by MARK SLUTSKY

The concept of tapas seems to be enjoying some popularity in many of the more stylin’ restaurants to open in Montreal in the last couple of years. Usually it’s just used as a basic idea, that of several small plates of food ordered at the same time, often shared among friends and accompanied by a glass of wine. Asian cuisine tends to lend itself well to the concept, and it can work very well, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the original Spanish stuff.

The latest place in town to offer small Spanish delicacies on little plates doesn’t use the word “tapas” on the menu at all. “Pintxo” is a Basque word for bite-sized eats generally a lot smaller than your standard tapas. At their best, they’re individual little delicacies, mouth-filling concentrations of flavour. Pintxo is also the name of a new restaurant that opened a few months ago on Roy in a space previously occupied by a sketchy pizza parlour, and before that, mid-’90s haunt Yoda’s Den. (Remember that place?) The establishment is divided into two small, cozy dining rooms in a charming old Plateau building, and the atmosphere is subdued and welcoming, with oversized portraits hanging on the walls.

Pintxo’s menu is small and precise. The top two-thirds are devoted to the pintxos themselves, in the $3–$5 range. There are also four main plates available, costing around $17–$20. A particularly good deal is the tasting menu ($28), which includes four pintxos (selected by the chef, unfortunately—although he chooses very well!) and one main.

There’s a reason the restaurant’s called Pintxo—it’s these little dishes that the kitchen really excels at. Nearly all the ones we tried were exquisite and inventive little flavour bombs that had myself and my companions practically high-fiving each other. And even though our waiter declared several times that they were one-bite delicacies, I found you could get more mileage out of most of them than that—three and sometimes even four bites!

Probably the most decadent (and expensive) is the pintxo de foie con su cebolla confitada ($5). Served on several tiny circles of bread, this is a voluptuous mixture of foie gras, raisins, honey and onion confit. At once sweet and savoury, it’s a must. As is the tartar de salmon del rio Bidasoa ($4), which was actually probably my favourite dish. A salmon tartar made with saffron oil, it had an incredibly full-bodied flavour that was nothing short of delightful—rich and deep with just the tiniest hint of spiciness. I can’t overstate my enthusiasm for this dish.

The txipirones a lo pelayo ($3) was a cold calamari pintxo served on a thin round slice of potato. Also prepared with onion confit, it was sweet and delicious with a tinge of honey flavour. Yum! The txampis rellenos como me enseño Arzak ($3) consisted of three small mushroom caps spilling over with confit du canard. This was a rich, savoury dish, with the flavours of the duck complementing the mushrooms’ earthiness beautifully. And speaking of earthiness—if you want a real wild flavour sensation, don’t miss the crocante con Morcilla de Burgos ($3). A mixture of boudin (blood pudding) and apple chutney, it has a dark, almost evil taste that’s quite fascinating—almost like the kind of dish you might find served up by a witch in an enchanted forest (take this as a recommendation).

Invariably, when a restaurant has appetizers so interesting the main courses tend to be a bit of a letdown, and Pintxo is no exception. The fish of the day ($17), when we visited, was an uninteresting cod with an olive oil sauce. After the pintxos’ strong flavours it tasted a bit dull. The carillera en salsa de Rioja (braised beef cheek, $20) was beautifully tender and nice enough on its own, but, as my friend pointed out, the lamb (also $20) shared its texture almost completely and didn’t really stand out. Save your money for those delicious pintxos—might as well make an entire meal of them!

eattothebeat@gmail.com

Pintxo
ADDRESS: 256 Roy E.
PHONE: 844-0222
HOURS: sun–Tue 6–11 p.m., Wed–Fri noon–2 p.m., 6–11 p.m.
BEST FEATURES: The small dishes from where the restaurant
gets its name, and the salmon tartare
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Barely
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $15-$35 per person, before tax, wine or tip
RATING: *** out of ****