The problem with crushing hard on a new restaurant like Angela Pastificio is that you might wait ages to score that first reservation, and then you'll have to wait again to go back, even if you'd rather go again right away.
So this is the true story of my experience at one of Vancouver's standout new Italian restaurants.
Angela Pastificio one of four new neighbouring restaurants
Angela opened in May, but work had begun on the space 1869 Powell St a few months earlier. As it happened, the chilly January evening I went to check out block-mate Niwa, I passed by what's now Angela and watched as the lettering for its previous occupant, Straight and Marrow, was being peeled off the door.
This particular row of businesses on Powell has seen a lot of change in the last year; Niwa had been The Pie Shoppe, Aleph gave way to El Compa, and Nero Tondo was Elephant/Subject to Change. Angela is the fourth concept to debut this year in just this strip alone.
And the block is a bit of a destination. You aren't just meandering Powell Street looking for a multi-course pasta dinner. You are likely going to plan on showing up at 5 p.m. for opening to see if Angela can take you as a walk-in or you've managed to nab a coveted reservation via Tock.
Incidentally, those options comprised my "Plan A," (just show up) and my "Plan B," the latter locked in when my dining companion was notified we were moving from the waitlist to booked. Sweet relief!
Decor, hospitality give Angela a modern but warm feel
Angela is small and intimate, with just 20 seats. Its decor offers a homey feel, reinforced by a layout that sends you through the kitchen to visit the washroom. But a lot of the kitchen action happens in plain view, by design, at the pasta counter.
Facing the dining room is the domain of Angela's head chef-owner, Calvin Vogstad. All evening, you'll watch him meticulously turn out course after course of handmade pasta from this countertop zone.
You're here for the pasta, for certain.
Vogstad's previous experience includes Vancouver's acclaimed La Quercia, and his colleague from the veteran Italian restaurant, Nolan Bayliss, is also at Angela.
Named for Vogstad's grandmother, it's no wonder the restaurant operates with a "sit down, mangia, you're family" ethos.
Multi-course tasting menu a must-try for pasta lovers
You can order a la carte, but the way to go is the tasting menu, priced at an incredibly reasonable $89 per person, given the quality, quantity, and hospitality provided. The menu is seasonal and changes frequently, allowing Vogstad and Bayliss to showcase a variety of ingredients, and the tasting menu dishes differ from those on the a la carte menu.
The sunny early evening of my visit, the meal began with antipasti courses of mortadella draped atop a disc of Italian fried bread, followed swiftly by a platter of cured meats, fresh cheese, pickled veg, and olives with anchovies; it was a lovely and well-portioned selection.
A refreshing salad of potato, apple, and fennel followed, dressed in bright citrus and a nice segue from the heartier prior bites into the main event: Five, yes five, consecutive courses of fresh pasta.
The main event: Five courses of fresh pasta
Each course featured a different technique, pasta type, and flavour profile, progressing from lighter to richest. To start, little folded bundles of shrimp with a buttery lemon sauce brought to mind wontons by way of Italy, down to the thin pasta wrapper and the gentle texture of the filling.
Next, a mound of mini gnocchi in a delicate crab and tomato sauce. The tender gnochetti yielded immediately to the gentlest of bites, and the crab flavour managed to standout in the bright and bold sauce.
Rustic, hand-formed orichiette (the ear-shaped pasta) came next, paired with a tangle of tangy greens balanced by creamy soft cheese.
The penultimate pasta dish was probably my favourite: Spaghetti alla Chitarra, which are strands of eggy pasta cut on a tool with a wire set-up like a guitar neck (chitarra means guitar in Italian). The spaghetti was paired with a lamb ragu that latched itself on perfectly to each filament.
Lastly, a giant raviolo filled with a runny egg yolk brought the pasta section to a thunderous conclusion, complete with the pleasure of that first sink of the knife to release the puddle of yolk.
The final course is dessert, which for us were a pair of cannoli and some fresh fruit sorbetto.
Alongside the meal I enjoyed the wine pairing, which the Angela team was gracious enough to allow our table of two to split, just to keep our weeknight intake (and cost) down. We were carefully guided through each wine, down to when we should save some sips for the next course.
How does Angela Pastificio compare to its peers?
The Angela experience may seem familiar to those who have dined at Commercial Drive's Magari by Oca; the comparisons are inevitable. Having experienced both, and found the food and hospitality outstanding at both, Angela counters the boisterous nature of Magari by leaning into its more subdued and elevated tones. Angela Pastificio is a high-concept restaurant with a neighbourhood feel, whereas Magari is a neighbourhood restaurant with a high-concept structure.
And while it's natural to consider Angela in the context of its peers in the local Italian restaurant scene (which has, of late, felt explosive, with the addition of Folietta, Lucia, Cantina di Luigi, to name a few), the Powell Street spot is also, by my estimation, ascending the ranks of the "Class of 2025" when it comes to new Vancouver restaurants overall.
The hardest reservations to land aren't necessarily for the restaurant that will deliver on value, taste, and experience. Ever so quietly, this effortlessly elegant newcomer has been capturing admirers, myself included. It's absolutely worth the wait. Now, pardon me while I go put my name back on the waitlist.
Angela Pastificio is located at 1869 Powell St in Vancouver and is open Wednesday to Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations are released via Tock in blocks.
Video: Falling in love with the tasting menu at Angela Pastificio
@forkingawesomevia You bet Angela Pastificio is in the running for my fave new Vancouver restaurant to open in 2025. It’s been one of the hardest reservations to get but I finally made it off the waitlist and to a table. You can order a la carte but I chose the tasting menu, which is eight courses, five of which are pasta. Each pasta was a different style and flavour, representing a range of techniques. The little filled triangles were like shrimp wontons by way of Italy with a pop of citrus, and what I mistakenly call tagliolini in my voiceover is actually spaghetti alla chitarra (cut on a special tool with wires like guitar strings) which came with a deeply flavourful lamb ragu. Of course nothing beats an egg-yolk filled giant raviolo! But each pasta course was đź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Ś. Some folks have found the salad course forgettable, but ours, with apple and potato, was delicious. I was so full by dessert, but I did enjoy it, though I could have done without it. If you like Magari by Oca on Commercial Drive, you’ll likely love Angela. It’s a little more buttoned up but service is attentive and gracious. They kindly obliged when we asked to share a wine pairing. If it weren’t so hard to get in, I’d go right back! My half of the bill with tax and tip was $157. #forkingawesome #vancouverbc ♬ merlot - the wine is ok
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