e don't do tradition but we like to use the idea of Italian food," states Franco Il Nido with a strong Italian accent. Chef Il Nido has been in the restaurant business since he was a teenager and has worked his way up while working his way through most of North America, an experience that, no doubt, has elbowed its way into his cuisine. Since its inception in 1988, Il Nido has been ranked one of Vancouver's best restaurants for contemporary Italian food.

Chef Il Nido stresses that one of his aims was to borrow from traditional Italian cuisine while also creating dishes that were lighter and easier on the waistline. The Agnelott is a squash-stuffed pasta in a sage cream sauce with roasted tomatoes while risotto, which originated in the eastern Piedmont region of Italy, is here made with asparagus and mascarpone cheese. Don't think standard cream sauce for the fettucine either. At Il Nido, this dish is made with barbeque duck in a sweet chili sauce with aged ricotta.

Executive Chef David Pellizzarie recommends his guests try the Arctic Char which is pressed with thyme flowers, lemon zest and white pepper, served over a vanilla honey butter sauce.

Il Nido has been an Italian mainstay for nearly two decades, a long time for any restaurant. If the weather permits, opt for a seat on Il Nido's award-winning outdoor patio which offers breathtaking views of the Vancouver skyline.