It doesn’t get any more Venetian than gathering with friends at your neighborhood *bacaro—*the inspiration for giovane bacaro in Vancouver. Every evening in the Floating City, locals and in-the-know visitors head to their favorite wine bar—usually a simple, unassuming spot—for a pre-dinner ombra (glass of local wine) or aperitivo, cicchetti (typical bite-sized snacks) and lively conversation. It’s a tradition that’s deeply woven into the culture of Venice, and is one of the signature experiences to enjoy when visiting the iconic destination.
Now, those in Vancouver can enjoy a taste of the bacari ritual—and of other Northern Italian specialties—at giovane bacaro. Opened in June and set on the street level of the luxe Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, the place was envisioned by the British Columbia-based Kitchen Table Restaurants hospitality group, an Italian-centric company whose other area eateries include Pizzeria Farina, Ask for Luigi, Farina a Legna and Di Beppe. For this new project, the expert team sought inspiration in the north, looking to everything from the region’s signature drinks—think cocktails, wines and specialty coffees—to its classic plates both big and small. It’s all served in a mid-century Italian-style space that’s anchored by a forcola, a handmade wooden oarlock traditionally used in Venetian gondolas.
Bigoli con Anatra, a pasta with duck ragu, at Giovane Bacaro. Photo: Jonathan Thompson
Here, La Cucina Italian chats with Kitchen Table Restaurants’ Matthew Morgenstern and giovane bacaro’s Chef de Cuisine, Scott Korzack, about what it’s been like to transport a bit of Venice to Canada’s Pacific Ocean coast.
What inspired the idea to do a Venetian-focused restaurant that highlights this specific local ritual?
Matthew Morgenstern, Kitchen Table Restaurants: One of the owners of Kitchen Table Restaurants was born in Udine, but his nonna was from Venice, and he’s always been intrigued by the “city on the water.” When he was there visiting friends in the mid 2000’s, he discovered the bacari and the culture surrounding them. He loved the fluidity of these places—you can see the food, take what you like, and enjoy some wine—and the lifestyle in general, which is laid back and fun. He says that he and his friends would have an espresso or cappuccino in the morning and then spritz and chips all day, then more aperitivi and cicchetti, followed by a big dinner at around 10 p.m. So that’s what we wanted to recreate. And of course, when we think of Venice, we also think of lots of unique flavors from the sea, and cicchetti…and spritz…and tramezzini…
Giovane Bacaro in Vancouver draws inspiration from Venice for cicchetti, bite-sized snacks. Photo: Jonathan Thompson
Scott Korzack, Chef de Cuisine: I feel that there are many similarities between Vancouver and Venice other than being on the water. People enjoy going to warm and inviting places that extend from afternoon to night. I wanted to create an offering where that was easy to do. In my head, the small bites satiate you, but also keep you wanting more.
How do you see this fitting into Vancouver’s Italian restaurant landscape?
MM: We think this will greatly appeal to Vancouverites, as it’s a very versatile place: you can be just passing through for snacks and drinks or make a night of it. Or maybe you planned on just passing through and you “accidentally” made a night of it and stayed because the energy took you in! We anticipate a fun atmosphere, a come-as-you-are vibe, like a house party for mature adults. We see this fitting into the landscape well. It offers something not yet available here with Italian food and our menu is served in a different style.
What do you think are some of those elements that set the restaurant apart?
MM: We work with one of the owners’ family farm to raise our own animals for the restaurant. We have full control over their health and happiness and what the animals eat. There is a prosciutto hanging in our meat fridge from one of our pigs, and we also get lamb, eggs and beef from the farm. This is something special that I don’t believe any other Vancouver restaurants are doing. We do what we can at the farm for all of the Kitchen Table restaurants, but these ingredients are mainly only used for featured items — we cannot produce enough to sustain any regular on-menu items. Nor do we want to. We believe smaller is better!
So let’s get to the menu. How was it developed?
SK: Italian food to me has always been about treating great products simply, and that’s where most of the inspiration comes from. We have access to many exceptional products here: produce, proteins, and the best and freshest spices from around the world. I will draw upon inspiration from a classic Venetian dish, such as sarde in saor, but use a local product such as smoked sablefish to create a version of a classic that was born here.
Mozarella en Carossa from Giovane Bacaro. Photo: Jonathan Thompson
What are some must-try dishes?
MM: Definitely the mozzarella in carrozza, the wagyu beef spiedini and octopus spiedini (cooked over charcoal), the maiale al latte. And spritz and chips is a must—any time I’m in Venice or Treviso, we drink spritzes all day long at multiple stops along our commute, and every time you order one, they give you a bowl of potato chips with it. The pairing becomes addictive and it’s a sensory experience that takes you right back there.
SK: We do make some very addictive potato chips—there was a table of three in the other night that had five orders, so the proof is there! We are also offering some classic Venetian cicchetti, as well as a few inspirations of our own. Baccala mantecato is served over polenta that has been grilled, and an exceptional anchovy from the Mediterranean is placed atop a chive butter (a great cultured butter from Ontario called Emerald Grasslands). And of course, polpette, carne and potato with funghi.
What are some specific products or ingredients you are sourcing from local purveyors?
SK: My favorite farm is Cropthorne Farms in Delta, BC; the products they grow and send to the restaurants are pristine, and they are delivered with a smile and friendly conversation. The product itself stands out, too. I ate a raw turnip yesterday like an apple, and it was sweet, slightly spicy, and had so much umami.
The spices we bring in from Spice Route Ventures are selected by their owner with such care and intention. Wild fennel comes from Sicily, mace and nutmeg from Indonesia and the most vibrant peppercorns from India. Venice, being the hub of the Spice Route in the past, has a history of using warm spices like these and the quality we are getting is second to none. They also all harvest within one or two years. They are unlike any spices most people have tasted before.
Sounds amazing! Tell us a bit about the drinks we can pair all this with.
MM: Although the wine list celebrates Veneto and the neighboring regions of northern Italy, you will also find some great glasses and bottles from the rest of Italy, and plenty of local British Columbian wine, too.
The Bellini at Giovane Bacaro. Photo: Jonathan Thompson
The cocktail program focuses on light and refreshing drinks and respects the fact that we are a wine bar by avoiding higher-alcohol, palate-destroying cocktails; most of the cocktails rely heavily on vermouth and wine as their key ingredients. There is also a nod to the iconic Venetian restaurant, Harry’s Bar, by including a classic white peach Bellini and a very dry gin martini. The Aperol Spritz is the iconic aperitivo and we serve ours with traditional Venetian garnish of an olive and slice of orange. One of our most popular cocktails is a twist on this classic: our Lambrusco Spritz: it is a lively and tart aperitivo comprised of Lambrusco, Prosecco, Amaro Montenegro, and grapefruit juice.
The restaurant shares its space and coffee with giovane caffe, a separate spot for coffee and pastries, which allows us to have a team of dedicated baristas with the experience and passion to execute exceptional coffee drinks. Although we strive to mimic old-world espresso flavors—we even offer individual Moka Pots—we also respect the importance of technology and technique. Our Simonelli Eagle One Espresso Machine by Victoria Arduino is one of the most advanced espresso machines designed today.
Are there ways that guests will be able to learn more about some of the connections to the Veneto?
MM: Yes, we hope to do wine tastings and wine events in our semi-private mercato area.