Vancouver Olympics Restaurant and Tourism Guide: Who loves Italian? I DO!!

If you know one thing about me, it is probably that I love both Italian food AND Italian people. I just can't get enough of all things Italy! In light of this, I decided to visit Al Porto Ristorante in Vancouver which is where the 2010 Winter Vancouver Olympic Games are taking place.

First off, I'd like to apologize for the delay between reviews; my meal at Rare the other day left me pretty broke! I was forced to eat stuff that was growing in my backyard for a few days because I didn't have money for groceries or McDonald's. I do not have a garden in my backyard.

Al Porto Ristorante is on Water Street and the location is oh so adorable! Vines meander up the dainty trellis on the restaurant's exterior, just like the vines in Italy. There are some tables outside you can sit at and I guess have some coffee but I was pretty hungry you know so I walked right inside and said buongiorno to the hostess who made a face at me and then led me to a table near the brick wood-burning oven where a guy was cooking up authentic pizza. This really is JUST like Italy! I wondered if the Olympics would ever be held in Italy.

I was handed a menu by a guy, oh the different pastas they offered! I couldn't believe that a normal-sized restaurant could find so many different ways to put kind of a sauce on some strips of dough. What a world! Pasta is truly a refined food and not crass. The antipasti were all very appealing too, the great thing about antipasti is that they put raw ingredients on a plate for you, so that you don't have to put them on the plate yourself! Personally I think this is an absolute steal for 17 dollars.

After much deliberation, I chose a carbonara dish that looked especially appealing. It had bacon in it. You know a food is fancy when it has bacon in it! Also when egg is the main ingredient! It was pretty good. I also chose the antipasto misto (misty antipaste), a plate that had meat and cheese on it. I ate it with my hands. How fun! It was pretty good too but my hands still kind of smell like prosciutto. I even smell like a real Italian!

I had a good time at Al Porto Ristorante the food was pretty good you guys should definitely check it out when you come to Vancouver for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics (the Winter Olympics of 2010).