Cabriola por Pintxo
Maeve Haldane
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Pintxo: Catching the beef by the horns
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Basque tapas joint turns resto critic head over heels!
Barbaric, I know, but I have a weak spot for bullfights. Must be all that macho posturing in shiny tight suits, or maybe the brass bands, or the drunkenness in the stands... So I felt a little softening upon seeing splashy oil paintings of bulls on the warm brick walls of Pintxo. The wide-wale wood floors and deep-coloured brick was enough to make me dream of Spanish taverns, and the fireplace by the entrance was a perfect welcome for a cold evening."Pintxo" is a Basque word for small servings. The restaurant's website notes that such delectables are also called "banderillas," the name for the long dart that brave matadors stab into bulls' shoulders when they're close enough to feel the heat of the bull snort. Clearly, these aren't mere snacks, but rather are meant to deliver sharp punctuations of flavour.
I'd recommend the $28 table d'hôte of four chef-chosen pintxos to start, followed by a main. If you have allergies or aversions, say so and the kitchen will graciously work around restrictions. Some pintxos will come all at once, others singly.
For a Tuesday, it was surprisingly busy, no doubt because of the recent nod in November's enRoute resto special. Much of the clientele had the look of frequent fliers, from a single guy sharing a table with a sheaf of paper and an electronic agenda to a group by the window loudly telling tales at an absent Albert's expense. Despite the crowd, the resto ran efficiently.
My tapas co-taster received a thick potato round topped with mini discuses
of octopus and chunks of salt - such fun textures. A drizzle of honey and dash of volcanic salt on a slice of raw tuna brought out the fattiness of the fish. I found both of those far more interesting than the bland salmon tartare. I wasn't quite thrilled by my own thick prongs of watery white asparagus wrapped with Serrano ham, though I liked the salty meat. Much more successful was a pickly dose of crabmeat with a fat grilled shrimp, as well as the cute varia of grilled veg (artichoke, eggplant, onions...). Our favourite of all turned out to be the scrambled egg with cod; this sleeper pintxo was so simple, yet balanced beautifully. The soft comfort food was topped with fried onions and garlic for crunch and a pungent boost. Feeling bullish for my main, I'd ordered the beef cheeks braised in red wine. They were tender and fall-apart under the fork, beefy and assertive on the palate. Terrific with the mustardy mashed potatoes.
My matador tucked into a cassoulet inspired by the Asturias region of Spain that sprawls west of Basque Country along the north coast. Mingled in firm beans were a duck breast and two types of gorgeous sausage - one fatty and peppery, the other smoky and comparatively mild. We were told only that they were different types of chorizo made in-house. Figures, but a massive disappointment as I yearned to stock my fridge with these beauts.
I often gauge a restaurant by how soon I plan to return. When I went to Pintxo shortly after it opened, I liked it well enough, but wasn't particularly wowed. Somehow, things have changed, as if the fight has developed a grace, a tighter dance between man and beasts. Now I'd return quick as a well-thrust banderilla.
Pintxo
256 Roy E.; 514-844-0222
Dinner for two, not including tax, tip, booze: $56
| Great Food, Great Service, Great Price! |
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This is the best tapas place in Montreal. My favorite dish is the cod scrambled eggs. It was lovely! The servers are attentive and friendly. The price is very reasonable! Make sure you save room for desserts. If possible, pre-order them at the beginning of your meal because they could be sold out quickly!
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Jay Lam
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Ok, I admit it, it's hard to reconcile the pricetag with the image attached to the review. It really doesn't look like much, does it? Trust me, it doesn't have to. It is that good. Everyone I know that ever ate raves by it. When it comes to restaurants you don't go by what the critics say, you go by what your friends and family say. The weather's nice, drop on by...
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Pedro Eggers
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{4 votes}
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The thought of succulent braised beef cheeks on such a brutally cold winter day is enough to make me crazy! The concept of being able to try so many of those tapas without breaking the bank or bursting your belt is quite enticing. Certainly a restaurant to kepp in mind for those looking for a change of pace.
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Reuven De Souza
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{2 votes}
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For those of you who like to sample a little bit of everything like I do then tapas is definitely the way to go. You can try a variety of food all in one night. Tapas restaurants are opening all over the city and most are doing quite well. All the food at this place sounds wonderful and I am already planning my next evening out with a stop at this restaurant.
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Selena Lobo
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{15 votes}
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| Particular about Pinxtos! |
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I love the variety that tapas offers up but you definitely have to have a broad palate in order to avail yourself of some of the more esoteric "pintxos" but the more comfort meaty fare would definitely be something that I would readily indulge in.
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David St Pierre
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{3 votes}
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The food does sound enticing - especially the braised beef in red wine. The octopus sounds interesting as well but I did not hear much about the vegetarian dishes. But it sounds like a good place to start to try Spanish cuisine.
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Cheryl Ramnanan
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{3 votes}
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