Italian comfort at a fair price

• Name + address: Cantina Gia

• Type of food: Italian

• Appetizers: $5-$22

• Mains: $17-$38

• Diet: meat, seafood, vegan and gluten-free options

• Wheelchair accessibility: Yes

• LCBO Licensed: Yes

• Website: Cantina Gia

At West 4th and Alma in Vancouver you'll find the modestly sized La Quercia and its sister eatery L’Ufficio Restaurant and Deli.

For lovers of fine Italian Cuisine, La Quercia remains essential dining in Vancouver and it is there that I experienced some of the greatest pasta of my life.

There is undoubtedly a wealth of great Italian food on offer in Vancouver but the creations of chef-owner Adam Pegg have always stood out to me as singular in their execution.

Experienced Ottawa foodies will know that we have our very own Adam as pasta master. Adam Vettorel is the culinary visionary behind both North and Navy (aka NoNa) and the newer, Cantina Gia in the Glebe.

To my mind the two cuisines most naturally similar to one another are Japanese and Italian. Both, at their best, demand the use of the finest seasonal ingredients. Both, at their best, demand that practitioners spend years of rigorous hard work as apprentices before they are ready to take centre stage. Years in the demanding pursuit of perfection to give us the illusion of simplicity.

Vettorel has achieved that sensibility and from my experience, he's translated that to his team at Cantina Gia.

Before I continue I need to advise you that the online menu is not current in its pricing and the in-restaurant menu is not entirely updated. Best to ask your server a few questions.

The snow was beginning to kick up as I sat down and for some reason I was curious about the light, house lager brewed for Gia by Cameron's Brewing in Oakville. Not exactly beer weather but I wasn’t up for a glass of wine.

It was as I’d hoped, fresh and delicate without being insipid and it had sufficient hop to balance the sweet and nutty malt. Frankly, at the moment, it stands as the nicest restaurant- or bar-branded brew I’ve had in years.

The frisée and arugula salad arrived not exactly as advertised and the kitchen should have informed the server about the change so that it could be communicated to me. I happen to adore beets but the leaves are another matter and for me become the overpowering top note in any salad.

It was beautifully arranged and the dressing was first rate. The toasted farro gave a thoughtful and tasty dimension to the whole while the colours gave it curb appeal.

At that point I had asked the excellent server Kenzie a dozen questions, and she was good enough to find the answers for me with unwavering professionalism.

She returned with a skein of pasta nestled cozily in a white bowl giving off the heady aromas of pecorino cheese and black pepper.

I often contend that you can take the most novice tasters of wine and the bulk of them will know which is the better (not necessarily the most expensive) wine. I think it’s true of quality pasta as well. If you appreciate pasta you will know when you have a great example of house-made when you taste it.

Not only was the pasta perfectly cooked, it was also made with bronze dies during the extruding process. Vettorel confirmed that he brings in these bronze dies from Italy. Bronze has the benefit of leaving micro irregularities in the surface of the noodle which allows it to hold sauces and gives a more unique texture.

A great chef is signified not just by her or his talent but by the respect they command from their staff and that is often seen in how the kitchen crews emulate the recipes in their charge. Vettorel has serious minded people working at Gia and it shows when they have food like this leaving the kitchen at 3 pm on a weekday.

That day there was only one dessert on the menu and as it happened to be tiramisu, I decided to give it a go.

I’ve not had much luck with tiramisu. It’s often well past its sell by date and more commonly, it takes on the myriad odors of the refrigerator.

Cantina Gia appears to have solved that problem simply by taking pride in everything they do and that means doing it right. This tiramisu felt as if it had just been made with a quality coffee and sweet, airy cream and it was as ephemeral as swallowing clouds.

A larger plate would have made the dessert a little easier to handle but perhaps this was meant to fit into the Cantina aesthetic.

In Toronto there is a fabulous French bistro named Le Paradis. For most people, including myself, it is a go-to destination when you want expertly prepared cuisine without breaking the bank. It has a storied history and has been in operation for almost 37 years.

I wish Cantina Gia that level of success. It deserves it.