| Once upon a time, on the corner of Fourth Street and 23rd Avenue S.W., there lived this pale yellow and green place that served a lot of ribs. Ill-fitting but persistent, Tony Roma’s resembled the unpopular kid in grade school: perfect attendance, harmless enough, just part of the landscape. When it moved away, the eerie vacancy of the empty yellow and green building began to assert itself on our curiosity. We watched from our favourite neighbouring haunts and wondered who would move in to the overlooked spot. Would we like this new kid on the block?
On February 10, Mercato Italian Gourmet Cultura (2224 - 4 St. S.W., phone 263-5535.) unlocked its doors and opened its familial arms to embrace the curious. Victor Caracciolo and his son Dominic have moved the tradition, reputation and hospitality of their Bridgeland Italian Market to the main commercial artery of Mission. "Mercato" means "market" in Italian and a market it is. Buzzing with energy and excitement, this freshly painted, newly renovated upscale space is many things all at once: grocery store, butcher, bakery, cheese and pasta market, pasta plant, panini and cappuccino bar, and cooking school. The minute you walk in the door you know that the personal pasta rut you’ve been in for the past several years – the one that has you barely disguising mass manufactured sauce with an anemic tomato and mottled green pepper – is finally over. Plump, ripe tomatoes, olive oil with cryptic labels, exotic mushrooms that both frighten and excite you, fresh herbs, all the hard-to-get ingredients – the Mediterranean chef in you is resurrected, inspired and equipped. And if you don’t believe in the difference that fresh, gourmet ingredients make, have a house-made panini (Italian sandwich) as proof. In fact, curb your appetite with one before you shop or you’ll end up buying everything in sight.
We sat ourselves at the impressive open kitchen that promises, upon liquor licensing, to double as a wine bar serving soups, pizza and pastas. As well – and here’s one of the most exciting parts – it will serve private functions and be used for cooking classes. While waiting for our grilled paninis, we were offered a taste of maina panettoni (Italian Christmas cake), which was light and delicious and great with my Illy cappuccino (this is Mercato’s chosen house brand of espresso).
Four grilled paninis – three of which are rumoured to be named after Victor’s children – and a sandwich of the day are offered from the sandwich bar for $5 each. The Franca is the vegetarian choice of grilled eggplant, generous peppers and Friulano cheese. The Milanese layers roasted ham, Gorgonzola cheese, roasted pepper spread (which is worth buying from the deli and taking home) and a playful bite of arugula cress. Proscuitto ham, bocconcini cheese (a fresh mozzarella), tomato and a refreshing burst of basil make up the delicious Roberto panini. The Domenico was our favourite for its richness: Genoa salami, mortadella ham, provolone cheese (a lightly smoky cow’s milk cheese) and bruschetta – yes, bruschetta – as a sandwich condiment. Delicious!
Here’s what I’m going to do the next time I feel like hosting a dinner party: I’m not going to host it. Instead, about nine friends and I will make ourselves at home in Mercato’s kitchen for a private cooking lesson during which we will drink red wine and learn from the experts how to make a few complicated Italian dishes. Congratulating ourselves, we will eat our masterpieces and drink a little more red wine. If it’s warm out we might have a house-made biscotti and cappuccino or nibble on tiramisu while taking in the sights of Fourth Street from the street-side patio. Yep, the new neighbour should prove to be not only a perfect fit, but a sophisticated, popular hub as well.
The market is open to the public Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Private function times are negotiable. |
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