Casa Tapas
as far as i can see, no one has mentioned a terrific Tapas resto since EB's last recap in 2009. i give you boys,
CASA TAPAS http://www.casatapas.com/
a 2 dining room tapas restaurant is on Rachel, 2 blocks west of St.Denis. with the tiny narrow neighborhood street, and being so close to St.Denis, you'll feel like you won the lottery if and when you find parking. there are probably no more than 25 small tables + a bar area that likely seats 6 people.
this restaurant is one of my Top 3 in Montreal because:
1.
Amazing food - i'd call their take on tapas "North American fusion" ... 2 dishes you must try
(a) cordero a la castellana 14$ [filet mignon d’agneau/lamb, amandes/almonds et poivrons/peppers] ... if you don't end up soaking up the sauce with pieces of bread, you have no pulse!
(b) calmar farcies - ??$ didn't see it on their menu my last visit 2 weeks ago but ask them... stuffed squid with some tasty ground meat filling, again that dish's sauce was to die for.
2.
Great wine selection - all the servers have traditionally been very knowledgable in helping you select a bottle/glass to accompany your meal, all imported
3.
Decor will transport you to Barcelona and conjur up fond memories of your travels, if you'ev never been to Barcelona, you've love the designs, textures, patterns inspired by Catalan architect
Antoni Gaudi (the columns are a mini copy of the columns in Sagrada Familia)
4.
Professional and courteous service - makes you feel fairly welcome and you usually leave with a smile on your face even if you drop 150-170$ for dinner for 2. your water glass is almost never dry, there's always someone nearby you can ask for assistance even though they're generally busy
5.
Great atmosphere - Great for dates, romance, group get togethers, corporate/professional, families.
this restaurant comes to mind because as i mentioned, it's one of my top 3 but also because i thought they were closed for renovations earlier this year with scafolding in the front of the building and dust everywhere outside when they were actually open but obscured by the facade upgrade going on outside.
PS those of you who like Pintxo, (1) why? (2) if you dined at Casa Tapas, I'm almost certain you will never go back to Pintxo...