From Mom and
Peru with love

>> Latin cuisine gets a
nuevo twist at Madre

by A.J. KINIK

Think “Nuevo Latino” and you’re likely to conjure images of Miami, Los Angeles and yes, Nueva York. All three are cities with Latino populations that are both extensive and well established, where Latin American cuisines have long been an important part of the landscape, and where these cuisines have followed the progress of Latinos up the social ladder, from the homespun diners typical of the barrios, to the upscale boutique restaurants you find in places like South Beach. Think “Nuevo Latino” and, until recently at least, you weren’t likely to think of Montreal.

Yes, Montreal’s demographics have changed dramatically over the last few decades, and yes, immigration from Mexico, Central America, and especially South America has been an important part of this shift. But, in terms of cuisine, it wasn’t clear Montreal had the critical mass necessary for Nuevo Latino to take hold.

Which is why chef Mario Navarrete Jr.’s accomplishments of the last few years are all the more remarkable. You see, somehow he’s managed to make the great leap forward in spite of the odds against him, opening the critically acclaimed Raza, with its elaborate five-and seven-course Nuevo Latino tasting menus in 2005, and more recently, Madre on Masson.

Madre is the down-to-earth, Rosemont Yin to Raza’s upscale, Laurier Yang. Inspired by Navarrete’s upbringing in Peru, and specifically by the simple, honest cuisine prepared for him by his mother—the flavours that taught him to appreciate good food in the first place—Madre is a warmly hued, intimate space and its menu is designed to make Nuevo Latino both approachable and affordable.

I recently heard a story about a visiting Peruvian family who got taken to Raza (evidently so that they could see how this native son was doing his homeland proud), but had the uncomfortable experience of feeling in over their heads because of the complexity of the preparations, however brilliant they may have been, and the price tag that came with such expertise. There’s little chance of such a thing happening at Madre. Navarrete’s dishes at Madre are still adventurous, still very nuevo, but they have much broader appeal and they’re priced to move.

On a recent excursion to Madre, things got started with a bang. My dining partner and I focused on Madre’s seafood appetizers, ordering the ceviche ($16) and the arepa de poisson ($12). The ceviche was without question the best I’ve had in Montreal. “Cooked in lime juice,” spiced with the heat of rocoto chiles and garnished with toasted corn kernels, Madre’s white fish cocktail was both refreshing and full of warmth. Arepas, in case you don’t know, are hearty corn-based patties typical of countries like Colombia that bear a fair bit of similarity to Salvadoran pupusas. Navarrete’s arepa, on the other hand, was a real show of his particular flair: stuffed with salt cod, and accompanied by a delicate parsnip purée and a zesty mojo Cubano, it had great texture, a rich flavour, and was magically light as a feather.

Those appetizers were a hard act to follow, but Madre’s mains proved themselves to be up to the challenge. We chose two dishes that displayed Navarrete’s ability to take classics (clichés even) of French cuisine and give them a Nuevo Latino twist. Thus, my partner’s grilled hanger steak came not with frites, but with a Chilean tomato salad, a squash side, and an irresistible mole, while my confited duck thigh benefited from a herbal rub and a cilantro and beer risotto. Both were delicious, and the hanger steak plate was the stronger plate all around (the cilantro and beer risotto lacked some inspiration, strangely) but that duck thigh was something else, succulent and unusually complex.

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “That’s all fine and well, but where are the deals? I thought you said Madre was affordable.” You’re right, I did. The deal (there’s only one) comes if you order the three-course table d’hôte menu. Sure, you lose the ability to choose freely from the menu, but what you get in return is three fine Nuevo Latino courses for a mere $35. You might also get a stellar dessert, like sweet potato bread pudding with dulce de leche ice cream and a pisco-laced caramel. n