Manzavino's & the Drift Space...mmmmm manzavino

[Smokey©]

Danny Marfisi, a good Italian boy, bought it last year and brought back original sauce recipes, dough recipes, and improved a great deal of the menu.

That said, it will indeed be narrowed and improved yet again. We will definitely have fresh pasta amongst other, in our humble opinions, great dishes.

Salute!
Robbie_b

Please improve the Lasagna! Will try it ONCE more. I thought lasagna was a simple dish to prepare.

[robbie_b]

Hi Folks,

We have moved ManzaVino's to 77 Skinner St (the old "drift") and are now open 430-late seven days a week. Later this week or early next week we will release our new menu. We will be open for lunch shortly!

Please consider our opening a "soft opening" - we are still adjusting to the different layout and equipment in the kitchen - and once the new menu is introduced we will have a party that all the forum-ites will be invited to..

So far so good - the longstanding customers who came this weekend loved the new space and the warm feeling and we are looking forward to introducing our new menu to Nanaimo!

Salute,

robbie_b

[robbie_b]

The "lasagne" was not really lasagne at all. We have started using a recipe from my partner, Danny Marfisi's, family and we look forward to your feedback..

Salute,

robbie_b

[wino]

Since you are open late I might have to stop by after work on friday or saturday.....looking forward to checking it out
cheers

[robbie_b]

Great! We are a couple of days behind in introducing the new menu. I would say we will be open for lunch and on our new menu no later than Monday (Apr 6).

So far the reception has been good - people like what we've done with the room and are enjoying the MV pizza and whatnot. The fresh pasta came in this week and we are just finalizing cooking times, portion sizes, and sauce preferences..

Stand by! The party will be in a couple of weeks

rb

[Jingles]

Exciting - thanks for the updates =)

[robbie_b]

Thanks Complicated.

The paper - we sent them new copy a week ago... The website - same thing - sent it to the host..

Thanks for the heads up!

rb

[Buongustaia]

The other day, my husband and I went to Manzavino’s at their new location, to try it out. We have been to that location several times when the Drift was there, and we like the warmer atmosphere that the restaurant now has. Also, the server who showed us to the table was friendly and pleasant. However, we decided not to stay this time after being informed that they did not have any Italian wine yet. (My husband is Italian, and he has to have Italian wine with Italian meal.)

So, we have not tried any dishes, and I know that they are still working on many aspects of the new operation, but I thought of sharing what we thought about the menu, since robbie_b (one of the owners) expressed the wish to hear people’s comments.

Honestly speaking, the menu is quite puzzling for a restaurant describing themselves as “Pizzeria and Italian Cucina (Kitchen).” It is true that there are a fair number of pizzas and “Italian” dishes on the menu, and I was delighted to see agnolotti there, which is one of my favourite pasta dishes. However, there are an equal number, if not more, of non-Italian (or more like North American) dishes, which do not really match the term “Italian Cucina”.

Also, we noticed some of Italian words used on the menu are used incorrectly. For instance, the word “Primo” (the first) was used to refer to a group of dishes that are the first course in North America (salad, appetizers, soup). However, the “Primo” on Italian menus actually means the second course (usually pasta, risotto, or soup) that follows Antipasto (i.e., appetizer). Some people may think that this is not important, but it gives the impression that the restaurant may not really be that familiar with Italian food (and that was what we were wondering).

We plan to try the food once they have Italian wine, and hope that the owners will consider revising the menu so that it may become truly “Cucina Italiana”.

[G-Ram]

My wife and I have just returned from an extended vacation which included three days in Florence and three in Venice. As a Canadian of Italian heritage, I was really looking forward to the food, but was somewhat disappointed with what is occurring in Italy. The food is becoming surprisingly Americanized, and although great food is still very much available, the prices have reached astronomical levels. My previous experience with Manzanillo was not favorable (I assume I went when it was owned by the novices), but I look forward to trying the new location if for no other reason than they are introducing fresh pasta to Nanaimo. As for pizza being done in the Italian fashion (very thin crust with much fresher and fewer ingredients), I think there is room for both the North American style and the Italian. The Italian style is more a course rather than a full meal deal. I agree with Buongustaia regarding the misuse of Italian terms on a menu. Either get it right, or don't bother! Which leads to another topic: Nanaimo really needs a menu editing service in the worst of ways! When prospective owners are opening their dream establishments, why is it that they can't get their menus to be accurate?

[Buongustaia]

...but was somewhat disappointed with what is occurring in Italy. The food is becoming surprisingly Americanized, and although great food is still very much available, the prices have reached astronomical levels.

I wonder this phenomenon is found more commonly in the cities like Florence and Venice, which are extremely popular among North American tourists, or more widespread one regardless of the size of cities/towns or regions. I know that the price in general went up significantly after Euro was introduced in 2002, but the higher exchange rate of Euro against Canadian dollar in the past few years definitely makes everything more expensive for travellers from Canada.

By the way, it has been almost a month since Manzavino's moved to the new location, but no one has posted any comments on their food. I am dying to hear from people who actually tried the food there.