Vancouver Magazine, September 2001

Pie de Résistance

It's a maxim of good pizza that you'll never find it in your own neighbourhood

The pursuit of the perfect pizza, an often exasperating exercise and a frequent case of reality cunning roughshod over hope, ends at Commercial Drive.

The spec for the perfect pie lies not in an extravagance of toppings and a cheese-filled rim. Rather, it's a tactical exercise in reductionism; a thin but still client crust, quality mozzarella and a smooth, fresh pink sauce of tomatoes just hinting of garlic, then a drift of fresh basil. This its pizza margherita, the gold standard of pies, and you'll find the best at Marcello. There, the pizzas are not Domino's-round; in fact, no two are alike – ours arrived smoky and still hissing from the wood-burning oven. Marcello offers some 20 versions of its pizza (including two fold-over calzones). Another favourite is Th. Marcello, combining tomato, mozzerella, onion, black olives, capers and anchovies. Thirty centimetre pizzas are $11.95 (perfect for two), or pay $22.95 for the family-sized 45 centimetre model.

But distractions do abound: a terrific lasagna al forno ($10.95) comprising layers of spinach noodles, sauce Milanese and béchamel, is baked in its own ramekin. Or a nice turn of spaghetti alla vongole, clams in a white wine sauce finished with tomato. Each of thepastas is available in two sizes, and they cost from $8.95 to $12.95. There are lots of meal extenders (the $3.95 stracciatella of chicken broth and swirled egg was well made), and desserts. But many of the locals, at least those not ordering a pie, ask for the roast chicken dinner ($9.95 quarter, $11.95 half), served with two veg and roast potatoes.

The room (the former L'Impero) is elegant and high-ceilinged, with the kitchen line aerated down one wall, culminating in the forno, which is surrounded by an enormous plaque of the dramatic face of the God of Pizzas. The entrance to the oven, appropriately, is through the mouth. Fittingly (in fact form-fittingly), Marcello Lombardo sports the international uniform of the pieman – a clean white T-shirt.

We could find few faults with the cooking. The Caesar salad could have been slightly colder, and the excellent housemade focaccia would have gone straight to heaven but for a topping of rough salt and a drizzle of oil. Otherwise, Marcello is a superb spot for a casually styled evening, and has a nice list of beers, wines and even cocktails to bring it home.

It's a maxim of good pie (and superior barbecue food) that you'll never find them in your neighbourhood. Both are always one-off shops, with the proprietor reassuringly conducting the orchestra. I can think of no better reason to move to the Drive, the better to avoid a lengthy one.