting more. I agree with kewpiebaby and pkwok. We had a table on their patio and I have to say that we really enjoyed the atmosphere. They had numerous plants and shrubs on their patio and eating outside was just magical.
As a previous reviewer has said the food gets mixed reviews. We shared the garganelli with pork cheeks. It was okay but not really exceptional, not really a lot of flavour to this dish and at $19.00 I felt it was a bit overpriced. Pasta and pork cheeks are not that expensive. For dinner my husband had the Cornish game hen. It come with potato gnocchi. The game hen was nice and juicy and very tasty. I had 1 of the specials, a 6 oz. filet mignon with red wine sauce, potatoes and vegetables. It was perfectly cooked. Delicious. If you order one of the specials be sure to ask the price before ordering because the specials are more expensive than items on the regular menu and the waiter did not volunteer this information. I asked before ordering. My husband commented on the small menu. This would probably be a deterant to a return visit as there was just the 1 item on the menu that appealed to my husband.
Service was decent. Our waiter was very busy because the restaurant was extremely busy but the wine was kept topped up and he was very pleasant.
The total bill for 1 pasta, 2 entrees and 1 bottle of wine was $123.00 before tip. If I could rate the value between 2 and 3 I would but I upped the value rating because the Cornish Hen and filet were fair value.
I live a short stroll from Adesso in its improbable but charming location on the lower floor of an old building on quiet, leafy Haro St. Past incarnations at this location included Delilah's, Parkside and Altro Buca.
If you scan the reviews below you will see a demarcation line that separates the older "ordinary" reviews from more recent "extraordinary" ones. It turns out that line was crossed in March 2012 when a new Chef arrived from Italy to inject sizzle into what had become a tired and disappointing dining experience.
Over a year ago I had sworn off any further visits to Adesso until a friend highly recommended it based on a recent visit. On the strength of that recommendation, six of us dined at Adesso this week. We were amazed and thoroughly impressed by the experience. It's hard to discount the unanimous praise of that many diners, given the wide variety of menu choices sampled. You know every single dish is a hit when normal conversation is replaced by a raptured chorus of "Mmmmmmmmmmmmm". The food and presentation are inspired, and none of us could find fault with any of our choices.
I'm not going to repeat the menu - that's available on Adesso's website, and frankly I doubt you could find a dud among the offerings. Selections track the seasons and avoid the boredom of an unchanging printed menu. The wine list is extensive without being overwhelming and presents some good values at reasonable prices. Gracious and friendly service was never the problem at Adesso, and the service remains excellent.
As someone who had written Adesso off, I'm happy to say I've changed my mind, and I can't wait to return.
We wanted to pick someplace really special on our last night in Vancouver so after much research we decided on Adesso because of its great reviews. Good choice. Firstly the service was wonderful from the second we entered and were greeted and had our coats hung and taken to our table by a very funny and friendly person. Our server was a tall man with a great sense of humor and a subtle way of guiding us through the menu. We finally settled on the three course menu for $32. This was a great choice because they were featuring a region of Italy that the chef is from. I will never forget the soup although I have forgotten its name. It was made with baccala and potato and the flavor was unbelievable. The main we chose was baby octopus and it was melt in the mouth tender. The dessert was exceptional too as fruit strudel is apparently a staple in the region. The room is beautiful too and reminiscent of places we have been to in Europe and New York. Highly recommend.
7 of us went there, after seeing the glowing reviews.
The food, on average, was not bad, but not outstanding. Appetizers were generally very satisfactory. Main courses were more variable. Some had rather bland taste, while others would fit into the 'outstanding' category. Also, some pasta dishes like the ravioli was not very big in portion, while the garganelli was huge. However, considering the reasonable prices, it was overall good value for money.
The ambience was also good, but the low ceiling was a bit stifling, although it is less bothersome when you are sitting down. Service was a bit variable this particular evening, as there was a big party out at their patio, and sometimes all the waiters disappeared from the indoor space, perhaps to sing "happy birthday" for that party. This should not be a recurring problem. The desserts were also good but not outstanding.
The location of this restaurant is rather unique, without much competition in the immediate vicinity. If you like this kind of setting and environment, it is not a bad choice, but I'd rather go to the many other restaurants around town that offer more spectacular food.
If you're looking for high-class dining with delicious, clever entrees, Adesso fits the bill, but misses the more important mark. You'll be paying a lot to eat here. You won't be getting the quality of food that fits that. Adesso really has nothing to set itself apart from the other Italian restaurants that mark Vancouver's landscape. Their pasta isn't any better. Their meat and fish, although very good, are still way below offerings from better high-end restaurants like Le Crocodile or Joe Fortes. Adesso also is located far into residential downtown, right by Stanley Park. It is a gloomy area that doesn't make for a good walk.
