Cabrito
2270 Commercial Drive | 604-620-1636 | Cabrito.ca
Open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch, 11am-3pm; dinner 5pm until late
Closed on public holidays
Tapa isn’t a new concept in Vancouver, but authentic Spanish-style tapas has been a more recent addition to the local food scene. Places like The Sardine Can in Gastown, España in the West End, and Bodega on Main are now churning out solid small plates with Catalonian flare. Until recently, Commercial Drive was sadly missing out on the trend, which has been a surprise, given the strong Latin roots in this neighbourhood. That’s all changed now, with the arrival of a nice little tapas parlour in the former and much-missed Wishes & Luck location.
The room hasn’t gone through a major makeover – the fabulous patio and garage-door window are still there – but there is a stunning bull mural by local artist Yared Nigussu and some cool new tiling. The wine list is mainly Spanish, apart from a single BC red and white, and the cocktails are smart and well-crafted. Spanish and local ales round out the menu, along with some virgin offerings.
Cabrito is the brainchild – and first ownership project – of chef Alexandre Carrier. If you’ve eaten at DB Bistro, Le Parisien, or Les Faux Bourgeois, chances are you’re familiar with his food. Carrier previously worked at several Michelin-starred spots in France and there is a distinct French flavour to his menu, along with a healthy focus on local ingredients.
The menu changes frequently, but the standards are there, including the famed Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, the 36-month aged pata negra pork leg that is served in delicate slices that practically evaporate on the tongue. If you’re not into paying $20 for a few slices of ham, there’s a lovely Serrano for $14.
Apart from charcuterie and some really nice manchego, there are tasty items like the serrano-wrapped fingerling potatoes ($5). Served with fresh aioli, the ham is crisped around the warm, creamy tubers. It’s a great match to the lamb “lollipops” ($13), roasted and served with warm bean salad and grilled confit fennel slices. Definitely try the slow-cooked and pulled goat ($10) served simply with salsa verde and toast. The meat is flavourful, earthy and fork-tender. A classic pissaladière ($5) is a nice, light snack, as are the scallops crudo ($13). The latter are served with a squeeze of lime, a scattering of white anchovy, and crispy bits of the Serrano. It’s a lush and refreshing dish, and paired with the sherry flight ($10) – try to include a Manzanilla sherry – makes for excellent noshing.
Some items were less successful, like the watermelon and feta salad ($8). Cucumber, goat cheese and mint should make for a successful combination, but the watermelon was over-ripe and spoiled the balance. Crema Catalana ($6), the Spanish version of crème brûlée, was lovely and light, although the burnt sugar top was so thick that the required forceful tapping produced a small explosion of cream that spattered my dining companion. A little less sugar-and-blowtorch action next time would make this quite perfect.
Apart from that, Cabrito looks to have a successful formula in an ideal space. The neighbourhood is definitely welcoming the new arrival, judging by how fast the room filled up on several nights, and I’ll be going back for more lamb and scallop soon.
Food: ★★★
Service: ★★★
Ambiance: ★★★
Value: ★★★
Overall: ★★★
All ratings out of five stars
Rating guide:
★: 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.
