If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to dine on the piazzas of Rome, look no further than Danilo and Angela D’Alba, operators of Roma Nord Bistro, which opens its doors to the public in the RCA North Atrium on Wednesday, March 30. To chat with the D’Albas is to get a crash course in what makes Roman cuisine distinctly Roman.

First, every dish has a history, a network of roots that extends well beyond the plate. Roman fried artichokes, for instance, tell a complex story about the movement of the Jewish diaspora through what is now Italy; a story about the tenacity and ingenuity it takes transform a tough, fibrous, overgrown thistle into a culinary delicacy. In like fashion, the mixed seafood pastas one finds in contemporary Roman bistros serve as a delicious reminder of the city’s central place along centuries-old Mediterranean trade routes—an invention of enterprising merchants who, unable to sell an entire day’s catch, tossed together what remained into a hearty and humble dish.

And then there are the rules: the core tenets that make Roman cuisine what it is. Pizzas, Angela says, should almost never be topped with meat, and should be a little thinner than the classic Neapolitan-style pies to which many North American diners have become accustomed. Spaghetti carbonara is to be made with guanciale (a deeply savory cured meat product made from pork jowl), never pancetta, and the cheese must be sharp, pungent pecorino, not its nuttier cousin, parmaggiano reggiano. And pasta pomodoro, Danilo says with great conviction, should contain exactly four ingredients: tomato, garlic, oil, and pasta.

It’s not that the two are closed-minded or fussy. On the contrary, the moment they start talking food, they become animated, energized by the world of possibilities that opens up in the kitchen. Of course, a bowl of pasta can be topped with anything. But if one’s cacio e pepe is made with anything other than pecorino, it is simply something else--something other than one of Rome’s four cardinal pastas. With Roma Nord, the D’Albas bring this unique mix of irrepressible passion and scrupulous attention to tradition to the heart of downtown Kelowna.

A view of Roma Nord Bistro in the RCA North Atrium, preparing for its official opening

And with it comes decades of combined experience in the culinary industry. Indeed, it was a shared passion for excellent food and warm hospitality that first brought the two together in their native Italy. Danilo, for his part, found his footing as a culinary professional while managing his family’s butcher shop, which has been operating continuously in the north end of Rome since 1927. It was here that he met Angela, who at the time was a student of biology at a local university. With a deep passion for food rooted in long summers spent preparing meals with her aunts at the family campground, Angela quickly made the decision to team up with Danilo. In no time, the two had married and Angela had taken a leading role in developing a new take-home dining program for the shop, even as she trained with some of Rome’s most celebrated chefs. The two have been a formidable culinary duo ever since.

Angela D'Alba works with her kitchen staff in preparation for Roma Nord's opening

But after many years spent keeping up the family butchery, a car accident snapped things into perspective. The accident, Danilo says, helped them realize just how hard they’d been working, and inspired them to make a change. The time had come to leap into something new, to tackle a novel challenge together. So five years ago, almost on a whim, the two decided to leave Rome for Canada. Landing first in Vancouver and later relocating to the Okanagan, they made their way in their adoptive home by developing new take-home dining concepts for Italian specialty markets and grocers. Now the two are prepared to branch out and create something all their own: Roma Nord.

“Our dream,” says Danilo, “is to bring the experience of dining on a Roman piazza to Kelowna.” The philosophy, Angela stresses, is “authenticity.” “We want people to understand what makes Roman food distinct from other Italian cuisines. We want to create something true to our Roman roots.” And, as it turns out, there’s no better place to do it than right here in Kelowna. “Walking around Kelowna in May, when the flowers are coming out, reminds me of being in Rome in the spring. The climate, the vegetables, the fruit, and the wine—it’s all very Roman.”

One of the D'Albas' delectable culinary creations

With a menu featuring flavourful pastas, silky gelato, bracing espresso, crisp focaccia, and more, Roma Nord celebrates these similarities, combining Angela and Danilo’s deep knowledge of Roman cuisine with the natural bounty of the Okanagan Valley. With spring just around the corner and open air dining in sight, there’s never been a better time to stop by the RCA to savour this delicious blend of influences.

Another of Angela and Danilo's tasty creations

Roma Nord opens in the RCA North Atrium on March 30, 2022, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner service for dine-in and takeaway. Opening hours: 8 AM-9 PM, Monday-Saturday (closed Sundays). For more information, contact [email protected], call 236-420-0125, or visit rotarycentreforthearts.com/roma-nord-bistro