After having their $45 menu (which started with carpaccio, the best dish of the night, then moved on to a small, boring pasta, a drenched-in-maple sablefish and the most uninteresting assortment of chocolates for dessert) I can safely say I won't be going back. If you're looking for Italian, look elsewhere. If you're looking for great, high-quality food, there are PLENTY of better options.
Great little bistro tucked away. We came under a recommendation from some friends and had a great evening.
I had the linguini vongole and it was superb. Another big hit was the short ribs. All four of us enjoyed are meals.
We sat on the patio and would recommend doing the same as it very quaint.
Try this place out. Good food and service
On a recent mid week night my husband and I celebrated our anniversary at Adesso. We had such a wonderful evening. Our server, and the other staff, were discreet, friendly and professional. He guided us to a great wine selection that was $30 a bottle (!!) and answered all our food questions with good cheer. As for the food itself, we enjoyed the squash ravioli, which has much more complexity that you would expect, and the elk steak, which my husband loved. For dessert we shared the chocolate mousse and the restaurants version of a semi freddo. Both were the perfect ending to a great meal. Very highly recommend this place. We will return with friends.
What a spectacular meal and what perfect service ! Unobtrusive, appearing just when needed the service at this ten star restaurant was perfection. I had the salmon salad and the short ribs. My partner had the bruschetta and the nocchi with shredded duck...both were delicious and presented beautifully. The portions are civilized. You are not presented with a huge trough of food and if hungry I would recommend ordering three courses.
Parking is a problem but there a few solutions. Avoid the- permit holders only - street parking otherwise you will be towed. There are some spaces for none permit holders and valet parking is seven dollars.
We are definitely going back. All the great reviews are justified.
Had dinner here this evening with six friends. This is a charming restaurant in a primarily residential neighbourhood (West End), hard to find parking although found out later there was valet parking available.
Service was friendly and charming. I enjoyed the beet salad and seafood pasta. Portion size was perfect, dishes artfully presented and everything really delicious. The restaurant was quite busy but service was prompt and frequently asked how meal was going. The ambiance is fantastic, it is in the lower level of what I'm guessing is a heritage apartment, with beautiful wooden beams in the ceiling, velvet banquettes, gorgeous lighting, very romantic and intimate feeling. Unfortunately I was too full to have dessert, but meal was overall very enjoyable.
I took my valentine for the four course $45 valentine dinner last night and we had a blast. The food is creative and delicious and the service is friendly and warm. We shared the whole diiner so we had the goat cheese beet starter and the cured meat starter. Both were fresh and delicious. The second course was a a risotto with aspargus and shaved cheese and a crab pasta. Wow. Neither of us could say which was better. This was followed by entrees of beef tenderloin and succulent sablefish. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked and the subtle flavors of the sablefish were just amazing. For dessert there was a shared plate of all things chocolate. There was chocolate mousse coated with chocolate, chocolate truffle, cake with chocolate and ice cream garnish. That was the crowning touch on our great meal. We so enjoy the servers too. Our tall server has a wicked sense of humor and subtle way of guiding you to great choices. The place is comfortable and homey and I can't imagine a better night out. Great brownie points for me for choosing Adesso. $45 was a steal!
This is a little tucked away bistro, pretending to be just a friendly neighbourhood hangout but let me tell you, it is so much more. The service is very professional yet everyone is very approachable and friendly. The ambiance is laid back comfortable. The food is the star. Everything we had was like 5 star dining for both taste and presentation. We started simply with the mushroom pizza starter. It is a heavenly mix of truffled mushrooms and fonduta sauce. We followed this with a simple arugula salad which was incredibly fresh and flavorful. For mains we shared the lobster risotto and the shortribs, as recommended by our server. Wow! The risotto itself was so flavorful and the lobster was tender and juicy. The shortribs were falling of the bone tender. We were too full for dessert but will definitely save room next time. The wine selections by the glass were great too, and our server was happy to pair them with our food. We will be back for sure.
After being sent to a truly awful West End restaurant by the hotel concierge we were sceptical when were sent here. It is so off the beaten path and in a very residential neighbourhood. This place is truly charming and reminiscent of places we have been to in Europe and parts of New York. The food itself is some of the best we have had this year. As we were seated we were served olives and fresh focaccia bread obviously just out of the oven. So good we asked (and cheerfully received) seconds. We enjoyed the lobster risotto and the shortribs for our main courses and my husband had an incredible salmon salad for his appetizer. Apparently they smoke the salmon themselves. The lobster is tender and juicy and the risotto simple and flavorful. The shortribs are melt in the mouth wonders. We shared a chocolate mousse for dessert and again we were amazed by the flavors and the presentation. Everyone we met was so friendly and helpful and they all knew their products well. The wine list is somewhat short but full of good well priced surprises. The room is cozy and comfortable and quiet when we were there but started to get busy as we were leaving.
