Pintxo perfection

>> Map’s Basque-inspired mini-tapas
are inventive and delicious

by MARK SLUTSKY

The cozy restaurant Pintxo, on Roy, is one of my favourite restaurants in the Plateau, and possibly the whole city. You might say that pintxos, the restaurant’s eponymous specialty, are a sort of micro-tapas; originating in Spain’s Basque region, they’re meant to be ordered several at a time, but unlike their culinary cousins, Spanish tapas, they’re tiny, consisting of but a few bites’ worth.

I loved the pintxos at Pintxo, so tiny and perfect, with inspired flavour combinations and impressive ingredients. The formal yet relaxed atmosphere impressed me too. So when I heard that the Pintxo people had opened another restaurant, my expectations were high.

Map, their new place, didn’t disappoint. Situated at the corner of Sherbrooke and St-Laurent, in the space that housed the diner with the Kit Kat sign for years and more recently the late le 2 (an impressive small-plate eatery in its own right), Map serves much the same fare as its sibling resto. I’m not quite sure why the owners would open such a similar spot within blocks, really, of Pintxo—it reminds me of when the Soy people opened Bô, with its overlapping menu, pretty much across the street from the original. Also, the URL of the (currently non-functional) Web site, www.restomap.ca, is highly misleading. But neither of those choices will impact your enjoyment of this excellent restaurant.

Map offers a small selection of main courses (and a decent prix fixe with four pintxos and a main for $28), but I learned at Pintxo that the really interesting stuff was to be found on the small plates, so we focused on them. The pintxos range in price from $3–$6, and six per person seemed about right, though your mileage may vary depending on your appetite. Dishes are served in clusters, depending on their type: first seafood plates, then veggies, then meat. It’s worth bearing this in mind when ordering so everyone has something to eat at the same time.

On the fish tip, I loved the salmon tartar ($4), which is a little hockey puck of minced raw fish served on a square ceramic plate. You could eat it with some of the fresh hot bread the waiter brings, but I found it so enticing I just dug right in with my fork. The langostinas à la gitana, two large shrimp cooked in garlic, and marinated, roasted peppers ($5) was one of my favourite dishes of the night, and that’s really saying something; they were just perfect.

Both scallop dishes we tried—seared on a bed of black olive tapenade ($5), and a subtle carpaccio ($4)—impressed as well. Giving the shrimp a run for its money as dish of the night, though, was the empanada gallega ($4). A baked pocket of dough topped with tomato sauce and filled with tuna, raisins and minced green olives, this dish brought its flavours together in a way I’m tempted to say was almost magical; words don’t do it justice.

Moving on to the vegetable-based, the artichoke heart, calamari and jamón serrano ($4) was a rich little hot-pot of flavour. The white asparagus ($4), also featuring that lovely jamón (thin slices wrapped around the stalks), made a good companion to the artichokes. Vegetarians beware the innocent-sounding Iberian salad ($5), though, which is served with sliced chorizo sausage and subtle manchego cheese, although meat-eaters will find it pretty much perfect.

Carnivores will also go in for the quail; a crispy, perfect leg of that little bird served on a bed of pasta, lardons and pine nuts ($5). The chorizo makes a reappearance in the meat dishes, this time grilled and topped with crumbly, savoury boudin noir ($3). Also served with the meats, but less overtly meaty, is the ravioli, stuffed with goat cheese and duck gizzard ($3), which is just delicious. Finally, the last dish on the menu, and the last served, the foie gras a la plancha ($6) featured a small, buttery pat of the stuff served on a bed of lentils.

Map may be a little redundant with Pintxo basically around the corner, but you can hardly complain when the food is this first-rate, inventive and delicious. Both are joys to eat at and highly recommended