Itilia Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in Quayside

We were looking for a place to go for dinner and always pass by this place and we should have again. Our expectations were low but after eating here they were even lower.

The atmosphere of the restaurant could be improved. The decor is lacking and there were quite a few dirty tables giving the impression that the restaurant is not clean.

The servers were kind but the service on a not busy night was slow. It took over 10 minutes for us to receive our bill after we asked. Also, no one came by to check on us after receiving our meals.

Speaking of our meals. For a supposed Italian restaurant, these were the worst pastas and I think worst meals we have had from recent memory. We ordered the seafood fettuccine and chicken penne. They were very very bland, the sauce was essentially water with a suggestion of tomato flavour. The chicken penne I ordered specified on the menu that it came with chicken breast. Instead, the penne came with measly pieces of dark meat chicken that tasted off. The seafood fettuccini was cold and the shrimp and pasta were undercooked. My partner got sick shortly after eating that pasta.

We normally never like to waste food but we threw away our leftovers.

To top it all off, the entire meal came out to be over $60. This place is very overpriced for what it actually is. You are much better off grabbing something from the restaurants inside the...

On Thursday July25th I stopped by the New Westminster location and booked a table for 7 for Sunday July 28th. We had guests visiting us from Edmonton so I wanted to treat them. Upon arrival on that Sunday, THERE WAS ON RECORD OF MY RESERVATION!!! There were plenty of tables available, so it did not become an issue. However, this was just the beginning! I understand that this is a new restaurant and they are trying to get organized but the issues we encountered were inexcusable:

From the menu, there were no pizzas available on that Sunday! we ordered a drink from the menu, later on we were told that the drink was not available! We also experienced: -Long wait time. -The main dishes arrived before the appetizers!! The wrong meal was served and when this was brought to their attention, the same dish came back with removal of one ingredient; We asked for no cream sauce on the order, but it came any way.

Normally, in such situations, the MANAGER gets involved to remedy the problem(s), but at this location, the manager NEVER showed up!!!!. Our waitress was apologetic (she was very good) about the whole thing.

Needless to say that it was a very disappointing experience. I would very much like for this restaurant to succeed, since I live in New Westminster. But it will be a long time, if ever, that I will consider going back to this...

Food quality was way above expected. I’m a new west person and like many adored the patio of old. No changes inside. Would love to see changes there to solidify this place as a year round draw.

What we ate: Fettuncine ai gamberetti = Pesto cream based with seafood. So good great taste, very fresh, would 100% get again. Affordable relative to what’s around NW and crave worthy.

Pasta con Filetto di Manzo = tomato based with beef chunks, mushrooms. Also super flavourful, a close second and order-again worthy. Beef was a little tough but not enough to ruin.

Toast skagen = unique fun and light, sauce heavy. Dilly creamy with full prawns. Would order again but more polarizing than other dishes.

Fries = unique, good when hot. Maybe a bit undercooked but I really enjoyed them. Friends said they were a bit sweet.

Drinks: Old fashioned = great Itilia fashioned = gorgeous presentation, tasty and what you want from a alcohol forward gin-based grapefruit drink

Apparently more pub favourites to come which I think is a needed guilty pleasure of the residents and this locale. Not available at the time of this review.

Overall seems like management and stuff care. Growing pains like always but good first impression.

Verdict: Eat New West needs to chill out,...