We will be back here one day for sure. Highly recommend to those of you who are locals and haven't discovered this place yet!
We recently came for brunch as we have enjoyed many dinners at Adesso. Well the brunch is just wonderful. It is so cozy inside and the service was both spot on professional and very friendly (and somewhat droll). Following our server's recommendations we enjoyed many of the in house made special items. They make their own bresaola and sausages and are they ever good. We had a bresaola benny with fabulous hollandaise (obviously freshly made) with sausages and we also had the steak and eggs special which is an incredible bargain. We made room for little pancake rolls they call crespelle for dessert. Also perfect. Completely recommend this to everyone and we will tell everyone we know.
Six of us dined on the patio recently and we had an outstanding evening. The food is unbelievable good, from the fritto misto (mixed seafood starter) and the risotto balls with Gorgonzola cheese all the way to the desserts. Our entrees were so good. We had ling cod, salmon, elk steak and Cornish hen to share plus two pastas. The food was ample and amazing quality particularly at this price point. We all had dessert too and it is not to be missed. The cheese plate is huge and very good. We will all be back every chance we get.
I took a lady friend to this place, as a prelude to a romantic evening. The evening got off to a poor start, the sign out front advertised valet parking, and there was no attendant. I dropped the keys off with the guy at the door, who looked at me like I was an alien.
Once seated, at a nice enough table - the place has decent decor and atmosphere, we perused the menu. It seemed like whenever we got our conversation going, the server would interrupt. This was a theme throughout the meal. At one point we joked with each other that she must be doing it on purpose, that no one could be that dense. The martini for 5 special was tried, my companion remarked, where is the booze in this thing? I tried mine, very weak, explaining the price point.
The risotto croquette appy was mealy and looked more like a deep fried crabcake. Our entrees arrived too hot to be edible, we needed to wait, which was unacceptable, but in the end fine, as the wine took it's time arriving, which wasn't. A decent bottle with an obscene markup. The food was ok, nothing special and the portion size was too small, considering the $27/28 dollars charged.
Again, the server managed to interrupt far too often, asking about the food, refilling glasses that didn't require it, it was like she was stalking us.
Dessert came and went, a forgettable semifreddo and the bill arrived, nearly $200 for appys, entrees, 1 cocktail, 1 bottle of domestic wine and dessert. Not a good value, I will never go back.
My husband and I used to dine here all the time a few years ago at the old location in Kits. We absolutely loved it, and brought guests with us on occasion who also loved it, and thus were sad to find out that it had closed. After learning some time ago that it was set to re-open at a new location in Kerrisdale, we waited anxiously for the news. Sadly, we were disappointed when no new opening transpired. How amazing to find the restaurant up and running some five years later at one of the most beautiful spots in the city!
We had dinner here with a group of four on the patio on Friday. The evening was idyllic in every way - delicious and reasonably priced food and wine, terrific service, a beautiful and serene setting, not to mention, the great company. But for the new and more scenic location, Adesso is exactly as we remembered it. With its dark and cozy interior, it would be the perfect setting for a romantic dinner in fall or winter. For summer, the gorgeous, quiet patio is beyond compare. The kitchen is terrific with just the perfect number of selections comprising the menu for both appies and entrees. Although it was a special, the summer squash risotto was so fabulous that any opportunity to try risotto of any kind at this place should not be missed! As far as restaurant experiences go, it is simply divine. I cannot wait to go back.
I've heard of this place before, and when I saw it came up on Groupon, I decided I was gonna give it a try sometime. Just happens that one of my friend is leaving the country, so we came here.
The service is quite friendly from the moment we stepped in. It's a really nice and cozy, environment. It's a Weds night and not many people were here. Maybe that explains the prompt service all the way, and the server gave us some recommendations as well as introducing some of the dishes that came.
We ordered Quattro di Bruschetta, which features bread served in 4 different toppings, pesto, olive, parmesean, and tomato. I was definitely pleased. Now comes the Steamed Salt Spring Island Mussels. This, my friend, got both of us amazed. It is fresh, it is properly seasoned in the tomato broth, it is plain amazing. Best mussels I have ever had.
Then comes the pasta. Spaghettini Frutti di Mare features 3 kinds of seafood, and I loved the baby squid, fresh and cooked right to the point. My friend went with recommended Pappardelle with Whole Roasted Duck Leg, duck was properly cooked, meat falls from the bone easily, and has great taste to it. I would recommend not having the parmesean with the duck though, but it might just my personal preference.
Overall it was definitely a bang for the buck. Even without the Groupon we find the pricing reasonable. I would definitely be back for their neighbourhood specials.
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