Showing posts with label taco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taco. Show all posts

Soluna (Toronto)

Even after dining at Soluna, I’m still not sure how to best describe the restaurant. They call themselves as a “Miami meets Tulum-inspired supper club”. And while the entrance screams Mexican, everything else says they’re inspired by more than Tulum.

Starting with the Toronto Life Insider tasting menu ($120 per person). Sure, there were some Mexican dishes from Chef Ricardo Dominguez’s background, but it also showcased Mediterranean, Thailand, and Latin American dishes as well. Ultimately, it was a collection of dishes with bold flavours. Note: regular menu prices have been included in this post.

The spicy crudo ($29) was one of those powerful dishes. Starting with the rub on the seared tenderloin encompassing smoky and salty flavours, but then it’s combined with a spicy habanero mole sauce as well. It was so overpowering that the dish really needed a neutral ingredient to balance it out. The avocado was a start, but even some lettuce wraps to go with steak would be nice.

Normally labneh ($18) has such a fresh creamy element to it, but the Kalamata olive tapenade and za’atar splashed on top made it so salty that the yoghurt became secondary. A little goes a long way on a piece pita or crostini. More sliced vegetables could help mellow out the saltiness of the dip.

I wish I had the Peruvian ceviche ($25) first as after the other two starters all the delicate flavours of the seafood became lost. Such a shame as the dish had the right elements like fresh pieces of fruit (watermelon and goose berries) as well as Asian inspired flavours from the yuzu and sesame oil. Comparatively, it tasted muted and seemed to need more salt, some of which was supplied by the delicious crispy taro chips.

The refreshing Mediterranean salad ($16) was a welcomed dish to follow. The lettuce, cucumber, and tomato mixture dressed in a vibrant red gazpacho that created a deliciously different take on the typical Greek salad.

That brightness was a good pairing for the Thai shrimp ($25), which seemed out-of-place on the menu. You really can’t go wrong with crispy fried shrimp - it’s something crowds will like - but I can’t say the curry sauce and compressed pineapple complimented it well. If anything, I would have liked a jazzed up pico di gallo or tomatillo salsa with the seafood instead.

It is nice to see all the vegetarian options available on Soluna’s menu. A similar fried plant-based starter would be their cauliflower ($21), encrusted in a gluten-free batter and served with a delicious pumpkin sauce. If they were cut into smaller florets and fried longer (to the crispness of the Thai shrimp), it would have brought the dish up to another level.

Once we got to the mains, Chef Ricardo treated us to an off-menu item - duck tacos. I wouldn’t have called it a taco, may a non-crispy flauta. The flour tortilla was stuffed with a Peking duck-style pulled confit so that every bite was filled with the fowl. While it’s tasty, I would have liked something crunchy and fresh to balance out the roll. Maybe julienned cucumbers, carrots, and scallions (if we’re following the Peking duck flavours) or julienned jicama, scallions, and cactus (for more Mexican flavours).

The striploin was cooked well, topped with melted miso butter with a side of puffed potatoes (a cross between roasted potatoes and chips) and serrano aioli. It’s a solid meat and potatoes dish but doesn’t really feel unique.

Yet, if you’re out for dinner with someone who can’t handle the spice, sharing one of Soluna’s steaks is a good idea. Perhaps paired with the well-roasted broccolini ($11) and uber crispy fingerling potatoes ($11). Together, the dishes can rival what’s found at steakhouses.

For me, I enjoy different flavours and once you slather the adobo sauce onto the branzino ($59), it really wakes up the neutral fish. Only the pineapple salsa wasn’t sitting well, a bit too sweet against the flaky fish. Sub the pineapple for a something savoury and crisp up the branzino’s skin and this would be a great dish.  

Get an order of the tres leche ($15) … it’s heavenly. The soft soaked sponge cake enhanced with an espresso meringue and coffee whipped cream so there’s a tiramisu taste. It’s a shareable dessert, but why would you want to?

Meanwhile, the passion fruit tart ($15) is much harder to divvy up as the crispy shell crumbles causing the custard to leak out. While it’s an impressive looking dessert - served in a smoked filled dome that’s theatrically lifted at the table – it tastes like a run-of-the-mill tart.

Still, that was way better than the Caissis cloud, a dessert I could only have one bite. It’s an acquired taste… perhaps liked by those who enjoy chocolate and fruit combinations. For me, the chocolate raspberry mousse studded with brownie chunks and fruit (something tasting like Brookside dark chocolate covered açai blueberries) was strange.

While the food is a bit of a hit and a miss, Soluna makes up for with its vibe. The dining room is beautiful and there’s a festive feeling to dining there. There are no boring dinners here, even during a Wednesday evening they pushed away tables to host a salsa dancing class. For those who prefer to stay in their seats, they also had two seductively dancing girls performing periodically.

If I had to describe Soluna, it’s like a restaurant you would find at a tropical resort. Not necessarily traditional, but you’ll have fun or at the very least be momentarily transported somewhere else. 

