Hey Luigi - Thanks for the inspiration!

If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, Canada, you MUST check out Ask for Luigi! I do have to warn, it's somewhat in the middle of nowhere by this deserted looking ship yard, sitting on an unsuspecting street corner - but, I swear, totally worth the trip! The restaurant is tiny, but a homey feel tiny... tiny to the point you can see everyone in the back cooking. It's basically like you're sitting in the kitchen. YAY! Every table is like a chef's table! The aroma of fresh Italian spices straight up slaps you in the face when the door swings open! #winning

The restaurant opens for dinner at 5:30pm... we showed up at 5:15pm and there was a line looping the corner around the restaurant! (OMG! It must be delicious!) Luckily, we got the last table for 2. YES! After that we saw more people than I could count get turned away from the 1 hour wait. It's always a good sign when there's a line before the restaurant even opens! And even better when people keep showing up and putting their name down for the wait.

Check out this menu! Deciding what to order was a freaking challenge - everything sounds #AMAZING! Our waitress suggested just ordering a bunch of things and splitting them to get the full experience - The one thing she said is a MUST is Luigi's meatballs.

I believe my first comment was - OMG! Look at the size of those BALLS! {Insert - Slightly embarrassed boyfriend (now husband), as I am not the quietist. #loveyou} I swear it's the angle of the picture making the bread stick look bigger than the meatballs! Regardless, cutting into the meatball revealed smoothly ground meat with fresh herbs and seeds for a little added crunch. The marinara and parmesan topping the balls was surprisingly light. The garlic from the bread complimented the meatballs sweet and hearty flavor. I will have to agree with our waitress - the meatballs are a MUST!

Coming off a meatball high, I had grand expectations for the polenta cakes. I'm not sure what I was thinking. Last time I checked, polenta, is polenta; and, always will be, polenta.

It can be covered in cheese, doused in fresh garlic marinara sauce, but at the end of the day, it is still polenta. Let me save you the trouble, it tastes like really good polenta. But, nothing to rave about. If anything, it just made me want to order more meatballs.

Okay, here it comes - the most anticipated item of the night. The one I pre-researched on the menu weeks before coming here. (I know you've pre-researched a menu too! #noshame) ...drumroll please...PAPPARDELLE with BOAR RAGU...what?!? Boar ragu?!?

Look at those chunks of boar! That wasn't even 1/2 of it!

Underneath that pile, was the biggest chunk of boar... it fell apart with the slightest pull of the fork... The pappardelle was fresh, homemade, and perfectly al dente. When you bite into it, the noodles have that soft but not chewy, tender but slightly firm bite to them. The dish was packed full of flavor to the point I'm salivating as I reminisce...

Well, Luigi, we couldn't end on a better note than THAT pasta. Not that I haven't had fresh pasta, or amazing ragu... but this one was different. This one was a game changer. It was one of those meals for the record books. The combination of fresh pasta, tender boar, and rich parmesan, was undoubtedly mind blowing!

It was such a memorable note, that we were inspired to make our own pasta from scratch! Have you ever tried? Any tips/ recommendations?

Our experience was filled with many failures and eventual success. I emphasize the MANY and the EVENTUAL... #ItwasfastertogobacktoLuigis

#Luigi #Vancouver