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Irazu is Costa Rican to the core
by SARAH MUSGRAVE
If I were travelling in Latin America, I might not be inclined to check
out a restaurant that showed the explosive power of a volcano on its
sign. Here in Montreal, a low-key little restaurant called Irazu has
the letters of its name being shot out into the air from a crater along
with hot lava. Fortunately, this graphic depiction refers not to the
after-effects of the food but to the most famous volcano in Costa Rica,
situated high in the rainforested mountains.
The food here is more homey than spicy. There’s a wide variety
of grilled meats like pollo (chicken), bisteca (beef), chicarron (pork)
and salchichon (sausage), as well as seafood soup and all manner of
other pescado (fish) and camarones (shrimp) dishes. You can personalize
the level of heat with the two salsas on the table.
To start, there are several ceviches to choose from—raw seafood
marinated in citrus—a refreshing bet when the weather warms up.
Most recently, I tried a heartier appetizer called vigoron ($5.50),
a traditional dish originally from Nicaragua that mixes hot and cold
ingredients. It’s made up of marinated white cabbage, tender chunks
of yucca cooked to a potato-like texture, and pieces of fried pork.
The meat is all browned on the outside, kind of crunchy and chewy, and
very satisfying.
I asked the owner/waiter for a suggestion of a main course for a very
hungry person and he came up with carne casado. Casado means married
and he explained that in this meal, it’s like the meat is married
to the other things on the plate. When it came, I saw that it’s
not just married, it actually has an extended family. There were so
many elements on the plate that there was barely enough room to cut
the delicious steak, which had been seasoned to an incredible level
of tastiness. Along with it were a fried egg, and copious amounts of
rice, dusky black beans, potatoes, salad and plantains that were moist,
sweet and soft. For about $10, the casado is an absolute feast—you
can get the same platter with chicken or pork.
My date’s shrimp with garlic ($12.95) was also excellent. It featured
a generous amount of shrimp, tinged to an orange colour by spices. The
garlic wasn’t strong enough to mask a slightly fishy flavour, but
that didn’t detract. Along with rice, it was served with a salad—simple
strips of lettuce and a pleasantly sharp dressing that worked well to
combat the heaviness of the meal—and home-fried potatoes, which
he found really good with some smoky salsa.
For the price, this place is a great bet in terms of quantity and quality.
On a previous visit, I tried the arroz con pollo, about the most standard
dish in the Latino repertoire. I didn’t like it as much as the
casado, partly because the rice had the strong flavour of something
like tabasco. On that same visit, a friend of mine tried the fajitas,
which we found very yummy.
Irazu operates on Costa Rican time: they don’t rush and they don’t
rush you. I’ve showed up here fairly late at night a couple of
times, and no one has blinked an eye. The chef didn’t let out a
sigh about having to leave his spot at the bar in order to cook up another
couple of meals after 10pm. It may be a popular Latin American hangout,
but the regulars and the staff are very cool about strangers showing
up, even when the karaoke is going strong. It’s the kind of meal
to linger over, whether you want to or not. :
Irazu
Address: 1028 St-Zotique E.
Phone: 279-0027
Hours: Tue–Sun 5–11pm; closed Mon
Best features: authentic atmosphere & cuisine
Alcohol: yes
Vegetarian friendly: not really
Credit cards: yes
Wheelchair access: one step up
Price: $12/person before tax, drinks or tip
Rating: HHH out of HHHH
Feedback?
restoagogo@hotmail.com
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