We decided to go on Saturday since it would be more relaxing without work the next day. We made reservations for 6 p.m. and dressed up nicely, in anticipation for a more elegant atmosphere. When we got there, a simple patio with three banners greeted us.
We went in and was very pleasantly greeted by a waiter who asked if we had reservations. We got shown to a table right in the middle of the dining area, overlooking the entire restaurant with the other side of the dining area in full view, with a lovely centrepiece vase of flowers at the entrance.
Our waiter came very quickly to ask if we would like regular water or sparkling water. We also received our menus. Not long after that, someone brought us a basket of sliced baguettes and a dish of olive oil with balsamic vinegar.
The bread was not piping hot from the oven, but it was soft and easy to tear apart for dipping. The olive oil was fresh and light, perfectly accentuating the tangy balsamic vinegar. The balsamic vinegar was not too overpowering and I really enjoyed it, for a non-vinegar fan like me.
Our waiter took our orders and asked if we would like any wine. J.S. asked for a glass of red wine that was light. The wine came and J.S. liked it. I asked the waiter what was the name, and he told us it was Valle Reale, even offering to bring the bottle over to show us. He did that and explained a little about it, but I did not remember much, it might have been Vigne Nuove. But we really appreciated him bringing over the bottle.
While we munched on the bread on small plates, a waiter brought us each a larger plate for the appetizer later. We dropped bread crumbs on the larger plate without realizing it, and 10 minutes later, the same waiter came by and took away those (clean) plates and replaced them with even cleaner plates. We felt utterly embarrassed with ourselves, at the same time very amazed with their immaculate service.
The waiting time was a little longer than expected; it took about 15 minutes before the appetizer came. We decided to try the seared albacore tuna appetizer. It was plated really nicely with four pieces of tuna, seared on the outside and raw on the inside, served on top of sliced avocado, topped with diced mango and served with a small salad on the side.
[caption id="attachment_306" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="Pink peppercorn and rock salt crusted albacore tuna, finished with a mango salsa, fresh avocado and lime"]
[/caption]I had seen chefs on TV sear tuna on the outside and keeping it pink on the inside, but this was my first time tasting it. It was very unique, a salty crust on the outside and a cool, smooth finish on the inside. The peppercorn was extremely fresh, and the buttery avocado really complemented the velvety feel of the tuna nicely. Over all, it was a dish well done.
They took away our plates and cutlery, replacing with more clean ones. It was about another 10-minute wait before the main course came. Besides the Groupon entree of pasta, we also ordered a separate pizza. They were served at the same time, on gigantic platters.
[caption id="attachment_307" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="Fettuccine with wild mushrooms in a porcini cream, finished with shaved parmigiano reggiano and truffle essence"]
[/caption]This was the entree we chose with the Groupon menu, fettucine tartufate. Large, juicy chunks of wild mushrooms in fresh fettucine pasta, topped with shaved parmigiano reggiano. Our waiter also offered us more cheese right after he served us, and we gladly accepted. He sprinkled more grated parmesan cheese elegantly around the entire dish.
My favourite part of this dish was the mushrooms. There was a nice bite to them, very meaty and almost makes up for the lack of meat. The sauce was incredibly creamy and if I may say so, a little too greasy. I felt like it was excellent buttery cream sauce ruined by a gigantic splash of olive oil. The pasta was freshly made but it was not cooked very well. It was a little too al dente, too undercooked. I found myself chewing it for a long time before I could swallow it. The parmigiano reggiano was lovely, complementing the creaminess of the entire dish. It was pretty heavy and filling, and the portion size was fairly decent.
[caption id="attachment_308" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="Italiano thin crust pizza -- Parma prosciutto, local arugula and shaved parmigiano reggiano"]
[/caption]We also picked a pizza to go with our meal so that we were not entirely sharing the entire Groupon meal. This seemed like the best choice out of the four available varieties they had. The tomato sauce was not too sour, went nicely with the salty proscuitto. The parmigiano reggiano was generously shaved over and melted beautifully. The baby arugula provided a nice sharp kick with the hint of bitterness, rounding out all the flavours of the pizza. The crust was perfectly cooked, crispy yet not too tough. It was a nice combination of ingredients very well thought out.
Our waiter did not come by with more clean plates after the appetizer because he didn't assume we were sharing the entrees. For five minutes, we were eating from our tiny bread plates until he finally noticed we were sharing and he offered us bigger plates, and also tongs to serve the pasta. The pasta was really big and by the time we finished it, we could not finish the pizza if we wanted to save room for dessert. So we got the pizza to go and the waiter was trying to inject some humour while asking if we wanted to take the pizza away. Then he returned with a really big paper bag, enclosing a really big tin foil box for just three tiny slices of pizza. I felt slightly wasteful for that.
And finally, it's time for dessert! The waiter brought us two spoons this time, even trying to joke if I needed it because I said I was so full from the pasta!
[caption id="attachment_309" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="Semi-frozen chocolate and strawberry mousse"]
[/caption]Chocolate and strawberry semifreddo! The sauce at the bottom was vanilla custard and strawberry sauce, with a lovely dome of semi-frozen mousse, topped with an orange cherry sort of thing. That orange cherry tasted really odd, a little too strong for me. I still have no idea what it is called.
We dug into the strawberry mousse and it tasted like really good sorbetto (ice cream). Really fresh strawberry taste and the semi-frozen state was a very interesting texture! The bottom chocolate layer was ABSOLUTELY heavenly! Just the perfect level of dark chocolate that I love. If I didn't know better, I would think it was just really really good gelato (ice cream)!
Every part of the meal was perfect, especially the exceptional level of customer service that I wish more places had. The food was up to standard, truly Italian feel. The restaurant had a warm ambience to it, playing Josh Groban and bossa nova, very casual and easygoing for a date (albeit too loud at times). The waiters fill your water glass every time they notice, and they answered our questions with their best efforts.
I was asking what percentage of dark chocolate did they use for the mousse, and the waiter did not know but he said he would find out for me. He did and said the chef uses pure dark chocolate but added some milk, sugar and eggs to it. That was a really good mousse, I'll say.
Next time, we are trying their $10 pasta nights on Monday/Tuesday!
One of the best restaurants I've been to in Vancouver, wouldn't mind going again just for the great service! We left them a generous tip, leaving happy and full. Q4 is a nice place for a casual or formal date, give it a try!
Q4 Ristorante is located at 2611 West 4th Ave, Vancouver, B.C. (also Q4 al Centro in downtown Vancouver).
♥ Nikki
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