- Words by Jane Zatylny Photography by Don Denton

As I pull into the Saanich shopping centre dominated by HomeSense and Designer Shoe Warehouse, I find Lot 1 Pasta Bar beside a hair salon called Kharma. ThatB次元官网网址檚 got to be a good sign for a business, I think, as I enter the casually sophisticated space.

Owned and operated by the folks behind the Bin 4 Burger Lounge empire, Lot 1 opened at this location in the Island Home Centre in 2016 and has a similar, think-outside-the-box mission. Bin 4 invites British Columbians to B次元官网网址渞ethink your burger,B次元官网网址� while Lot 1B次元官网网址檚 concept reimagines traditional Italian recipes.

B次元官网网址淲e saw an opportunity in the Saanich area for great pasta and shared plates,B次元官网网址� says Chef Michael Ringland, who defines his approach as simple but creative. B次元官网网址淲e wanted to bring something different with the pasta we make daily, and to pair it with ingredients and sauces that we also make in house, whether they be classic dishes or something weB次元官网网址檝e put a twist on,B次元官网网址� he says.

The Moroccan chicken rigatoni most definitely falls into the latter category.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted options that werenB次元官网网址檛 just Italian,B次元官网网址� explains Michael.

The dish is a fusion of flavours and textures and reminds me of a Moroccan chicken tagine, with its traditional spices, such as cumin, ginger, cinnamon and coriander.

The fresh rigatoni is served in a sauce of coconut milk with softened onion, red-pepper ribbons, free-range chicken and chopped cashew pieces.

B次元官网网址淲e use coconut milk instead of whipping cream, so the dish can be made vegan if the chicken is removed,B次元官网网址� says Michael.

These gorgeous glossy noodles take on a pale yellow hue from the spices and are served perfectly al dente, while the chicken pieces are lightly scented, moist and flavourful. The soft red pepper strips offer a flash of colour to the dish, while the cashews add a pleasing crunch to every forkful.

B次元官网网址淚 tried to bring a little bit of ethnicity to this menu, whether itB次元官网网址檚 from the Moroccan chicken pasta or the pork belly appetizer with sriracha aioli and fennel slaw, or simply putting a little twist on a classic pasta like carbonara,B次元官网网址� says Michael. B次元官网网址淚 do love the simplicity of Italian cuisine, but hopefully people can appreciate the twists I like to incorporate into the menu.B次元官网网址�

For my second dish, I turned to the beloved Italian classicB次元官网网址攇loriously rich carbonara pasta. Here, the changes to the classic recipe are subtle but significant: B次元官网网址淭raditionally, carbonara wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have the onions, chili flakes or prawns in it,B次元官网网址� says Michael. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e also been able to source a very good pancetta from Two Rivers Meats.B次元官网网址�

The onions are cooked slowly to order with olive oil, butter, the pancetta and its rendered fat, he says: B次元官网网址淲e flavour the sauce with a bit of white wine, add fresh prawns, then finish the dish with the traditional egg yolk and fresh Italian parsley and basil.B次元官网网址�

Served over freshly made spaghetti, the dish is again cooked to perfection and very, very flavourful.

Aside from its pasta dishes, Lot 1 also features several dishes to share, like the peppercorn-crusted Wagyu carpaccio with fried capers, the Salt Spring Island mussels with local chorizo, white wine and sun-dried tomatoes, and the Little Qualicum Cheeseworks baked brie plate.

B次元官网网址淲e want our dining room to be comfortable and inviting, whether guests are coming in to enjoy a glass of wine and an appetizer or two or a family coming in for a pasta dinner,B次元官网网址� says Michael.

These dishes are so generously portioned, I thought, B次元官网网址淕reatB次元官网网址攖here is enough here for my dinner and my lunch tomorrow.B次元官网网址� Nope. I just couldnB次元官网网址檛 manage to save a portion with either dishB次元官网网址攖hey were that good.

I pass along my comments to Michael and ask him what sort of feedback he likes to hear from his customers.

B次元官网网址淭he simple answer would be for everyone to think that my food tastes great, but itB次元官网网址檚 not only about that,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淔or me the best compliment would be for someone to appreciate the thought and care that is put into each and every dish that we put on our menus, whether itB次元官网网址檚 about the ingredients we use, the presentation of the dish or of course the flavour.B次元官网网址�

I would say heB次元官网网址檚 succeeded on all three points. ThereB次元官网网址檚 nothing but good karma here.

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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