Verdun has a new option for creative dining — restaurant Beba is now open in the space of former Spanish bistro Piquillo.
It comes from two brothers: Ari and Pablo Schor; both bring experience from Joe Beef sibling Liverpool House (Ari was chef de cuisine there for over six years), while Pablo has also worked with St-Henri wine haunt Loïc.
As previously reported, it won’t be bringing that Liverpool House approach, though — Ari will move away from heavier, French-influenced fare, and lean into Argentine and Mediterranean influences at Beba, although it’s not squarely fitting into either of those boxes. It’s also a chance for the brothers to bring their heritage (they were born in Argentina) to the dining public.
Beba is sticking to a tight menu of around ten plates (plus a couple of desserts), and will shuffle dishes frequently. One of the early menus shows the above influences clearly, including Italian touches: a rabbit empanada, raw beef with radishes and chimichurri, and fritto misto, Italian-style fried vegetables and whelks. Desserts on that one menu include Italian custard dessert zabaglione and a dulce de leche flan (of course, the menu will change constantly, so don’t bank on these items being there).
For drinks, a range of organic wines are the main focus, with French and Italian options featured prominently; house cocktails are offered, ranging from classics like a pisco sour to more modern options like the Saladito, with mezcal, honey, lime, and cayenne. A couple of beer choices from brewery Harricana and round out the options.
STATUS — Beba is open at 3900 Ethel in Verdun from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.