Brunch Hotspot Loam Bistro Serves Up Innovative Pasta Dishes Every Weekend

I’ve been on a bit of a pasta kick lately: the past(a) two weeks have seen me dining at various Italian restaurants across the city, ordering creamy carbonaras and bolognese left, right and centre. Just when you think I’m done, I’m calling my roommate to tell her to boil the water and preheat the oven to 350 degrees—we’re having spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight, baby!

So when Loam Bistro announced that they were hosting a summer pasta pop-up, I knew that this sudden craving wasn’t going away anytime soon.

Despite being a pop-up, the menu is quite extensive, featuring five appetizers including the decadent grilled peaches and prosciutto, as well as eight pasta dishes. Classics like the rigatoni alla bolognese and spaghetti carbonara have made their way on the menu, but pasta aficionados (like myself) would immediately hone in on the innovative flavours. 

The first pasta dish that caught my eye was the Calabrian prawns spaghetti: al dente spaghetti are tossed with a beautifully spicy Calabrian chilli emulsion, topped with luscious prawns (yes, I still have a raging prawn addiction). It’s warm, tangy and fruity, and the lemon zest sprinkled on the succulent prawns creates a refreshing burn that doesn’t leave you sweating from the heat.

Another standout amongst the pasta dishes was the gochujang and burrata gnocchi. Head chef Rahul Negi tells me that this dish was inspired by his girlfriend’s love for the condiment, with the very first version of the gochujang pasta crafted especially for her (pro-tip: date a chef). The lovingly-devised dish has been elevated since then, consisting of pillowy-soft gnocchi swimming in a gochujang butter sauce, finished with creamy burrata, sesame seeds and basil. It’s sweet and spicy all at once, and the cheese adds a richness to the dish that had me reaching for it again and again. 

No dinner would be complete without a sweet treat, and I opted for the mango tiramisu. Think soft ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone and a tangy mango puree. For added opulence, little flecks of edible gold sit atop the tiramisu. Negi notes that throughout the duration of the pop-up, there will be a rotation of tiramisu flavours and that hojicha-lovers should probably make their reservations soon. So here’s my verdict: come for the hojicha tiramisu, stay for the gochujang and burrata gnocchi.

230 Esplanade W, North Vancouver

Fridays and Saturdays, 5 p.m.–9 p.m.

Details here