Warm, late summer dinners are best spent eating outside on the patio, and there’s something about the lush garden patio of Quattro Restaurant that drew me in. I think it’s the refreshing shade provided by all those trees and bushes, a coolness that I welcomed as I ate my Italian dinner at Q4.
The first dish to arrive was Arancini di Riso ($14.95) — Dungeness crab and rice croquette balls with a caper-lemon aioli. The thick, crisp croquette shell revealed an even denser, creamier mixture of crabmeat and arborio rice. Each bite sank to my stomach and filled me with a heaviness that the purely decorative, jaunty shaved fennel salad can’t lift. This was definitely comfort food, but with a very sophisticated presentation.
The second dish was a lot livelier. Truth be told, I was really surprised by how much I liked the Radicchio Bocconcini ($12.95). Its description in the menu is rather unassuming: grilled radicchio-wrapped mozzarella and prosciutto in a cherry vinaigrette. What the menu doesn’t reveal is how this dish arrives fresh from the grill — warm, juicy, plump, fragrantly-smoked. The tangy, cool cherry vinaigrette complements the warm and savoury mozzarella and prosciutto. The tender radicchio leaves a small bitter (but not unpleasant) aftertaste, especially soaked in the cherry vinaigrette. I’m salivating as I’m writing this. Out of all the things I’ve tried at Q4, the Radicchio Bocconcini is my favourite entree.
As an Italian restaurant, Q4 boasts many pasta choices, and if you come down on Monday and Tuesday nights, they have $10 pasta plates. Vegetarians would do well to order the Ravioli Piemontese ($22.95), which consists of 7 ravioli pieces fully stuffed with a lot of wild mushrooms, Mascarpone cheese, and white truffle oil in a light porcini cream. Q4 doesn’t skimp on the mushrooms, which makes this dish very rich and heady. To counter the potency of the mushrooms in this dish, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask your server for an equally potent glass of wine to help wash it down.
The house specialty is the mysteriously-named Spaghetti Quattro ($17.95). The menu states that it’s for “Italians only” and doesn’t provide any other description so my curiosity is piqued — of course I had to order it. What arrived was spaghetti with chicken, black beans, parsley, chilli, and a lot of garlic. If Q4 is more than generous with the mushrooms for the Ravioli Piemontese, then they had a similarly liberal approach with garlic in the Spaghetti Quattro. I probably repelled vampires within a five-mile radius after eating this.
Pasta is very filling, so make sure to leave room for dessert. Q4 offers four dessert selections, and every single one of them is worth stomach space. I was already so full that I could only choose one dessert for this meal. The Ciliege Filate ($8.50), aka Cherry Tart, consisted of crispy phyllo pastry with smooth and sweet mascarpone cheese, accented with the tart and chewy cherries on top. This dessert wasn’t overly sweet but light and balanced. I chose the ciliege filate out of all the other delicious desserts because it’s the most photogenic one — seriously, look at it. I don’t know how I devoured something so beautiful, but I managed.
To win the $50 gift certificate, just leave a comment on this post. The winner will be drawn next week on Friday, August 20, 8 pm. Good luck!
Last modified: August 18, 2010
Sounds delicious! It’s been a while since I have guiltlessly enjoyed a true pasta meal. It’s about time I indulge a little!
The photos look soo amazing! I love to those dishes!
Go by there all the time but never been in. Would love to try.
Have heard great things about Q4 and would love to try it out!
mmm.. it all looks so good!
Great contest, thanks! Keep up the good work.
Heard great things about the food at Q4 .. would love to try it out!
Ooh, haven’t been there in ages. Should really get back soon!
I enjoy the restaurant reviews
That bottom right picture looks so good I feel like I should hang it on my wall as a piece of art. Yummy. Thanks for creating the contest. Cheers!
Would love to try it out. Always looking for good restaurants in the area!
Yum! I live just down the street, so maybe it’s time to go back soon!
Mmmmmm after seeing these photos I really need to eat there. It looks fully worth the baby sitter! 🙂
We have been looking for another good Italian place since chianti’s went out of business.
Pick me!! Pick me!!!!
Too hot to cook….the patio sounds great!
