I love Italian food.

When I was told that there’s a new $55 four-course menu available at Nox in the Coal Harbour neighbourhood, I was delighted to try the menu and share my thoughts. It was also my first visit to the new restaurant, which is situated at a prime location just steps from the water and in the lobby of Cardero, a 26-storey residential high-rise.

Double doors lead to a reception area, and once you swivel left to enter the dining room, you’re greeted by the impressive bar anchoring the space. Lighting beneath the counter and elegant fixtures around the room set the tone for an upscale dining experience.

The four-course meal starts with a Bison Tartare with red wine and juniper reduction. The refreshing small bite is designed to whet your appetite for the ensuing hearty dishes.

I have always loved Italian pasta, and the Marinated Crag Egg Noodles are no exception. The texture is still slightly chewy, and the generous portions of chilli-marinated crab meat mixed with pecorino meat give the dish just the right amount of spiciness to balance the heavier flavours of the dish. I almost wished there were more noodles to savour each bite of the crab meat.

The Fraser Valley Duck Breast is next on the menu. The meat pairs well with the sauce and I always enjoy the aroma and texture of fatty duck skin, but the intriguing flavour that made this dish memorable was the heavy roasted red onion. Its difficult to describe why the smoky yet slightly sweet flavours captured my attention, but I would have gladly ate ten more slices of it!

Following the two main courses with the pasta and duck breast, you have the classic Tiramisu, which is always a lovely decadent note to complete a dine-out experience. Enjoy it with a hot cup of tea or an espresso before you turn in for the evening.

This price-fix menu gives you an introduction to the inventive flavours on the rest of the regular menu, and for this price point, it’s hard to resist. The $55 menu also has a vegetarian option. Find out more about the prix-fixe menu and restaurant on their website.

Visit

Nox Restaurant

(604) 256-7275

1575 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC

Photography by Florence Leung