october 23 - 29 2003
p.52
by Alice and Yanka
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BARRACA |
| Montreal Mirror october 23 - 29 2003 p.52 by Alice and Yanka |
{...} the tapas were festive. Oui! Ch'te jure, c'tait l'party dans l'assiette, la fiesta dans l'faux silverware! First, beef empanadaas ... sinking those motherfuckers in the green sauce is like caliing Gavin on a bender at 5 in the morning and howling toxins into his tiny ear. Fucking great! The jambon de bayonne seemed happy to be there, all alick and friendly. Super good salty almonds everywhere. Chorizo was huge and hot, 15 slices of stallionlike stuff. Poulet Xerès is chicken non-grata, though {...} |
| The Montreal Gazette june 21 2003 p.H5 by Sarah Musgrave |
Time for Tapas Bar specializes in many kinds of rum {...} Barraca occupies what I used to consider one of Montreal's doomed spaces, one that has seen several bars come and go. The curse seems to be over with the arrival of this well-timed tapas emporium, where video pocker machines have made way for a dark and sensuous interior that leads to a charming trellised patio in the rear. Barraca bills itself as a "rhumerie," not a place to catch a cold, but a rum cellar of sorts. There are more than 20 varieties available, hailing from Barbados, Martinique, Cuba and even a 25-year-old Jamaican Bristol. On a hot day, nothing beats a mojito, and the drink master makes one of the best versions of this rum, lime and fresh mint cocktail I've sipped in this city. That's where the food comes in to anchor you. The tapas here follow a traditional path, with a few twists. The most basic entries are pleasantly salty grilled almonds and house olives, more briny that the usual kalamata. The fresh dates stuffed with chorizo are excellent. One order gets you three skewers of sweet and pulpy fruit that plays off the saltiness of the meat. The salmon marinated in rum and lime is a treat. We relished the fresh and fleshy pieces of fish atop toast, sprinkled with capers and Spanish onion. The vegetable tartlets stuffed with a tasty mash of peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan held a blast of flavour. The selection of Spanish cheeses - one blue and two firm and salty - was a simple snack on its own. I was happy that the beef empanada was a Colombian-style patty, packed with ground meat in a thin and crusty corn-dough shell. Dipped into the salsa verde, it made for delicious mouthfuls, if a little greasy on the hands. Barraca also offers snails and a few seafood preparations, including shrimp. We chose the calamari salad. Thin rounds of utterly tender squid were combined with slices of red, green and yellow bell peppers in a lemony dressing, the effect managing to convey a splash of sun in a bowl. The lineup of tapas here is a mixture of complex dishes and straight-up classics. These treats can be ordered individually or in platters suitable for sharing. {...} This is an enjoyable summer destination for a light dinner or a quick bite while shopping.{...} |
| Montreal Fashion Magazine november 2001
p.155 by Ivy Tolchinsky
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Tapas Trend |
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BARRACA |