Today we were in Coquitlam’s historic Pasta Polo to try their Vancouver Foodster’s #PastaChallengeYVR entry for 2025.
They are known for the traditional recipes and comfort cooking, reminiscent of how Nonna would make it. Their pasta contender is a recipe with over 25 years of history, and it has seen great reception at the restaurant for all those years.
Their Mamma Maria’s Seafood Cannelloni is enough food for two people. Long tube of hallow pasta stuffed with crab meat, shrimp, and flavourful white fish. Then baked and smother in their signature cream sauce. It is a rich as it looks. Soft pasta with a dense pasty filling. The first bite is so satisfying, although it does get monotonous after multiple.
Thankfully the meal comes with table bread and their homemade garlic oil with chunks of garlic. This offered a great break in between bites, but I was still searching for some freshness and acidity.
The Pasta Chips were an interesting option for that. Homemade pasta chips made from sliced up and deep fried sheets of lasagna. Fried to a thick crisp, then sprinkled over with Parmesan and served with their house-made salsa. Best warm, the chips do get harder to chomp down on the longer they sit. Alone, they don’t have much flavour, the salsa is where most of it comes from and it would have been nice to have more of it, to not have to ration it out between all the chips. An interesting idea, but it wouldn’t be one that I would revisit.
To get the tomato sauce acidity I often associate and crave with Italian cuisine, I looked to their pizzas. I much more preferred one of their classic pizzas, like the “Classica” with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, mushroom, and house-made Italian sausage. Equal parts sweet and salty, a familiar taste over a chewy crust.
As something completely different we went for the Mushroom Risotto. A gentle soft rice mix with hints of umami mushroom. Best with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese. Once again the first bite is the best, with additional ones after it grew tiresome. Therefore, like with the cannelloni above, I recommend visiting with friends and sharing many things amongst yourselves, family style.
And if you are any Italian restaurant, you know save room for their Tiramisu. This one is in house made with Kahlua and espresso dipped ladyfingers, then layered with marscapone, and dusted with cocoa powder. So soft and fluffy that I was surprised that it stood as upright as it did.
For drinks, in order to match the cloudy day weather we looked to hot spiked coffees and tea. They have a collection of the former and basically you are just picking your desired spirit with each. For example, the Polo Coffee is with mixed with Kahlúa and Frangelico and the Spanish coffee is Kahlúa and Brandy. Either a lovely way to have your caffeine and booze in one.
Between the two I really enjoyed the tea option like with their Blueberry Tea mixed with Amaretto and Grand Marnier. I enjoyed it so much that I thought to replicate it myself.
In closing, Pasta Polo remains a great spot for comforting and traditional Italian in the community. Be sure to try their pasta creation and vote for your favourite for this year’s Vancouver Foodster Pasta Challenge People’s Choice winner.
Pasta Polo
2754 Barnet Hwy, Coquitlam, BC V3B 1B9
(604) 464-7656
pastapolo.com
