Six Months After Catastrophic Fire, the New Pintxo Is Back

The hard-luck owners of Pintxo held a successful inaugural service in the restaurant's new digs this past Thursday, September 17. Miguel Aguilar and Piero Tullio took to Facebook to write: "Soirée d'ouverture réussie !!! On se croyait dans une émission de canal vie à compter les minutes dispos avant les premiers clients !! Merci beaucoup à tout le monde !!!"

ICYMI, Pintxo was a total write-off last April when a five-alarm fire erupted two floors above the restaurant. The inferno took place just days after a four-star write-up in Le Journal de Montréal by critic Thierry Daraize. Months of headaches later and the hotly anticipated restaurant wants to recoup its status as one of Montreal's best addresses for Spanish cuisine. Aguilar reports that Pintxo redux, in the former Renard Artisan Bistro, will better reflect the spirit of a traditional Basque restaurant. The remade space, courtesy designer Alain Thibodeau, accommodates 36 inside, with a further 15 on a terrasse. Alonso Ortiz is back in his role as executive chef, and has few plans to tinker with Pintxo's upscale pintxo menu.

Status: Pintxo, 330 Mont-Royal Est, (514) 844-0222. Now open weekdays for lunch from noon to 2 p.m., and dinner service (seven days a week) from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Weekend brunch as of November.

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