New and Notable: Va

I walk into Va with two other members of the editorial team, and it feels like we don’t belong. We’ve just walked from the Edify offices, a couple of blocks south to Jasper Avenue, and we’re not wearing designer sunglasses, or cream-coloured dress shorts or have tiny sweaters tied around our necks. While the vibe at Va, the latest concept from chef Daniel Costa, is definitely casual, it should be stated that it’s “Euro casual,” as in, you still better be committed to being fabulous as you walk in.

It’s busy, all the tables are taken, and it’s clear the word has already spread, Va is the place to be. You walk in, and there’s the counter in front of you, as staff construct the pizzas and sandwiches, and make the espresso or Italian sodas. The green and white tile is fresh. Off to the left is a selection of books on Italy, Italian cooking and how to make a good spritz. As well, there’s a selection of Italian disco albums, on vinyl, if you feel like taking the sounds of Napoli home. And, the sound system is playing music from David Bowie’s Low. So, the coolest album from the coolest man who has ever lived.

We order two very different types of pizza: the Funghi has mushrooms, potato and lots of salsa verde — the green splotches can’t be missed. And then there’s the more traditional Rosso & Burratta, with healthy dollops of creamy cheese and basil.

The two pizzas couldn’t be any more different. The San Marzano tomato sauce is wonderfully tangy, not overly sweet, and the crust has a decent char to it. It’s nicely crisp, and it’s not bogged down by too many ingredients. The tomatoes and cheese are allowed to shine.

The salsa verde on the Funghi pizza is what makes it unique. It smells like pine, and the first bite is like inhaling an evergreen forest. It’s like an autumn walk, packed into a slice of pizza. It’s rich, and the flavours are powerful. Pair the pizzas with some Italian sodas, and you have the ingredients for what’s going to be the trendiest lunch spot on the west side of Jasper Avenue.