Locanda dell’Orso welcomes the spring season with a new lunch menu and an enhanced dinner menu curated by culinary director Chef Jefferson Alvarez. Exuding the ambience of a warm Italian home, the atmospheric restaurant is also preparing to host a six-course Nikkei Experience Dinner presented by S.Pellegrino, in collaboration with acclaimed Chef Masayoshi Baba.
Born in Venezuela and trained in Europe, Chef Alvarez honed his craft in globally recognized restaurants – including Central in Peru, Arzak in Spain, and Canoe in Toronto – where he perfected the art of creating extraordinary dining moments. Today, he is considered one of Vancouver’s boldest and most innovative chefs, most recently leading the kitchen at Acquafarina towards a coveted Michelin Recommended. Chef Alvarez now channels his passion for ingredient-driven cooking towards elevating Locanda dell’Orso’s signature offerings, infusing each dish with his unique Latin influence to complement the restaurant’s modern Italian cuisine. Together with the enthusiastic kitchen team, he imbues into each dish the craftsmanship, authenticity, and attention to detail that have become hallmarks of the Locanda dell’Orso dining experience.
For dinner, guests can look forward to creative aperitivi such as roasted octopus, elk carne cruda, and Hokkaido scallop crudo. The pasta course is a symphony of flavours spanning pillowy gnocchi caprese, plump agnolotti del plin, and other options. The main course is headlined by bold dishes like Wagyu steak with crispy polenta and chimichurri, and seared duck breast inspired by the traditional Peruvian dish Arroz con Pato. Lunch is a similarly exquisite affair, with the addition of a new pizza menu featuring timeless classics like margherita and funghi, alongside a menu of traditional portafoglio (“wallet”) pizzas.
In addition to menu additions and enhancements, Locanda dell’Orso is hosting a sumptuous six-course Nikkei Experience Dinner, presented by S.Pellegrino, which features an amalgamation of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. The event reunites Chef Alvarez with longtime colleague and friend Chef Masayoshi Baba of Michelin-starred Masayoshi – a seasoned relationship that fuels the bar-setting creativity and expertise a dinner of this magnitude demands. The Nikkei Experience Dinner takes place on Thursday, May 1 at 7pm. Tickets cost $249 per person, including wine pairings (tax and gratuity not included). Space is limited and advance reservations are required. For more information and tickets, visit OpenTable.
“I’m thrilled to expand the dining experience at Locanda dell’Orso with our new menu items, particularly the lunchtime portafoglio, which is inspired by rustic Italian street food. We focused on elevating aromas and scents, incorporating more of a storytelling and sensorial element,” said Chef Alvarez. “What’s especially exciting for me is the opportunity to bring my Latin influence to the culinary program, introducing bold, unexpected flavors that complement the restaurant’s Italian foundation. I’m also looking forward to reuniting with Chef Masayoshi Baba, and once again playing off each other’s strengths and ideas to present a truly memorable feast.”
For more information and to purchase tickets for the Nikkei Experience Dinner at Locanda dell’Orso, visit www.locandadellorso.com.