How cool would it be if ‘you/me’ could be ‘this person’ in the following scenario:

That person: “Hi, nice to meet you, what do you do?”
This person: “Oh, hi…I’m actually retired.”
That person: “Retired? But…you’re so young, how could…”
This person: “As a kid, I invented dice.”
That person: (speechless)

Alas, life isn’t this easy (for the majority of us) and we all have to work to make our respective worlds go ‘round. I mean, really, Motley Crue does, so why shouldn’t we all?
No offense to the Crue army, but this story has nothing to do with Motley Crue. Instead, it has a lot to do with work.

And that hard work has taken the form of some great service recently received by The Glowbal Restaurant Group’s newest offspring – Trattoria Italian Kitchen in Vancouver’s Kitsilano (1850 West 4th Avenue).

Even walking up to the Trattoria Italian Kitchen, I could sense something different. MUCH different than the dreary little restaurant that used to occupy its footprint – Chianti’s. Before I start getting angry letters, let me qualify that. I did have a few good meals at Chianti’s over the years. They were also reasonably priced, local, and they did have a pretty tight little promotion deal going on with Fifth Avenue Theatres (also in Kitsilano…two football throws away; OK, maybe three). What was lacking, though, was apparent as soon as I walked into the aforementioned Trattoria – style and energy!

Consistent with the lively and fresh feeling I get every time I walk into the Italian Kitchen on Alberni in downtown Vancouver, the new location delivers. The décor is splattered with red (read: encourages eating/drinking/being merry), clean lines, a psychedelic bubble mirror wall, and has plenty of space for people and staff to run around in.

Speaking of staff, our server was attentive, able to suggest plates off the menu that fit exactly what we were looking for/needed (I had a cold), and even brought extra lemons to the table. Think of the Neo Citron St. Bernard kind of helpful with a classy restaurant attached to it. Then remove the dog, add great ambience and food (the lasagna and caprese insalata were to die for), a whole bunch of red, and don’t forget the private washrooms complete with mouthwash and towels, and there you have the Trattoria Italian Kitchen.

West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano has certainly changed a lot recently, particularly with regards to food. Am I happy with this latest addition? Almost as happy as the guy who created dice.

darren