Overall mark - 6 out of 10

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How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 314 Queen St West

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Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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CLOSED: Fonda Balam (Toronto)


A tasty taco starts with the shell. At Fonda Balam, their corn shells are made fresh in-house so that they’re soft and pliable, not the crumbly cracking mess that some shells can become. Meanwhile, the corn flavour lightly permeates the wrapper without being overly pungent.

Generally, the pork in a taco de carnitas ($9 each) tends to be pulled. Fonda Balam leaves theirs in roasted chunks instead, so there’s a meaty bite without being too saucy or heavy. In lieu of barbeque sauce, the pork was paired with an ample amount of guacamole helping to add creaminess and hold together the pickled jalapeno and white onion, which cuts the greasiness of the meat.

Similarly, the chicken in the taco de tinga de pollo ($9 each) was also cut into pieces and very flavourful having been braised in a chipotle tomato sauce and doused with crema and queso fresco. The garnish of pickled red onions creates a bit of a crunch against the otherwise soft tacos.

For something different, the taco dorados de papa ($14 for 2) takes a crunchy shell and fills it with spicy stewed potato chunks that are so moist and fluffy that there’s a refried bean quality to the filling without the heaviness (and hopefully the resulting gas). Crunchy lettuce, a liberal sprinkling of queso fresco, and drizzles of sour cream & salsa de molcajete makes for a surprisingly hearty and flavourful taco. This is a great option for vegetarians or those who wants a saucy crunchy creation.  

But of course, it’s the quesabirria con consome ($22 for 2) that really elicits excitement… the crispy pan-fried shell stuffed with shaved beef and enough cheese that it squeezes out and gets caramelized on the grill. I just wish the consommé was stronger as I did find the taco, even when dipped into the broth, still needed the salsa roja or salsa verde to taste flavourful. Luckily, Fonda Balam doesn’t skimp on the beef, so if you’re not hungry an order is enough to satisfy and given it’s not overly salty this birria won’t leave you thirsty.

Even though the restaurant’s dining room isn’t overly large, it can seat a lot of people with it’s strategically laid out wrap around seating, bar stools along the window ledge, and spacious patio. Food also seems to fly out of the kitchen at a nice pace so if there is a line, do not let that deter you from waiting. Because when you want a good taco, you come here. 

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 802 Dundas Street West



Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

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Nomé Izakaya (Toronto)


When a coworker suggested meeting at Nomé Izakaya for a team get together, it was a brilliant recommendation. After all, in Japan, an izakaya is often the place where groups meet after work for small plates and rounds of drinks before heading home. It’s an environment that you can be loud and getting things to share is a must.

After sampling two of their salmon rolls, I found them so similar that it’s difficult to distinguish between. Both the apple salmon roll ($19.80) and the seared salmon roll ($20.80) are encased in the fish with cucumber, avocado, asparagus, and crab meat salad on the centre. Where the difference lies are a few ingredients: the apple salmon including julienned apple and onion, while the seared salmon features cream cheese, coleslaw, and a host of other condiments. Both were freshly made, stuffed with fillings, and potentially the seared salmon having a slight edge with the plethora of sauces used to add interest.

For those who are squeamish about raw fish, Nomé Izakaya’s extensive menu offers tons of cooked dishes. Their chicken wings ($14.80 for a lb) were a hit with a shatteringly crispy crust and juicy interior having been wet-brined in soy sauce-based marinade. They were flavourful enough naked, but a hit of the spicy honey garlic made it even better.

The Japa-burgers ($17.80 for 3; extra piece for $5.90) are akin to a smashed burger slider with tomato, lettuce, onion, barbeque sauce, and a garlic mayonnaise. Interestingly, they toast the bottom of the bun so it resists getting soggy – I like it crispier so this was perfect for me, but I can see those who like a super soft bun finding this to be a drag.

While the sliders were delicious, there wasn’t really anything “Japanese” about them. I would have liked a more pronounce sauce (perhaps subbing teriyaki for the barbeque) and more Japanese ingredients (slivers of toasted nori in lieu of the lettuce) to differentiate the burgers.  

Dive into the mac & cheese ($15.80) upon arrival as it’s so gooey and rich when it’s hot out of the oven. Diced bell pepper, onion, and bacon are mixed throughout to give it interest (shrimp and scallops are also available, we eliminated these to accommodate an allergy). I didn’t expect an izakaya to make such a stellar pasta, but this rivaled many Southern joints.

The bulgogi tacos ($18.80 for 3; extra piece for $5.90) were large and filling but missed the mark. Firstly, the beef was the ground variety rather than shaved, which detracts from the bulgogi feel of the dish. Moreover, the menu mentions a host of toppings - lettuce, onion, fresh jalapeño, kimchi, Japanese beni shoga, garlic mayonnaise, spicy salsa, and furikake – but really what stood out the most was just a lot of mayo. Being a heavier taco, it really could have benefited from kimchi (mine contained none) and a fresher element like green onion.

If anything, a crispy pork belly ($12.50) taco would be a tastier dish. On its own, the slices of deep-fried braised pork belly were melt-in-your-mouth good but would benefit from a crispier crust to give the dish more contrast. It’s served with a generous squeeze of seaweed paste, which looks amazing but doesn’t offer much flavour, along with fresh scallions. They’re tasty to munch on but a couple of slices wrapped in a soft tortilla with a mango slaw and a stronger condiment would be incredible.

