When Bill McCaig opened in Gastown several years ago, it was the first certified Verace Napoletana pizza to be offered in Vancouver. The menu has stayed true to the ethos of Naples鈥� pizzaioli, offering classic ingredients with few dishes outside of the pie list, meaning if you felt like anything other than pizza, best to go elsewhere.
With the opening of a few months, ago, that limitation is now removed. The space adjacent to Nicli was formerly Vicino Pastaria & Deli, McCaig鈥檚 attempt at a resto-deli combination that 鈥� in large part thanks to city licensing issues 鈥� never got successfully off the ground.
No danger of that with Next Door. The licences are in place, the deli counter is gone, and, in its place, a rustic bar and ceiling-height wine wall stands ready. The room is not as sleek as its big sister, but with high ceilings and warm wood, it鈥檚 a comfortable, cozy spot to enjoy drinks and bites while waiting for a table, or settle into for a more substantial evening.
GM Anthony Sterne runs a great front-of-house crew, so service is excellent; knowledgeable, friendly and the up-selling is kept to a minimum. It makes for a perfect match to chef Keev Mah鈥檚 excellent renditions of the small but well-chosen menu.
Cocktails like the Girl Next Door ($12) are spot-on. Broker鈥檚 gin with basil, honey, lime, and egg white make for a frothy, refreshing beverage that pairs well with the chilled sweet pea soup (now a tomato version in keeping with what鈥檚 in season). At $3, it鈥檚 the perfect first bite (or sip), served in a small shot glass with a deep plate of cr猫me fraiche mousse, parmesan and basil oil. Pour the chilled liquid over top and it鈥檚 a bright, happy palate freshener.
An Italian take on a Scotch egg ($5) is fantastic. Italian sausage surrounds fior di latte and a runny egg yolk just waiting for you to poke it free (how this is achieved is a mystery), while a smoked egg white aioli offers a pleasant sharp contrast to the almost-overwhelming richness of the dish.
None of the dishes run more than $12, so your wallet won鈥檛 take a beating, even for a full meal. Definitely save a few dollars for the ricotta gnocchi, served with smoked porchetta, chanterelles and chestnuts. A special one night of deep-fried and ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms is beautiful, while braised crispy pork belly is nicely balanced with saut茅ed kale.
I tried the white chocolate panna cotta for dessert one night, and, while it wasn鈥檛 my favourite version of this classic sweet dish, the raspberry and basil granita was lovely, and was nicely set off by a parmesan crisp. Not bad for the place next door.
All ratings out of five stars.
Food: 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄
Service: 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄
Ambiance: 鈽呪槄鈽�
Overall: 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄
Open Wednesday-Saturday, 5pm to late. No reservations.
has been writing about all things ingestible for more than 10 years. Hear her every Monday on CBC Radio One鈥檚 On the Coast and find her on Twitter and . FoodGirlFriday.com 聽
