Chupito

While going over the Vancouver Michelin Guide, I noticed there were a few restaurants that I have not visited yet.  One of which was Chupito, which admittedly, I had no idea existed and really where to find it.  It is actually located behind La Taqueria on Hastings in Downtown.  When I behind, I mean like outside facing the lane.  Yep, it is the strange location, interesting restaurant phenomenon again.  However, with all of the great reviews, I was going in with high expectations.

By looking at the picture of the outside, you realize that the whole thing is outside, so there is a Spanish/European vibe to it.  We were started off with complimentary Margarita Shots which were fruity and whet our appetites.  We got a few cocktails including the Coyoacan and Zipolite.  I particularly enjoyed the zipolite due to the fruitiness from the pineapple, lime and ginger.  There was a balanced amount of aged rum just to give it a something something.  With cynar, amaontillado, peach, palo santo and topo cinco, the coyoacan was strong enough without going overboard. Light peach notes kept it balanced.

Onto to the food, we started off strong with the Tostada de Atun with ahi tuna, ginger mayo, cucumber, green onion, soy sauce and fried katsoubuchi on a fried corn tostada.  Wow, this was so appealing on many different fronts.  First of all, the tostada remained crunchy despite all of the wet ingredients.  Secondly, it had a beautiful nutty corn flavour.  Furthermore, the tuna on top was supremely fresh and buttery.  Oh the flavours, they were so complimentary with the ginger coming through as well as the brightness of the green onion and the brininess of the katsoubuchi.

We had the Ceviche de Coco next featuring halibut, mango, cucumber, serrano, red onion, cherry tomato, basil oil and coconut with a side of tostadas.  I loved this dish as it was tropical and aromatic.  The creaminess of the coconut paired well with the tender halibut and also helped soothe the heat from the serranos and the acidity.  The drop of basil oil provided a layer of herbaceousness.  Of course the crunchy tostadas were a nice vessel for the ceviche.

Personally, I love corn on the cob.  I am especially enamored with Elote Asado aka Mexican Street Corn.  The well-charred corn was completely coated with sweet mayo, chili & lime and queso fresco.  Oh this was such a sinful indulgence but it was all worth it.  Each niblet burst with sweetness and was immediately flavoured with the butteriness of the mayo as well as the chili lime.  The plethora of cheese added even more creaminess.

Majestically-plated, the Torre de Mariscos sported layers of Hokkaido scallops, Blue Pacific shrimp, ahi tuna, cucumber, red onion and avocado topped with green onion, cilantro and fried katsuobushi.  For this version it sat in aguachile verde.  The freshness of the ingredients were the stars of the show here.  Scallops were sweet and buttery while the shrimp were properly prepared and had a snap.  Loved the aguachile verde as it was bright and didn't stand in way of the other ingredients.

Onto some bigger items, we had the Grilled Tomahawk Pork Chop with rosemary and yam.  We also had some warm tortillas served on the side (with diced onion and pickled cabbage).  The pork chop was beautifully seared on the outside with a flavourful crust.  The meat itself was moist and tender with the brine penetrating into the middle.  Sweet and charred, the yam was tender and delicious.

The pork chop was good, but the Pollo Asado was even better in my opinion.  The sous-vide half chicken was also grilled up nicely where the skin was charred and rendered.  Beneath that, the meat was super juicy and buttery tender.   That went for both the dark meat and the white meat.  Again, the brine penetrated the meat and there was no absence of flavour.  The accompanying broccolini was vibrant and crunchy.

For dessert, we had the Flan with caramel, crema de mango and basil.  We ended just as strong as the meal began.  Creamy with a slightly firmer viscosity, the flan was rich and only purposefully sweet.  It was aromatic and smoky from the caramel while the crema on top added some lightness.  The basil was somewhat of a welcomed surprise.  In general, the entire meal was a surprise.  Not that I wasn't expecting it to be good though.  I just didn't think it would blow me away.  It certainly did and I do believe this should deserve a Michelin-Star, not just Bib Gourmand status.

*This meal was complimentary for this post

The Good:

- Fresh ingredients

- Well thought-out and prepared

- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:

- Outdoor restaurant, so everything depends on the weather