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New to the Main, Mesa serves food from the old country

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

Sometimes it's easy to imagine the forethought that went into opening a new restaurant. In the case of Mesa, it must have gone something like: "Let's keep it simple, nothing too fussy. We'll offer traditional Portuguese food and a bunch of portos. How could we not succeed, if we open on the Main?" And there's no reason why this resto shouldn't do well on the St-Laurent strip.

Then again, there's nothing remarkable about this new addition to the Plateau scene. In a way that may be its biggest bonus--it's a straightforward place. Grilled food and fresh fish, traditional blue and white décor with comfy padded chairs and tablecloths, and very professional service. But somehow there is no vibe, no shtick and not quite enough ambiance to make it stand out--so far, anyway, although that may come in time.

Only a couple of tables were filled on a recent rainy night, so we were glad to warm up with a glass of port. We tried a delicious red and a chilled white, both from the Quinta de St-Eufemia label, recommended by an excellent waiter whose chiseled face looked like it belonged in a European soap opera.

There are quite a few "entradas" on the menu, and you could easily choose a few to create a tapas-style meal. No self-respecting Portuguese restaurant, humble or upscale, would be complete without caldo verde, a green soup made from kale, potato and chouriço that is practically a national dish. If you've never tasted it, it's definitely worth a try ($3.95).

Other appetizers, ranging from codfish croquettes to a plate of prosciutto and fruit, can be ordered à la carte or as the all-in-one entrada para dois. This two-person grilled extravaganza includes octopus, cod nuggets, squid, portobello mushroom, eggplant and peppers. If I ever go back, I would definitely sample this, maybe followed by a shared piece of fish.

This time out we tried the shrimp nuggets, deep-fried half-moons stuffed with a whole shrimp in a creamy sauce, and topped with slivers of marinated red pepper ($5.95). I thought they were delicious; my dinner guest wasn't quite as enthusiastic but he devoured them nonetheless. We agreed on the success of the grilled octopus, a bit of a splurge at $12.25. The generous portion came in a mass of chunks and tentacles, mixed with sliced Spanish onion, lemon and capers, barely warm and expertly cooked. It was far from rubbery but had enough of a resilient texture to remind you that despite what they say, it's not in fact "just like chicken."

When it comes to the main courses, there are far fewer items, just a handful of meat or seafood dishes. The catch of the day is brought to the table on a platter. On this evening it featured a whole red snapper, tuna, salmon, enormous shrimp and sea bass. This last was a sizable piece of fish ($21.95), presented with fragrant rice, lightly blackened peppers and freshly grilled artichoke. It was served pretty much without seasoning or garnish of any kind, which was just fine with us.

The Madeira kebab ($15.95) consisted of generous chunks of beef seasoned with rosemary, cooked medium-well as requested, and served over thin potato fries. The cubes of meat were topped with a variety of vegetables--zucchini, bell pepper and asparagus, among others--with their skins deliciously grilled.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate mousse cake ($4.95) that was sweet without being sugary. We were the only customers remaining at this point, but it was pleasant to end the meal knowing that no one was in a rush for us to leave.

Mesa

Address: 4292 St-Laurent

Phone: 906-0606

Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-till closing; weekends 5pm-"until people leave"

Best features: honest Portuguese fare, appetizers

Vegetarian friendly: fish

Credit cards: yes

Wheelchair access: one step up

Alcohol: yes

Price: $30/person without tax, drinks or tip

Rating: HH 1/2 out of HHHH