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Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca

Vancouver - Annual 2006


Classic Oasis of Wine and Creative and Innovative Cuisine

Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca
Photography by Bruce Law

A GuestLife Vancouver
Great Restaurant

Tucked away in the cobblestone heart of Yaletown is one of Vancouver’s most awardhonoured restaurants. Since opening seven years ago, Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill and the adjoining Enoteca (wine library) have been named Best Formal Italian restaurant by Vancouver magazine every year. In 2005, Cioppino’s became the only restaurant outside Italy to be recognized with an award of excellence from Accademia della Cucina ltaliana, a cultural institution devoted to the Italian food.

But more importantly, Executive Chef and owner Pino Posteraro has earned a place in the hearts of his customers with exceptional service, culinary excellence and a wine list that is hard to beat.

The most popular dish at Cioppino’s is variety. “We have a menu that is one of the largest in town,” says Chef Posteraro, “primarily because our regular clientele demand that.” The 126-seat Cioppino’s, featuring classic Mediterranean cuisine and the 88-seat Enoteca, with its rustic Italian fare, offer quiet elegance with Old World charm. “We also have five private rooms: 26 seats at Cioppino’s, 20 at Enoteca and our most recent additions are the Antinori seating 12, the Mama Paola also seating 12 and the Dom Pérignon Room which seats six. We have an official recognition plaque from France and will feature Dom Pérignon going back to 1955.”

While Chef Posteraro takes great care in designing his menus, he enjoys creating meals on the spur of the moment. “Sometimes I have certain customers who come in and say, ‘Cook something special for us,’ and I will do a dish that is not on the menu.” Daily features entitled ‘Chefs suggestions’ and ‘freshest of the market’ showcase the culinary creativity of Posteraro and his team, much to the delight of the restaurants’ patrons. With menu items such as roasted west coast wild salmon, toasted couscous and savoury citrus sauce, who could resist a trip to Yaletown to take in the offerings of this dining jewel.

Menu Highlights

Appetizers

Prosciutto di Parma
with melon, Tuscan-style crostini

British Columbia smoked wild salmon,
brioche and traditional condiments

Baby lettuce and mixed herb salad,
pear, Stilton, honey and lemon dressing

Caprese of Roma tomatoes and Italian “mozzarella di bufala”

Pan-seared Quebec foie gras, “poor-man” salad,
Sauternes sauce Pan-roasted scallops, barley “risotto,” Romesco condiment

Entrées

Pappardelle
with four-hour braised veal cheeks and porcini mushrooms

Pinched Ravioli of Braised Beef Short Ribs
sage, garlic, Parmigiano

Garganelli with Lobster & Crab
light tomato-cream sauce

Cioppino of medley of fish and seafood
spicy bouillabaisse broth

Veal “ossobuco” alla Milanese
with saffron risotto

Tenderloin of Fraser Valley pork “saltimbocca,”
prosciutto and sage

Roasted rack of lamb,
garlic confit, “sauce à la Provençale”

Duck, duck, duck
Spitroasted breast, sausage and seared foie gras

Desserts

Warm “soft heart” chocolate cake
with vanilla custard and ice cream

Classic lemon tart
with Italian meringue

Light milk chocolate mousse,
raspberry cream center, sour cherries, mango coulis

In-house-made sherbert
with biscotti

Trio of vanilla, chocolate and pistachio crème brûle

Best of the Cellar

Cioppino’s has more than 1800 wines currently on the wine list and a large selection of ports, madeiras cognacs and malt whiskies for your after-dining pleasure, including Cioppino’s own private label special cuvée “Donna Paola” white, rose and red wines.

Marchese Antinori Wines

Jermann Vintage Tunina White

Braide Alte Grand Cru White

GuestLife Vancouver Great Restauant - Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca

pictured: Canadian Scallops 2006

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca
1129/1133 Hamilton Street,
Vancouver
(604) 688-7466

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