This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
¡ Ole ! Let’s brighten up our gourmet recommendations for the weekend with delicious addresses that celebrate Spanish culinary culture.
Libreria Española
A true institution of Spain in Quebec, the Spanish Bookstore, nestled on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montreal, has been operated since 1964 by the same family. The third generation at the helm today has retained all the cachet of this tucked-away grocery store which offers everything that Spain has to offer: olives, rice, spices and the paella pan, but also Manchego cheese, typical drinks, turron (Spanish nougat), cold cuts (chorizo, serrano ham, bellota, pata negra, lomo, etc.), dried fish, churros, fresh traditional pastries, etc. There are even cookbooks in Spanish, a nice range of espadrilles (the queen shoe of Spain) and flamenco shoes. Unavoidable.
The Croqueteria of Montreal
Spain is known for its paella, its chorizo, its Catalan cream… and its croquetas ! These small breaded and fried croquettes that you eat with one hand, made with bechamel sauce and small pieces of all kinds of ingredients, are even among the most popular tapas. Chef Tigretón has therefore given himself the sacred mission of perpetuating this tradition and the associated artisanal techniques by opening in 2017 in Montreal the only Canadian restaurant dedicated to this specialty, then a second counter located at the Jean-Talon market. On the menu of La Croqueteria there are of course croquetas classics with Serrano ham, cheese or chorizo. But the chef also likes to take advantage of arrivals with creations made with Montreal smoked meat, blood sausage, squid, kimchi, blue cheese or poblano pepper. And why not end on a sweet note with a croquette todulche de leche ?
Tapas of all kinds
In Spain, tapas bars, very varied small starters, represent a real way of life. We go to a bar, we order a glass of wine, cava or beer, we accompany it with tapas, we pay the bill… and we start the operation again in another bar! In Quebec, we are usually satisfied with a single place, where we taste tapas until we are satisfied. In Montreal, several addresses offering tapas are highly recommended. We can think of Pintxo, a pioneer of this specialty in town, which has moved to the gourmet hall Le Central since 2019 and makes succulent tapas of mackerel, sardines, scallops, grilled vegetables, cold meats, foie gras in front of us. or beef jowl. We must not forget the Tapeo and its chef Marie-Fleur St-Pierre, where the classic tapas (pan con tomatotortilla, patatas bravasetc.) and creative (piri piri chicken, chop pork, black garlic broccoli, tapas of the month, etc.) are always a hit.
Finally, still in Montreal, let’s also mention the Spanish tavern Ibéricos, which offers a tapas tasting menu for two, the Ibérica with lobster and tiger shrimp tapas, as well as in Quebec the Taza Flores, whose menu offers, among other cold tapas of beef tataki with ginger, as well as hot tapas of tagine of lamb and veal meatballs.