Ask For Luigi – Gastown

After having a great experience at Ask For Luigi’s (AFL) sister restaurant, Di Beppe, there was a degree of excitement in our household in advance of our reservation at Ask For Luigi.

I think reading the “about” section (which is in the link above for the resto), speaks to me, so much about their philosophy behind the dining experience. Specifically, for me … the aperitivo.

Having spent a lot of time in Spain, vermouth is part of my drinking vocabulary. In Spain, vermouth flows from the tap like draft beer … and that’s how I had it served, mostly – super-cold.

What I like about Di Beppe and AFL is that they have a selection of vermouths, which is how I have it at home – many brands from which to choose – but I don’t have it every day. I usually have one glass of wine with my dinner most days – and vermouth is more of a treat that I’ll have in the afternoon on a Saturday, served over ice and with a slice of orange.

AFL’s esthetic is quite interesting – we almost missed it as we were walking through Gastown – as it’s an old house on a corner with very little signage, aside from a sign that says “PASTA” and a small sandwich board sign out front, you wouldn’t be quite sure that it’s a great little Italian resto.

Inside, it looks like a Scarborough or Borough of York basement, where every Italian family has their second kitchen; the only one that gets used. Those in Toronto will catch my drift, but the photo below of the inside will give you some insight. My partner said it reminded her of a divey Montreal joint. It definitely gives you a homey feeling, and that the food would be made with the same level of care as nonna would.

The music was pretty awesome, as well, with Blues being the mood of the evening; some Hendrix, SRV, Chuck Berry, amongst others.

As usual, my partner said “I’ve got the order figured out … ”

She was mostly right, but I threw in a surprise.

Like at Di Beppe, our aperitivos were vermouth for me (Antica Torino) and the prosecco for the lady; both hit the spot.

We also ordered a half litre of the Nebbiolo, which was from the Langhe region (one of my current go-to regions). It washed down the dinner perfectly.

For starters – we shared the bread with EVOO and the marinated olives, Arugula, Fennel, and Endive Salad, and Bocconcini Fritti … as well, my partner had the Grilled Octopus with Lentils and Saffron Aioli.

The one thing that we both noticed was the olive oil that was served with the bread was outstanding. I could tell that it had a low acidity, was buttery in aroma, and didn’t have a hint of bitterness or sharpness going down (I tried it on it’s own with a spoon). Although the pinch or two of salt in the little olive oil vessel was nice, it certainly wasn’t necessary, as the olive held court on it’s own.

The salad was nice, but I have to admit, I was hoping for the version from Di Beppe, which was so good that I ordered two of them … it had a cilantro dressing, which was so fresh and tangy. The version at AFL was a bit heavy – as the dressing was made with mayo and was topped with pecorino, but good, none-the-less.

We joked about the fried cheese on the menu before we left home to head over to AFL … comparing them to mozzarella sticks, so my partner was surprised when I ordered the Bocconcini Fritti. It was nice and light, with just the right amount of pesto on the bottom of the bowl to swirl the bocconcini around. No mozza stick action here. These guys nailed it.

My partner said the octopus was quite good.

All around, a nice start.

On to the main event; spaghetti.

We ordered the Pomodoro (because that’s the baseline), and Nero, with Clams and Bagna Cauda.

I felt that they were both a hit. The homemade pasta cooked just right, and the sugo was to my liking … a little tangy, with just the right amount of seasoning, and stuck to the pasta just so.

The nero spaghetti was a also nice … tasty, a little salty from the bagna cauda, and the bivalves were a nice addition.

Now, I’m not going to bring up the lack of pepperoncini in oil again, but I’m just sayin’. The server did provide me with some tasty chili infused olive oil, which did the trick … kind of.

The dessert was very good – we had the olive oil cake, which was served with a scoop of ricotta on top, and what tasted like a take on orange marmalade on the bottom.

I didn’t have room for an amaro, but I was totally jonesing for the Amaro Nonino. My partner had an espresso macchiato, and she was pressing me to try it, as she knows I’m an espresso snob. I resisted, as I knew how it was going to taste; like an coffee from a typical Italian street espresso bar … sour, acidic, and lacking body. Well, when I finally gave in, my assumptions were correct. But hey, if they are trying to create that authentic Italian experience, they acheived that with their espresso. I just don’t like it that way … that said, 60 million Italians can’t be wrong!

We received the Vancouver service treatment; attentive, relaxed, helpful, and engaging.

The folks that own AFL and Di Beppe have a couple of other concepts, including a pizza joint in my neck of the woods called Farina a Legna (flour to wood). I’ll be checking out more of the concepts soon!

Return: Yes – it was a nice experience – food, service, ambiance.

Rating: 8/10