Salida 7: A Spanish Renewal for Vancouver

by Tim Pawsey on September 2, 2014

in Belly's Best Bites, Tapas, Wines of Spain

A refreshing new take on an old theme

I’m intrigued by the idea that nothing happens in a vacuum—especially when it comes to Vancouver’s dynamic dining scene. This summer saw the closing of one of the city’s longest running rooms, when La Bodega served its last order of patatas bravas to make way for (what else?) more condos.

I could wax on about La Bodega but I won’t (too much) except to say that it was just about the first restaurant I ever went to in Vancouver—in part because I was staying down the street. As a new arrival from Montreal, I was shocked by the lack of late night dining in Vancouver. However, for whatever reason, La Bodega managed to stay open later than anyone else, so we always wound up there. (If you wanted something more fancy you went early to upstairs, white linen Chateau Madrid, which vanished in the deluge of fine dining closures some years ago.)

Appropriately cellar-like, La Bodega was one of those reassuring spots where nothing really ever changed. Staunchly traditionalist, their plates (sometimes uneven) were doggedly true to form—maybe even more so in the face of the upstart “West Coast Tapas” movement, which just happened to have been inaugurated by Gord Martin’s Bin 941—almost right around the corner.

Enter Salida 7

Salida 7’s bright and airy upper level room

Now, within weeks of La Bodega’s demise, along comes Gastown’s Salida 7, which promises to deliver a breath of fresh air—and maybe kick-start its own, long overdue, more contemporary Spanish revolution, where Vancouver has managed slip into a backwater.

Salida 7 is housed in what for many years was La Brochette, before it became any number of failed incarnations, including, most recently, a nightclub with dutifully all black interior.

Beatriz Gil, part of the team behind Salida 7

Behind Salida 7 is a partnership that includes former Spanish consul and wine woman around town, Beatriz Gil. They’ve spent months transforming the space into a bright and cheerful setting, perked up with contemporary Spanish art, complete with Guillem Rovira’s fun mural that sneaks Gaudi’s celebrated Segrada Familia into the Gastown landscape.

Guillem Rovira with his tongue-in-cheek mural

More delightful details include this conch shell wall fountain …

In the kitchen …

Chef Sandro Olivieri: a genuine passion for all things Catalan

Heading up the kitchen is executive chef Sandro Olivieri, a graduate of Girona’s Culinary Arts, with a well-travelled resumé that includes a stage at Girona’s famed El Bulli, among many, with a definite Catalonia focus. More recently he helmed Federico’s Supper Club for several years, along with other, high profile local gigs.

I was lucky enough to be treated to a sneak preview a few weeks back. And I’m thinking that Señor Olivieri and Salida 7 (which is the exit when driving to Girona from Barcelona) will provide just the shot in the arm that Spanish cuisine needs in Vancouver.

On the menu

A flair for true tapas

Here’s a hint of what to expect when they open on September 7th.

The style is firmly Catalan, with use of local ingredients as much as possible, and an emphasis on contemporary tapas, true Spanish small plates, with some innovative entrées and desserts.

Mussels ‘Gaudi': salt spring island mussels peppers extra virgin olive oil picadillo mignonette

Some unmistakeable tapas highlights range from the Mussels ‘Gaudi’ to scallops with tomato confit, excellent gazpacho, and Escalivada—a salty, sweet and savoury explosion that combines sardines with roasted red peppers, eggplant and Walla Walla onions with extra virgin olive oil confit and black olive coulis. It is delicious—and even better with Albariño!

Escalivada: a delicious combination

Plus superb tomato tostadas—of course!

It all adds up to one of the city’s most extensive tapas offerings.

Among the mains, Mediterranean Sea Bass—some of the most perfectly cooked fish in a while…

Very tender and deeply herbed roster quail:

Lobster creamy casserole …

… Dungeness crab ‘Arrojesat of Fideus

Traditional arrojesat, with very local Dungeness crab

—and desserts, of course, like Recuit with wild flower honey and fruits…

Plus too many more tastes to mention here.

In all, the cuisine is classically grounded—and very detail driven—but with a refreshingly modern twist. I really liked the honesty of flavours (and the often colourfully designed plates) that underscore the simplicity that often defines Spanish cuisine but with the marked sophistication of the “new” Spain, with what Salida 7 calls “coastal and continental soul.” In short, this is the best Spanish cuisine I’ve tasted outside of Spain. And, needless to say, there’ll be some serious Spanish wines on offer.