Wil Andruschak

Chef and owner Annie Vien with frutti di mare affoglava, whatever that is

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La Viena

As colourful dish upon colourful dish passed my boyfriend and I at La Viena recently, our mouths watered in anticipation of the vivid medley of ingredients assembled on each plate. The packed, terracotta-hued Italian restaurant in the city’s northwest is obviously a neighbourhood and city favourite. And it should be — the menu is loaded with fresh and hearty options and a huge selection of pastas ranging in price from $9.98 to $13.98.

Starting, we skipped the traditional fare of mussels and calamari, and opted for the seemingly unconventional provolone alla Milanese ($8.98), a dish comprised of breaded and fried provolone and served with sour cream sauce.

Disappointingly, it wasn’t a very unique dish. Upon our first bite, we were dismayed to discover that the sour cream sauce was a variation of Thousand Island dressing. We asked for it to be replaced. Our friendly and accommodating server was more than happy to oblige us with a spicy marinara sauce that greatly improved the appetizer, bringing out the flavour of the previously muted provolone.

Beyond antipasti, La Viena offers a selection of insalata (salads) and zuppa (soups) in addition to thin-crust pizzas, seafood and pasta combinations, specialty entrées and a staggering number of pastas.

With a unique array of pasta dishes, there is something for everyone. From a black bean to a blue cheese cream sauce, it is remarkable just how many choices the menu offers. A particularly interesting number is the penne Hawaii ($12.88) that integrates sausage, chicken and penne in a garlic tomato cream sauce with the uncommon ingredient of pineapple.

My boyfriend enjoyed the salatara pasta ($12.98), a filling gnocchi dish with shrimp, tomato and peas in a garlic curry cream sauce. The velvety sauce wasn’t overly laden with curry, just enough to make it distinctive.

On Annie’s special menu board (a large features menu), three appetizers and two entrée selections are featured daily. Special No. 1 ($19.98) looked slightly overwhelming — salmon, shrimp, mushrooms and tarragon in a Brie cheese garlic cream sauce with (yes, with) jumbo chicken and basil stuffed tortellini in a tomato garlic sauce.

I chose the second special ($19.98), a linguini dish with scallops, shrimp, artichoke hearts, red peppers, spinach and tomatoes in a garlic white wine sauce. It was lovely — the assortment of fresh ingredients made for both a lively and savoury meal.

La Viena is definitely the spot to go to if you are looking for hearty Italian dishes in a friendly, unassuming setting. Tucked in beside a convenience store on Kensington Road, the familial spot serves up tasty dishes with a twist, while remaining true to traditional flavours.

La Vienna is located at 2139 Kensington Road N.W.; phone, 283-3063.