A year ago, the Peruvian restaurant Barranco opened on rue Saint-Denis. Despite the pandemic that was still raging, Fidel M. Vasquez and his partners decided to go for it, determined to make the flavors of Peru shine in the metropolis.
Posted at 11:00 a.m.
The group of associates does not intend to stop there; During the umpteenth closing of the dining rooms, the concept of Comptoir Barranco came to life — it should be reborn over the next year, in a location to be determined. The Peruvian culinary culture is very diverse and mixed, the result of the different waves of immigration that have marked its history.
There is Nikkei cuisine — “Peruvian cuisine, made with techniques and a few Japanese ingredients,” summarizes Fidel —, but also chifa (Chinese-Peruvian), “bachiche” (Italian-Peruvian) or even Peruvian cuisine. -Mexican. All concepts that the Barranco group would like to bring to life in Montreal, assures the co-owner, who does not seem to lack either ideas or energy, while the Barranco will soon open a second address in Laval.
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
A few items on the menu: the “hamburgesitas” and the Nikkei salmon tiradito
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Nigiri de res: sushi-style rice, beef tataki in a torched togarashi crust, chalaquita, rayunnaise and Nikkei soy blend on the side
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The first in the running: Nikkei, a very promising new address located in the former premises of the café Les Entretiens, an institution which recently closed after 42 years of existence. As its name suggests, this new project is dedicated to this delicious cuisine where Japanese and Peruvian influences meet. One of the emblematic dishes of the Nikkei is the tiradito: a ceviche where the fish is cut in sashimi rather than cubes, then coated with the famous “leche de tigre”, a typical Peruvian marinade for ceviches.
The menu, very tempting, offers several hybrid dishes, very well mastered. Here, the beef tataki nigiri in a togarachi crust (a mixture of 7 Japanese spices) is served with chalaquita, a Peruvian salsa made with peppers, onions and coriander; there, the cute “hamburgesitas” feature grilled pork marinated in aji panka (a Peruvian dried red pepper), dashi and soy.
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Cocktails are serious business at the Nikkei. Here, a classic pisco sour.
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
This cocktail is a chic and smoky take on negroni with Japanese whiskey, campari, red vermouth, white port and an ice cube dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with gold flakes.
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Nikkei bar, a popular place
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Five of the six co-owners behind the Nikkei: Josué Briones Corcuera, Michelangelo Miceli, Fidel M. Vasquez, Daniel Silva and Jonathan Martinez. Absent from the photo, Renatto Mirando.
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Nikkei has moved into the former Les Entretiens café, on avenue Laurier Est.
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PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Nikkei decor
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To accompany it all, a very fine cocktail menu, from the classic pisco sour to signature creations with Japanese touches, is in the spotlight. Beers, sakes and wines, many of which are natural or biodynamic, complete the package. The space, which can accommodate around sixty people, has been completely renovated; wooden slats on the wall painted black, two long bars, colorful decoration, a design signed by Rebel Design. In addition, there is a terrace with around thirty seats to enjoy the good weather.
1577 Laurier Avenue East, Montreal