VANCOUVER — Q4 al Centro, sister restaurant to Vancouver’s Q4 Ristorante, will open for its first dinner service tonight, Dec.10.
The name al Centro, which translates to “at the centre” in Italian, is an homage to the Vancouver resto’s location downtown on Richards at Robson and connection to the L’Hermitage Hotel.
The restaurant’s interior, created by Box Interior Design, is described as a “warm, stylish, and comfortable space” with 70 seats plus room at the cocktail and kitchen bars. The room features natural cork flooring, a not-so-subtle nod to Q4’s reputation for wine excellence. The eco-friendly choice absorbs sound naturally, which will make it more conducive for customers to have conversations that don’t require them to shout over restaurant chatter.
The dining room’s centrepiece is a massive 10’ by 20’ original abstract painting by world renowned artist Jason Gogo. In keeping with the wine theme, Gogo used Napa Valley grapes to create the vivid wine red paint showcased in his work.
In the kitchen, longtime Q4 executive chef, Bradford Ellis has made the move downtown where he has created a menu of classic, unpretentious Italian food, including a wood stone Forno pizza oven that takes centre stage in the kitchen, with four pizzas and three house-made focaccias on the menu for both lunch and dinner.
Highlights from the tightly edited dinner menu include the Corsi family meatball recipe, spaghetti Q4, a combination of garlic, minced chicken, black beans and chilies; classic pistachio-crusted sablefish with roasted red peppers; and provimi veal chop with lemon caper gremolata.
The room will be managed by general manager, Albert Chee who honed his skills working with B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame inductee, Bud Kanke, for more than a decade, most recently at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen.
