Basque in it

Fortify yourself with fine French and a hint of Basque at La Bastide

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

There's another Montreal out there! It's a fortified village in southwest France that dates back to the 13th century. This type of picturesque town is known as a "bastide," the name chosen for a newish Mile-End restaurant that offers a delicious trip to the cuisine of the region.

La Bastide makes allusions to being a Basque eatery, so I invited a bona fide Spanish Basque visitor to accompany my friend and I there. He was pleased to notice Basque symbols on the awning outside, but when we looked at the menu, we quickly noticed cuisine was more regional French and Spanish, with slight inflections of traditional dishes. The chalkboard listing the night's table d'hôte ended with the word "agur!" which means "goodbye!" in Basque--perhaps "welcome!" might have been more appropriate.

Unlike other high-end restaurants where the starters are super-fancy and the meals a little less inspiring, at La Bastide the appetizers are kept simple. They whet the palate by forcing you to tune into subtleties in flavouring and the natural tastes of the very fresh ingredients.

The fish soup was fantastic--tender flakes in a tomato base with a dense consistency and rich taste. The mesclun salad was lightly dressed with herb-infused oil and a few drops of fine balsamic vinegar. It was presented in a nice wooden bowl that made it seem much more special than if the greens had been simply spread out on a plate. The third appetizer, grilled shrimp from the tapas section of the menu, was late in arriving, leaving two of us in suspended animation in front of our plates, and the third looking on longingly. The waiter was profusely apologetic, offering to change the soup in case it was cold. And the chef added a couple of extra shrimp to make up for the wait. When it did arrive, the casserole dish was filled with perfectly cooked shrimp, just mildly flavoured with oil and a faint hint of garlic.

The main courses provided the real proof of the expertise and thoughtfulness behind the kitchen. The seafood of the day was swordfish, firm bites accompanied by a dark green splash of lightly sautéed seaweed. The texture of the swordfish was as meaty as steak and the squeaky "algues" added a faint whiff of the ocean--a pleasant pairing that called to mind the rugged coastline of the Basque country.

The beef stew (the viande du jour, at market price) was as densely packed with rich flavour as the best boeuf bourguignon, though this dark brown gravy was considerably different. The tender meat was topped with intriguing veggies, including a sprinkling of white beans.

The salmon from the table d'hôte was accompanied by a "caviar" of eggplant, pleasantly salty and garlicky with a lot of zing to it. Seared so that there was a thin crust on the outside, encasing a melt-in-your-mouth interior of luscious pink flesh, the fish was so perfectly cooked that it could have been used for a how-to video.

Feeling too full for dessert, we ended the meal with a few choices from the cheese tray. As we finished off the remainder of our Côtes de Gascogne, the evening blurred into a swirl of wonderful wine and food.

La Bastide's cream-coloured walls, pleasant lighting and cozy corners make a great hideaway for an evening out. The food is exquisitely prepared and the service is unrushed, encouraging you to linger. It's part of a wave of upscale but downtempo eateries that spotlight the finest fresh ingredients without too much fanfare.

La Bastide

Address: 151 Bernard W.

Telephone: 271-4934

Hours: Lunch Tues-Fri 11:30am-2pm; Dinner Tues-Sun 6-10:30pm; closed Mon

Best features: refined preparation, market fresh ingredients

Vegetarian friendly: Lots of seafood

Credit cards: Yes

Wheelchair access: One step up

Alcohol: Yes

Price: $35/person without tax, drinks or tip

Rating: HHH 1/2 out of HHHH