The Italian Kitchen

The Italian Kitchen is part of the Glowbal restaurant chain (see my previous review of Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar here), and is located right in the heart of downtown Vancouver. I've been wanting to try this place for ages since I've heard a lot of good things so I was super happy when my bf said he'd take me there for dinner.

Obviously the restaurant serves Italian food, but they do it with a bit of a twist. There are sharing platters like at Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar, as well as lots of pizza and pasta. I opted for their signature Spaghetti with Spicy Kobe Meatballs ($24), which features truffle cream sauce, tomato garlic confit, and herb ricotta. The meatballs are HUGE and super tasty but the best part was definitely the cream sauce on the spaghetti. So good!

For dessert, my bf and I decided to split the tiramisu. Presentation maybe not the best but it was delicious!

Our server was really nice and knowledgeable, but the restaurant was very busy so there was some wait time to order. I suppose when you're doing the whole "fine dining" thing, the wait is to be expected and even wanted. No big deal on that front.

One thing that I wasn't too fond of, however, was how close the tables were to each other. I understand that from a business point of view you want to get as many people in as you can, but as a customer, it's not ideal to be able to hear the intimate conversations of those around you and vice versa. As such, I don't think The Italian Kitchen would be my pick for a super romantic and intimate meal, but I'd definitely go under other circumstances for the delicious food.

Address: 1037 Alberni Street, Vancouver, BC

Website: http://www.theitaliankitchen.ca/