Gorgeously prepared flavours from Spain's Basque country are sure to please even the most discerning palate in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood.
In the heart of Montreal’s trendy Plateau neighbourhood, amidst residential homes, stands a lone beacon of delectable dining stating “Pintxo Cuisine Espagnole.” Yep, we’d found the right place on 256 Roy Street East and for $28 CDN, the lovely-looking restaurant offered a tasting menu that included four pintxos (or Basque style tapas from Spain’s northern regions) and a main dish. The chef chooses the pintxos, you choose the main. My husband and I looked at each other and decided we’re in.
I’ll admit we went into this adventure a little blindly. Part of my heritage is Spanish, and having lived in Spain for a few months, I have a soft spot for the food and the country, so I figured we can’t really go wrong with this place for our first night’s dinner. When our server informed us that tonight’s pintxos were to be entirely of seafood in nature, I looked over at my husband and worried a bit. He’s come a long way in the seafood department since we’ve met, but having grown up inland in both Bosnia and South Africa, he didn’t eat a lot of seafood. Too late to back out now, we smiled and waited for our pinxtos to arrive hoping for the best.
Let me start by saying that the chef takes the utmost care in presentation- everything had a perfect pairing of sauce, a contrast in textures and attention to detail that was as pleasing to the eye as it was to the palate. One of the most memorable of the bunch was the txipirones a lo pelayo- a perfectly tender piece of calamari served on a firm, cooked round of potato with a smattering of onion confit caramelized to aromatic sweetness. It was fresh, flavourful and a wonderfully welcomed surprise. The tartar de salmon del rio Bidasoa was another show-stopper. Here, salmon tartar is infused with a rich saffron oil and literally melts in your mouth. It was sensational! Even my once reticent dinner companion looked as if Christmas had come early – he was enchanted.
For our mains, I ordered a most satisfying carillera en salsa de Rioja or braised beef cheek in Spanish Rioja wine. Served atop smashed potatoes, the fork-tender beef is accompanied by the richness of the wine and stock reduction - another perfect pairing. Mario chose the cod fillet served with cherry tomatoes, a chiffonade of fresh basil and olive oil that he couldn’t stop raving about for days.
Just as we were discussing how wonderful everything had been, a table to my left asked to speak to the chef. Out came a young man wearing his crisp chef’s whites with the Basque flag sewn into his collar to a very welcoming table. So welcoming in fact, that the lady at the table thanked the surprised chef profusely by kissing his hand. Now that’s appreciation and while you might think she overdid it a a wee bit- you’d have to try the pintxos at this inspired resto to truly understand her enthusiasm! Although I still can't see myself kissing any chef's hand, I appreciate his culinary talents and the opportunity to have a taste of Basque country in the heart of Montreal.
