by Jamie Maw | Right in the belly (1049 Granville Street) of the town that gave North America small plates dining comes, finally, something decidedly more loyal to the tradición of tapas and pintxos (literally, the thorn, referencing the toothpick that both secures and facilitates). The lost translations of La Bodega and its bowls of indifferent olives and pitchers of cheap sangria can now be safely put to rest. As for other fused tapas houses, with the exception of Cobre, they are not fused at the lip.

The lovechild of co-owners Beatriz Gill, the former Spanish Consul General in Vancouver, and the suave Roger Creixams, Café Barcelona is unprepossessing; the warmth of the food, grace of the service and the heady selection of Spanish wines are not.

Being Spanish, they invited no media, so it was a swan-free zone and everyone was well turned-out. The toothily handsome Spanish servers wheeled chilly cava and out-sized bottles of Estrella beer around the small space that was formerly the V Restaurant Café, which offered redundant descriptors, Balkan cuisine and free newspapers.

Roger’s brother is Benat Ormaetxea, who won Spain’s Young Chef of the Year Award in 2001. He was head chef at the Guggenheim Bilbao and Restaurant Aretxondo in Galdakao. He recently opened his own restaurant, Jauregibarria Jatetxea.

He journeyed to Vancouver to train the café’s new brigade, and to great effect: Fleshy pink shots of gazpacho, gambas, pulpo, queso de cabra con pimentones piquillo, chorizo, sautéed mushroom caps stuffed with jamon, aceitunas relleinas, atun that made us whistle. Even a tilt to the molecular: soft meringues of veiny cheese made a savoury, coda bleu. This is exciting food.

Café Barcelona opens in early December. You can keep in touch at www.cafebarcelona.ca.

All Anticipated Openings

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