By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

The Bruschetta alla Toscana came with cannellini beans, cauliflower and spiced walnuts atop garlic crosta. Beautifully plated, the crostini was light, crunchy throughout and aromatic from the garlic. But it needed a touch more salt. The Vitello Tonnato had roasted veal which was lean and tender while the sauce was mild with the taste of ahi tuna. The capers and castelvetrano olives helped add necessary salt.

The Torchio alle Verdure blew me away. Its layers of flavour created plenty of umaminess. The natural vegetables’ sweetness added an earthy accent. The season was spot-on. The pasta was al dente. The Fennel Pollen Casoncelli was even better. The thin pasta was tender with a bite. The fennel pollen added a mild sweetness and a faint anise finish. Topped with plenty of duck confit, the dish had a luxurious silkiness that was "ducky" and full-bodied.

The Salt Crusted Bass for two was cooked just right. The squeeze of lemon added acidity to the dish. The seven ounce Beef Tenderloin came with ricotta & egg yolk ravioli, roasted vegetables and extra virgin olive oil. The filet was perfectly medium-rare, super tender and moist and well-seasoned.

We had their signature Zeppole with vanilla creme anglaise dessert. The soft doughnuts were dusted with powdered sugar and filled with chocolate ganache. Yet it wasn't overly sweet. Our favourite dessert was the Lemon Crostata with a tangy fresh lemon cream filling with an equally tangy and sweet raspberry sauce. The entire meal was surprisingly quite good. Glowbal restaurants often get a bad rap, but I was pretty happy with the dishes we tried. I was especially impressed with the pasta as the textures were spot on.

Italian Kitchen

860 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC

The Good:

• Well-executed proteins

• Texturally on point pasta

• Comfortable dining space

The Bad:

• On the pricier side, but it located in a prime space

• Some items could've used more salt

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.