Minimal, however, doesn’t mean ordinary. And ordinary could never be used to describe Stuart Irving’s Latinflavoured menu either.
For many of us, when we think of Latin American cuisine, we think Mexican – mega Corona bottles, nachos, chips and salsa – more pub food than anything else, none of which is in evidence on Cobre’s menu. Think instead ceviche – three different kinds to be specific. But there’s so much more. With his menu, Cobre’s executive chef and co-owner Stuart Irving takes us on a culinary journey to South and Central America, and even Cuba. But rather than trying to faithfully duplicate the dishes to the last letter, Stuart takes traditional dishes and adds his own slant using locally available ingredients. “The goal is to make tasty food!”
The restaurant’s other priority is ambience. The 65-seat room is comfortable and understated. Stuart says it falls somewhere in the middle of casual and fine dining – which means you can dress up or dress down – they just want you to enjoy your dining experience and sharing is encouraged!
That way you get to try a variety of plates and explore the various Latin flavours. “We’re proud that we’re offering something different for Vancouver’s eclectic dining tastes,” he says.
Sip a caipirinha – the national cocktail of Brazil – or straight Cachaça, its national spirit, or pair your food with a wine from Argentina.
Stuart’s last venture was Wild Rice, where he crafted his particular slant on Asian cuisine. Why the switch to Latin? “I’ve travelled all over Mexico and fell in love with the food there,” he says. “I saw a space in Vancouver’s culinary landscape for a higher end Latin cuisine.”
Cobre’s two other owners are Jason Kelly, formerly of CinCin, and Tyson Reimer, who was a private chef.
