La Trattoria Italiana at Ruby Lake Resort — Restaurant in Area A (Egmont/Pender Harbour)

My son picked this restaurant to celebrate his birthday (even though we could've eaten in Powell River) prior to taking the ferry over.

We had driven by this place at the start of our trip...and I was already in love but had no idea this was the same place until we pulled up.

We had called earlier in the day to reserve a table on the patio but when we arrived, the young lady host (who on a side note, doesn't really give off a welcoming vibe or smile) said that we had been booked for inside which was an immediate disappointment. I insisted and they made a way in the end (suggesting the garden area as an alternate initially).... but when there is an expectation already, it isn't a good way to start.

The guy server we had (his 3rd season working there) was very friendly and impressively had many of the special menu options memorized.

We started with the Brushetta and Caesar Salad and ordered a mock tail Sabrini for my birthday teen... while I had the mojito.

Upon tasting my mojito, it was definitely missing the alcohol (at a minimum) and then we noticed a spider swimming inside.

When I shared my findings, the waiter just casually played it off like it was no biggie because we are outside eating on the patio...ummm?... and took it away to get replaced. When it came back there was no flower this time :( (so it didn't feel as special) but tasted the way it should and this time, no arachnid or other type of bug was enjoying my beverage ahead of me.... (when I mentioned it, he did bring me another flower- pansy-to add... which my Son subsequently ate!)

We were a little shocked to start that Pasta dishes are priced in the $30 ranges but I ordered the Aldo Special (with smoked salmon) and my kids picked each choose the Arrabbiata dish.... and we were NOT disappointed:)

They were delicious and a very good portion... perfectly portioned actually... leaving the feeling that even though the price was a lil steep, our bellies were pleased and taste buds tickled with every bite.

The ambiance was a delightful experience, with soft music playing in the background surrounded by beauty (clearly, they have invested a lot of time into the landscaping).

The table ahead of us were a lil inconsiderate playing videos loudly from their phone (also my son said he watched as the lady was making a TicToc)... I guess anything should be acceptable these days.

I had asked ahead, if there was a special dessert for my birthday teen and told they could do Tirimasu which my Son was very pleased with.... and I concur that it was delicious!!!... (there was even enough for sharing because he was getting full... which is hard to get in a teenage boy!).. and we were nicely surprised by all the staff coming out to sing Happy Birthday:)

I was disappointed to see that I was still charged for my drink (even though it was replaced), usually a restaurant would remove it from the bill due to the circumstance).

I was also a lil surprised to see that the birthday dessert was not complimentary or discounted (as that is also usually the standard)....but could see that maybe they feel that people could take advantage...

The dishes were beautifully presented, perfectly portioned and equally matched in flavorful bursts for the senses.

We would consider returning and even look at staying as guests sometime.

We had a lovely chat with a lady inside (who had worked there for over 20 yrs now) prior to leaving and there was another woman server (short silver hair) who also had a nice...

The food was absolutely amazing!! We go to Ruby Lake all the time but had never heard of this place. It was actually suggested to us by a friend and I am so glad we took her advice.

The location is conveniently located right by Ruby Lake and is the perfect place to stop by after a day in the water. The outdoor landscaping is gorgeous, and taking pics on the beautiful wooden bridge at the back of the resto is a must. Coincidentally, we were having dinner with my boyfriend's family last night and his brother in law (Don) told us that him and his brother had actually built that bridge for the restaurant years ago!

We were lucky to get a last minute reso (reservations are a must here) and were sat on the back patio. It had a very romantic and Italian feel. Great ambience.

We started with two of the special mezcal cocktails. It was smokey and spicy and I would have finished mine if I wasn't going through a reflux episode lol. I had a few sips before my throat started to become irritated and close so I gave the rest to my boyfriend which he was more than happy to drink. We also shared a half litre of the house red because other reviewers said it was really good. They were right!

On special they had an in house made focaccia bread with balsamic vinegar and oil for dip. It was sooooooo good. The bread had tomatoes and olives baked into it.

For entrees I had the spaghetti vongole which is one of my favorite pastas. For a long time, Cioppinos in Vancouver had what I considered the best one, but the one at La Trattoria totally blew it out of proportion. The clam sizes were large and you get a decent amount. The pasta was so flavorful. I could have honestly eaten two of these.

My boyfriend had the arrabbiata which is also one of his favorite pasta dishes. He also said that the one at La Trattoria was one of the best he has had in a long time.

We both decided to add a side dish of sautéed vegetables to our entrees. The vegetables were perfect. They were simple and sautéed in salt and pepper.

For desert we had the strawberry cheesecake. My boyfriend loves cheesecake and has tried it almost everywhere in Vancouver. He said this was the best cheesecake he has had by far! It was made with a vanilla bean and the crust was perfect.

The only thing about dinner that disappointed us, was that we were not offered any fresh pepper for our food when we noticed that the other tables were. My boyfriend ended up using the pepper shaker that was on the table. Hopefully this was just an innocent mistake and not...

I wish I could rate this place higher because it's such a cute restaurant in a beautiful location, but it was just such a disappointing experience. Firstly, I'd say it's only worth going here if you're seated on the patio. The inside dining area doesn't have the same charm and, at least when we were there, it has no AC, so we were all sweating. I think the staff forgot that we had been seated because it took a long time for anyone to come to our table. When someone did, she wasn't very pleasant and almost seemed upset with us for some reason. The second server that came to our table was quite nice however. Then there's the prices. I have never seen prices this steep for pasta. Literally, a simple Primavera is costing you close to $30 and if you want anything with meat in it you're looking at $32-$42 a plate. Again, for pasta. Someone members of our group split the cheapest bottle of wine which was $46. The pasta was tasty enough but did not taste freshly made as you might expect for those prices. After the meal, it took a long time to get our bill and pay and at this point we were boiling in our seats. After tip, it cost us over $270 for five plates of pasta and a bottle of wine. I think if you're going to charge those kind of prices, the experience has to be much better. Highlight of the experience was after we left, there was a beautiful view of the lake from the...