The real thing

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/08/2017 (3142 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the last decade, as tapas has become a foodie buzzword, the term has been broadened to include anything vaguely nibbly and served on a small plate. Cordova Tapas & Wine, which recently opened in the Exchange District, takes tapas back to its authentic and more specific meaning, with a close concentration on the regional ingredients and classical cuisines of Spain and southwestern France.

Think Manchego cheese, Serrano ham, piquillo peppers and Andalusian gazpacho. The resulting menu is brief but thoughtfully prepared and nicely presented.

Located in a heritage building on Albert Street, the space has gone through a few restaurant-related incarnations (The Fyxx and later Across the Board, which has moved across the street). The co-owners, who recently arrived from Belgium and France, have stripped it down and lightened it up. The room is now centred on a long wooden bar, accented by intricate tilework, lots of greenery and real art.

This is not the place to go for a standard meat-and-two-vegetable supper. The menu is made for light and unhurried enjoyment, spread out over many little plates and — ideally — several sociable hours. Most dishes come in portions that would work well shared between two.

You can start with cheese or charcuterie (or both together). There’s always a posted list of what’s on the board that evening, and a recent sampling featured smooth Serrano ham and spicy, paprika-spiked coppa, sliced very thin. A good balance of strong and subtle, sharp and creamy cheeses — a Quebec smoked blue, old cheddar from New Zealand and a French Port Salut — was paired with jam, olives and some very good bread.

Several dishes here rely on bread, and Cordova has sourced some of the best bread in Winnipeg, including baguettes and levain from the Sleepy Owl. The kitchen also understands toast, pulling off grilled bread that’s crisped on the outside but yielding in the middle. (Gluten-free options are available for a surcharge.)

This lovely bread features in several dishes, including a nice green pesto, a delicate smoked wild salmon mousse with a scattering of dill and mussel tapenade, whose complex flavour is finished with Ezpeletako biperra, also called piment d’Espelettes, from the French Basque region, which imparts a subtle taste that’s a little spicy, a little sweet and a little smoky.

Chicken liver pâté is peppery but rich, finished with brandy, and served with adorably small cornichons, onions and sweet drop peppers.

Small, tender beef meatballs are a menu staple, with a sauce that changes night to night and can include a creamy peppercorn sauce or choron, a tomato-inflected variation on bernaise.

Traditional gazpacho, thickened with bread, is smooth but could use a little more bite.

Salads include arugula, radish, goat cheese and strips of Serrano, delicately dressed with a drizzly reduction of fig and honey vinaigrette, and a deep and dark orzo salad with eggplant.

There are no desserts at the moment.

The edited mid-price wine list focuses on Spain, France and Italy, while the expansive beer selection emphasizes Belgian brews. Local offerings from Little Brown Jug and Barn Hammer are available on tap. There are rotating cocktail specials: a sampled French 75 had a Jazz Age effervescence.

In keeping with its European ambience, Cordova stays open late, making it a good spot for post-Exchange show conversations.

alison.gillmor@freepress.mb.ca