December 16, 2008

COBRE


“GREAT, GREAT FOOD”
52 Powell St, Gastown
604.669.2396
website


I’ve had numerous people recommend COBRE to me as the “best Latin Food in the city” which I always smiled and thanked them for but never acted upon. Then both my Dad and my cousin who are both restaurateurs recommended it so I knew I had to go there eventually. So this week we hooked up with out fabulous “foody” friends Vicky & Dan and decided to pull the trigger on COBRE … boy am I glad we did.

Located in historic Gastown, COBRE offers us a mix of Argentinean, Cuban, Brazilian & Mexican flavours in an elegant setting. It’s a beautiful scene, a multiple leveled room showcasing a mix of slate floors, exposed brick, warm ochre and the spotlight copper ceiling piece (Cobre means “copper” in Spanish). COBRE is gorgeous, this isn't your typical “taco joint” so we asked our waitress for her opinion and she gave us a description of the type of food they offer, she was extremely friendly and willing to help us make our decision. She offered a few suggestions and we were off and running! This is a Tapas joint so the portions are small and meant to be shared, no dish is over $15 which means you can order as much or as little as you want without going into overkill. I should note that overall, The service was spectacular! We were so caught up in our conversation that the server had to come up multiple times to ask for our orders, but she never once looked frustrated and was very gracious about it. Anyways on with the food…

We started with a classic Ceviche, Local albacore tuna y pipian rojo azteca, warm Peruvian causa. This was a small but tasty app that blended the tuna and potato it was sitting on perfectly. Michelle wasn’t sold on the warm potato mixing with the cold Ceviche but I found the mix tasty. Next we tackled the Taqueria, Pork saddle al pastor con pina, traditionale which was a nice blend of multiple flavors and textures in a classic taco, each bite was an explosion of goodness.

Then onto the main Tapas. First off, White corn free range chicken taquitos w/ fresh house guac. Not too adventurous as it is one of the more “mainstream Mexican” choices but its’ delicious regardless and the homemade guacamole was light and refreshing. Next up, Wild Mexican sea prawns y pipian verde w/ butter browned corn arepas. These were my personal favorites of the night as I loved the combination of the spicy prawns on the corn cake, this was a tasty dish. Finally, Michelle’s favorite, the Maple chipotle glazed beef short ribs w/ sweet potato chips. The chips were excellent, deep fried to perfection very crispy. The short ribs had a bit of an Asian influence, but the chipotle kept it grounded in Latino flavors but it was like eating spicy Maui Short Ribs. Not that that is a bad thing cause these ribs were delicious.

We finished the night with some White Sangria and two great desserts. The classic Dulce de Leche, a rich caramel pudding served with caramelized banana and espresso churro. the other is a Pecan Pie with sliced pear and horchata cream. Both are worth a taste!

It was a fantastic night and COBRE offers up some great, great Latin-influenced food. I cannot recommend this place enough. The décor, the service, the ambiance, the flavours, it all makes for a great night out and primed for a return visit. COBRE, we will be back!

RATING: 8/10 FULL BELLIES

No comments: