Judas Goat Taberna – a gem in Gastown

I have to admit, I get a little excited about new restaurants! Especially the ones that are different. In an obscure area of town, edgy and offering a new menu, Vancouver does not have. I like variety.

So a while back when I heard Sean Heather (of Irish Heather and Salt) was opening Judas Goat in blood alley – I could not wait to find out more! And of course, his idea does not disappoint. Spanish, European inspired tapas in a small space, overlooking ‘blood alley’.

Expect good lighting, sitting very close to your neighbors, funky atmosphere but food welcoming and a view that is not what you expect – but for some reason it works.

Ordering a little at a time, is the way to go here. Enjoy, savour, chat, make it an experience of flavours. Here is what I enjoyed… Two types of bruschetta – Chorizo (with carmelized onion and dark chocolate) and White Anchovy (with Salsa Verde), both tasty but drier than moist and just one piece per order – so get all four variations. Beef Brisket Meatballs (with rustic tomato sauce) – oh so tender and tasty, 4 to an order. The favourite was Warm Lamb Cheek wrapped with Savoy Cabbage – a truffle oil enhanced the flavour of the sauce – this was delicate, tasty and well just absolutely delicious! I did not know a cheek would be so tender!

Also tried was the Scallop Tartare with Pork Rinds. Yes I can actually say I ate pork rinds. I liked this because the scallops were finely chopped with some peppers for some zing and the rinds were really crispy – very nice match. The special was a Portuguese Cotechino sausage topped with a fried quail egg, capers, mini croutons and a pesto sauce underneath. This was really good. Addictive actually, the egg really does finish this dish.

And I am a big fan of asking the staff to surprise me. I call it a wildcard. They pick and item and don’t tell me what it is. A great way to eat out of your comfort zone, but to trust it will be wonderful. The wildcard item was the Sablefish. slow cooked and sooooo tender with smoked paprika and lemon and couscous on top. Mmmmmmm, is the only proper word here. The only side dish ordered was the pickled eggplant, with the skin off, it was crunchy and surprisingly tasty.

Now, I tried their house sangria with strawberries and a glass of the Belle Glos Pinot Noir from California (delightfully velvet smooth with some smokiness, hint of chocolate, and dark fruit). They also offer a nice selection of beers (try the Phillips Phoenix Gold Lager from Victoria) and a list of Sherry, which is perfect for their menu. Next time sherry to begin!

The menu changes, so this is a great spot to return to after work to enjoy the end of the day light/sun or in the evening with friends trying different flavours and sharing a bottle of wine.

This is not a spanish tapas bar like bodegas, no no, this would be like Salt and Cibo Trattoria mixed.

Don’t forget to get a fun photo in the goat cut out ;o)

Judas Goat Taberna
www.judasgoat.ca