Hmmm everything sounds delicious!! Please pick me to win!!
Great review, and great blog overall. I always look forward to your take on the goings-on of our neighbourhood.
Great spot – lovely patio too! Had dinner there for the first time on a Monday – great pasta specials on this night!
Looks great.
YES PLEASE.
Great contest.
Is eating all the above mentioned food before noon on a Sunday too early?! Mouthwatering. I am starving.
I’d love this!
Me too.
I’d love to win this! It’s been soooo long since I’ve been there…
never been. pics look great!
I’m getting hungry just reading your blog post! It would be a truly lovely way to spend our wedding anniversary and the commute is right 🙂
Those photos look scrumptious!
Me likey bread sticks me likey bread sticks!!!!
50 spot at Q4 sounds deeeeeeeeeeeeeelish!
wow…looks almost too good to eat….
Mmm, looks delish!
One of our favorites! Count us in!
I didn’t know about $10 Pasta Nights. I just might have to head over there. Thanks for letting us know!
Sign me up! Sounds like a great dinner.
would love to give it a try!
I’ve wanted to try Q4 for ages! Hope I win! Thanks for the chance!
That Spaghetti Quattro looks really good.
I’ve heard some great things from this place, but haven’t gotten a chance to get down there yet – would love to talk to the managers about doing some promotions too! Thanks for a great write up.
Q4, never been but the food looks delish
Great article…sounds and looks delish!
would love to go again!!
I’m new to Vancouver and have been exploring the city’s culinary offerings since my arrival. I haven’t been to Q4 yet and would love to try some of the Italian goodness. Q4 sounds like a nice place for a fun and delicious date or evening with friends. Hope I win this one… my stomach is grumbling already! Thanks Q4 and Kitsilano.ca!
Haven’t been there for a while now so it would be nice to go back and try the food again. Thanks.
Nice of them to have the $10 pasta days.
Would love to try Q4 with my daughters!!!
Live 1/2 block away. Go there often. It’s every bit as good as your comments.
Have been to Quattro in Whistler. Food was great there too!
Fingers crossed! I’d love to finally try this place.
That’s the place where those two gangsters sitting in the window were murdered right?
I imagine the place has been cleaned up by now.
An excellent review. And a smart marketing pitch.
I’m heading to Quattro for the 10 dollar plates with my daughters next week!
My wife and I love Q4. The pasta’s are phenomenal and reasonably priced. We would love to go back!
Looks delicious! I’d love to try it out.
@Bill
That shooting happened in 2007. Not murders, but two people were mildly injured. One man was the target. Gang-related. Could have happened anywhere.
I’ve always wanted to slurp noodles romantically on the patio in summer.
Love Q4’s $10 pasta days on Monday and Tuesday!
Been loving Q4 for years, and I’d love to love it again soon!
I am laying in bed, about to sleep, but now that I’ve read this, you’ve got me HUNGRY, craving pasta, and … Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano” playing in my head!
This sounds so yummy and is making me super hungry right now!!
I have never eaten there but dying to try it!
After a bit of a hiatus, I dined at Q4 about a month ago and had a fantastic dinner there. The antipasto platter was delicious, as was the “mysterious” Spaghetti Quattro. :). Left room for dessert (can’t remember what I ordered) but I do remember being very satisfied. Q4 is an oldie but a definite goodie.
Sounds great!
mmmm pasta
Sounds delicious! My sister is in town, I think it would be just the kind of place to take her. Thanks
I am a vegetarian and the Ravioli Piemontese sounds AMAZING! Mushrooms and ravioli – how could it get any better? Thanks for writing this post. I always see this place from the street and wonder what the food is like, and if there are any meat-free options. Reading your post makes me want to try it!
I haven’t been since it became Q4 but the cookbook is probably the most used tool in my kitchen! It’s be nice to see what the dishes are really supposed to look like (my “plating” technique needs work!)
I love Quattro but have somehow forgotten about them over the last couple years. Glad to see they have evolved and are still around! Will give them another visit very soon!
That all sounds amazing!
Sounds yummy!
going to check out this place next tuesday. ravioli is delish.
Who doesn’t love pasta?
looks tasty!
Would love to try it.
Have been dying to go!