Bodega on Main
1014 Main | 604-565-8815 | BodegaOnMain.ca
Open Monday-Friday, 11am until late; Saturday-Sunday, 4:30pm until late.
Some of my fondest memories from my university days were the nights I spent with friends at La Bodega on Howe Street. We would chow down on patatas bravas, ceviche and beef tongue for a handful of dollars, and get a bit tipsy on the pitchers of sangria.
When it closed last year, the inevitable sigh of farewell was tempered by the anticipation that Paul Rivas, the son of one of the co-owners, would be opening his own incarnation on Main Street in a few short months. Bodega opened last fall and has now fully emerged as a welcome addition to the Main Street/Chinatown dining scene.
My first visit several months ago was late at night with a couple friends for sangria and snacks. We nibbled on salty-sweet Marcona almonds tinged with rosemary, and house-marinated olives ($7 each). The sangria, available by the glass, half and full pitcher, was strong enough to strip paint and made me think my taste buds must have been deadened in my 20s from all that tequila (but that’s another story).
A second shot on another visit was more enjoyable. The sangria this time was more balanced, although I still wouldn’t recommend chugging it on an empty stomach if you want to be sober by morning. You could also skip it altogether and go with one of the lovely cavas or a glass off the truly solid wine list, which exclusively features Spanish varietals and blends. A 2013 Albariño was a steal at $14, as was a Garnacha-Tempranillo from Jumilla.
The new room is larger, brighter and more hip than its predecessor, although a lot of the décor and fixtures moved over. One wall is papered with vintage bull-fighting and flamenco posters, and the leather banquette is bordered with ornately carved dark wood tables. Bar seating at the back is perfect for drinks and after-work decompression, while the front tables make for a sunny lunch spot.
As with the room, the menu is larger and more contemporary than the original. Classics like the twice-fried potatoes, prawns in sherry, garlic and chillies, and the ceviche are still there. The chicken wings ($7) are still brined and deep-fried to a perfectly-crunchy exterior with juicy meat. A little more seasoning would have been appreciated, but the textures were fantastic. Lengua estofada ($8) was marvellous. Thick, soft, fork-tender slices of beef tongue are served in a piquant and rich tomato sauce studded with onions and capers. The only thing missing was some bread with which to mop up the sauce.
Make time for the paella ($28). This is definitely meant to be shared among three or four, and can be ordered in both classic “mixto” form and a new seafood and squid ink version. I tried the latter, which was slightly salty and briny, with a generous mix of prawns, squid, mussels, clams and langoustines, all brightened with hits of fresh lemon. My only quibble with this dish was the need for finger intervention with the langoustines, which were quite resistant to coming out of their shells. With a tomato-based sauce, this isn’t as much of an issue, but squid ink is a semi-permanent stain that neither hot water and lemon, nor a solid soap-scrubbing, will make a dent in. I looked like I’d been out in the garden and forgotten to wash my hands.
Desserts were hit and miss. Churros ($7) with vanilla mascarpone and warm dark chocolate sauce were excellent. Rice pudding ($7), on the other hand, was not. The pudding itself was cold, heavy and tasted canned, despite the decent dulce de leche drizzled on top. Aged manchego ($8) was better, cut in triangles and topped with quince jelly.
Weekday happy hour is between 3pm and 6pm, and late-night hours will hopefully soon be extended to 1am, if the city doesn’t put up too much of a fuss.
Food: ★★★1/2
Service: ★★★1/2
Ambiance: ★★★1/2
Value: ★★★1/2
Overall: ★★★1/2
All ratings out of five stars.
*: Okay, nothing memorable.
**: Good, shows promise.
***: Very good, occasionally excellent.
****: Excellent, consistently above average.
*****: Awe-inspiring, practically perfect in every way.
Anya Levykh is a freelance food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. In addition to obsessively collecting cookbooks, she is a judge for the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
