Cobre to open in Gastown on July 25

Partner photos (L-R: Stuart Irving, Tyson Reimer, Jason Kelly)




COBRE TO OPEN JULY 25
TRES AMIGOS CREATE A SOPHISTICATED CULINARY SAMBA
(Directly from the Press Release.)

(Vancouver, BC) – Say ‘Latino’ and what comes to mind? Passion? Colour? Heat? Hypnotic rhythms? All these are true. What is also true, is that most people do not think of Latino food this way – the cuisine of Mexico, the Caribbean, South and Central America. Most people would picture something stodgy, covered in cheese and served with a watery salsa along with dos cervesas. On July 25, 2007 all that is about to change...

Enter Cobre Nuevo Latino. What is ‘nuevo latino’? It’s the leading edge of a tidal wave that has been sweeping the countries south of the Rio Grande. It a style of cooking that blends the passion of Argentinean tango, with the exuberance of Cuban son, the sultriness of a Brazilian samba and the joy of Mexican mariachi. Make no mistake, this is very sophisticated food – presented in a very elegant setting.

Opened by chef Stuart Irving and manager Tyson Reimer along with wine guy Jason Kelly, Cobre (meaning ‘copper’ in Spanish) will introduce the wet coast of the Pacific North West to the unique blend of exuberance and sophistication found in Latino food culture. Open the door to Cobre and enter a whole new food experience.

Located in historic Gastown, Cobre’s interior immediately welcomes you. Warm coppery tones, exposed brick, dark wood, an inviting bar, original art – you won’t find oversize sombreros, neon cacti or Pepi Gonzales. This is a kitsch-free zone.

Whether relaxing with a cool Chilean in the Wine Vault Lounge, sharing tapas and cocktails at the bar or discovering the hidden treasures of Latino cuisine over dinner, Cobre is a place that will make you forget all about Vancouver’s dull, rainy days or help you celebrate its sunny, warm ones. All the while grooving to Latin sounds as varied as Cobre’s menu – Jorge Ben, Ruban Gonzalez, Strunz and Farah, Jobim, Piazzola, Nascimento, Costa, Gilberto or the Orquestra Siva and Bobby Matos.

In the kitchen is Stuart Irving, the man who introduced modern Chinese cuisine to Vancouver. Applying the same creativity and sense of innovation, Chef Irving’s menu is a celebration of the diversity of Latino cuisine incorporating local, seasonal ingredients with spices, recipes and methods from the Southern Hemisphere. Not a muddle lost in a sea of cheese, Chef Irving’s dishes are fresh and lively allowing the individual flavours to come to the fore while blending to form an elegant finish. Think of the musicians in the Buena Vista Social Club – each an individual artist in their own right coming together to create a unique ensemble sound.

Presented in small and medium-sized plates (after all the Spanish did invent tapas), Chef Irving’s dishes are meant to be shared. The menu is divided into five categories – Sopa (Soup), Ceviche (Marinated Fish), Papusa y Empanada (Pockets and Wraps), Tacqueria (Tacos), Tapas (Snacks) - each offering a wide range of temptations.

Take for instance the ubiquitous taco. In the hands of Chef Irving it appears in five different guises – wild boar chorizo, sunchoke and nugget potato or pulled duck, charred scallion and roasted garlic to point out two variations. Empanadas, the staple of South American street food are transformed into elegant creations – for instance there’s one featuring free-range chicken bathed in mole (a Mexican sauce of bitter chocolate and spices, not sweet) with a salsa of pineapple and pasilla chili.

Tapas are equally all over the Latino food map. For instance you’ll find a salad of Ecuadorian quinoa with Brazil nuts, oranges and baby organic greens. There is a Cuban-style lobster and sofrito (a sauce which the Cubans make with fresh corn, the rest of Latin America uses dried corn) tamale served with white hominy corn in chimichurri (a sauce from Argentina) or the flash-seared skirt steak napped with a Brazilian adobo (marinade). Cobre’s menu features an ever-changing array of seven to ten tapas.

Pairing Chef Irving’s Latino culinary travelogue with wine would be daunting for some, but not for Beverage Director Jason Kelly. With more than 13 years in the food and beverage business, Jason has honed his palate in some of Vancouver’s best restaurants, under the tutelage of some of its best sommeliers. Naturally the wine list will lean towards those from the Southern Hemisphere. Look for tasty treats from Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. There are a few special wines such as Bodega Achaval Ferrer 'Quimera' from Argentina, and Don Melchor from Chile's well known Concha y Toro.

Jason is also designing some signature cocktails. The Caipirinha (cap-ear-enya) is a traditional drink from Brazil made from cachaca (ca-sha-sa) which is the distillation of fermented sugar cane juice, mixed with muddled lime, sugar and ice. His Tijuana Speedball features Reposado tequila, Kahlua, Baileys and coffee shaken over ice. The bar will also feature aged small-cask tequilas, cachaca and pisco (a brandy from Peru and Chile that dates back to the Incas) along with premium rums imported especially for Cobre.

Running the Front of House is Tyson Reimer, also a trained chef, Tyson found he had a knack for people and for running the business end of things. He’s the ideal person to balance the demands of the front with the realities of the back. "The challenge of creating our own restaurant has been tremendously rewarding, " he says. "I believe Stu’s passion for Hispanic food combined with our tremendous local ingredients will result in a unique blending of north and south." Tyson sees the restaurant easily falling into three types of spaces – the Wine Vault Lounge for casual drinks or late night snacks (it can also double as a private function space). The main floor restaurant/bar area for light suppers, pre/post-show or pre/post-game tapas and the dining mezzanine where sampling and lingering over a slow, sultry samba of a meal is definitely encouraged. Muy bueno, si?

¡Que aproveche!

Cobre - nuevo latino cuisine
52 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1E7
www.cobrerestaurant.com
604-669-2396