La Quercia is a traditional, timeless Italian restaurant

La Quercia & L'Ufficio is a rare Italian restaurant that makes no apologies for hewing to tradition and ignoring the latest food trends. As co-owner, Adam Pegg explained, “We really don’t consider how we have affected or grow with the evolving Italian scene in Vancouver.”

You’d be forgiven for thinking Vancouver was an Italian territory. Giusti, Angela Pastificio, Osteria Otto… there’s a new neighbourhood spot opening every few months. But what sets this 20-year-old Italian restaurant apart is not novelty or the latest food fad, but a commitment to tradition.

There’s a timeless quality to the restaurant as soon as you walk in. Gilded bronze containers adorn the walls, set in front of deeply split wood panelling, oak I assume, given the Italian translation of quercia. Modern minimalism be damned, the restaurant embraces an aesthetic that you just don't see much anymore.

Yet for over 20 years, the restaurant has survived the trends that have overtaken other spots. Isolation deep into Kitsilano, far beyond the trendy bustle of Main or Commercial, may play a role. There was more grey hair on the clientele on the Tuesday I visited than you’d find at more trendy spots. I suspect they’ve been coming here for many years. 

When asked how they’ve survived so long, Pegg was clear: “I attribute the longevity of our restaurant to great employees who care about their job and owners who are relentless in their pursuit of making things better constantly.” 

Luckily for Vancouver, the Italian food scene isn’t focused on one region. La Quercia’s menu changes often, but one way they’re different from most other spots in town is the focus on Italian cuisine from the northeast. 

Bordering Austria, the region’s influences are evident. Spätzle anyone? Adam trained in the north, in places like Piedmont and Trentino, while co-owner Karin Pegg’s family had a family hotel in the Dolomite mountains. It’s a region that Adam says lends itself well to ingredients you’d typically find in B.C.

During my visit, it was the exceptional technique and simple, high-quality dishes that set La Quercia apart. Little half moons of zucchini are deep-fried, softly cooked, and dressed with nothing except a pinch of lemon. It’s not fancy, but it’s well-made. For some, it may be underwhelming. Yet I couldn’t help but be impressed by the confidence in simplicity.

I have yet to name this theory, but anyone who visits a newer Italian restaurant will notice a frustrating relationship: as the price of a pasta dish increases, the volume of said pasta decreases. 

La Quercia’s Agnolotti del Plin, a traditional, simply shaped Northern stuffed pasta, is a homage to a time when pasta was a meal in itself. The dish’s ingredients change often. On my visit, it was lovingly sauced with a coating of veal reduction, rich sage and butter. Little dollops of veal were encased in golden, freshly made, almost translucent pasta. It manages something few other high-quality Italian restaurants achieve — a pasta dish large enough for a meal that doesn’t sacrifice quality. Heck, you could order this for two and feel satisfied.

That dish, by itself, is enough for a visit. As the server explained, the dough is made daily, with different combinations depending on the type of pasta used. I cannot wait to try more.

The restaurant offers a mix of both locally sourced ingredients and Italian imports. I didn’t hear any buzzing, but was assured there were bees on the roof producing honey. Inside, you can find a salami room (remind me to add that to my dream home), while their balsamic is imported from a friend in Modena. 

Branzino is a native Mediterranean fish, which I find a little less delicate than you’d find with other white fish. Like the rest of the meal, the simple combination of ingredients stands out. A sweet and beautifully plated tangy parsley root puree, along with delicately cooked beans, contrasts with the criss-cross char of the grill. It’s simple, well executed, and each bite was a delight.

Rounding out the meal was the semifreddo. It’s a classic Italian dessert made of, essentially, half-frozen cream that’s more airy than normal ice cream, as it’s not churned. Like the rest of the meal, it was simple, with soft, pillowy frozen cream, lightly sweetened.

Instagram can be a window into the soul of a restaurant. The epicentre of popular Italian cuisine, Savio Volpe conveys opulence and desire with professional-grade content. La Quercia’s social presence is shot without gaudy touches. Ingredients are front and centre, like knobby truffles, fresh handpicked porcini and the delicate, deft craft of fresh-made hand-crafted pasta.

La Quercia is still here, 20 years on, a little pocket of Piedmont in Kitsilano. Trends rise and fall. But their secret to thriving, focused on tradition, simplicity and excellence, is a statement about food that, like the restaurant, is timeless.

Here’s to 20 more years.