While izakaya’s are about sharing, if you’re a hands-off-my-food type of person the aburi salmon donburi ($16.80) would be the ideal choice for a single person. The small bowl of sushi rice was topped with a generous portion of diced seared salmon, aburi sauce (a mayonnaise-based condiment), shredded salad greens, red onions, and a raw egg yolk. It was flavourful and works as a complete meal for one.

But truthfully, most of the fun about visiting an izakaya is going with a larger group and letting go of niceties and just allowing yourself to be boisterous. At an izakaya, sharing is caring. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 4848 Yonge Street


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

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Planta Cocina (Toronto)


You better enjoy tortilla chips if you’re eating at Planta Cocina as half of their appetizers are served with the crunchy side. Practice makes perfection as the chips are great: thin, crispy, and not overly oily.

Plenty are found in the fully loaded nachos ($17.95) arriving in a tin and poured out table side. For something that’s described as “fully loaded”, the chips were rather bare - I couldn’t find much of the queso crema, avocado crème, black beans, or pico de gallo – let alone the pulled barbeque jackfruit that seemed more like sauce than a protein.

The five-layer dip ($11.95) was equally underwhelming, served in an angular bowl so the layers were non-existent. The kitchen tried to top it with additional ingredients such as chopped olives, which were a start but not nearly a substantial layer. Even a bit more refried pinto beans would have been nice, the spoon-sized amount at the bottom of the bowl was hardly enough.

Get the queso fundido ($16.25) instead as the piping hot cashew cheese dip is gooey, packed with spinach, and absolutely delicious. The Chile de Arbol salsa and cilantro gives the queso a slightly spicy and fresh element, to balance out the otherwise hearty starter. And if the dip isn’t flavourful enough, the side of spicy adobo sauce adds another level of rich spiciness.

For a vegan restaurant, I’m surprised with the lack of salad on the menu… the lettuce shortage must be real. There was the Cocina Caesar ($15.25) a bowl of well-dressed romaine adorned with smoky mushroom bacon and black beans. One small change would be to stick with a traditional vegan parmesan instead of the almond cotija, which I found too sticky on the already wet salad.

The special for the evening was a coctel verde ceviche ($14) made with cucumber and other greens. Strangely, it was just so sweet, making the dish taste more like a fruit salad than ceviche. Adding a splash of adobo sauce gave the dish some spice, but that tangy citrus element was still missing.

I liked where Planta was going with the vegetarian Baja mushroom taco ($6.25), but the slice of king mushroom must be thicker to replace a meaty protein like fish. Currently, it tastes like you’re eating a fried batter taco rather than mushroom. With so little fungi, the taco could have benefited from a slaw to fill out the shell; something to give the pico de gallo, cilantro, and sauces a bit more interest.

The quesabirria ($15.25 for two) combines cashew mozzarella with cremini and oyster mushrooms to create a soft gooey mixture that’s tasty but challenging to dip into the mushroom consommé. In this case, there was enough fungi, but I would have preferred if they were left in larger strips to make it easier to dip and add a meatier texture. The consommé could also benefit from more seasoning.

At least the service at Planta Cocina was impeccable. Carley, our server, was a bright ray of sunshine and had me wanting to try more of their cocktails (all $15.50). The easiest drinking was probably the Casa (pa)loma, which looks prettier than it tastes as we all found it too watery.

While the Mezcal Me Maybe sounds like a tropical drink made with passionfruit and lime, the combination of bitters and ginger liqueur gives it a smoky cigar like finish. If you like an Old Fashion, this is worth a try.

Of the three, I enjoyed the Classic Margarita the most, simply made with tequila, Cointreau and their house made sour blend. I must admit, their freshly made mixer does create a tastier and more refreshing margarita.

Of all the Planta restaurants, for me, Cocina’s offering is the weakest of the franchise. I would have expected more fresh ingredients, excitement, and flavour for a Mexican restaurant. As it stands, just a queso and margarita maybe. 

Overall mark - 6 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 10 Temperance Street


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

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Campechano (Toronto)

Campechano is a great place for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Their menu contains options for both and items are sold by piece, so everyone can order whatever they want.

Most tables start with the guacamole ($8) where it arrives with two cups brimming with thin crispy chips, which they refill if you finish the tortilla before the dips. The salsa roja is great, with just a bit of spice and plenty of zest. It leaves the guacamole feeling fairly neutral, jazzed up with pomegranate - an interesting twist, though personally I do enjoy my dip without fruit.


If you’re feeling hungry than order a sencillo sopes ($6) for yourself; otherwise, it’s hearty enough to share. The tortilla is thicker and soft, almost like naan but not oily. A layer of refried beans is spread on top with lettuce, cheese, and two types of sauce covering the pillowy tortilla. A different alternative to Campechano’s tacos, but not nearly as exciting.


If you can handle spice, the hongo ahumado ($6) has a healthy kick of fiery sauce drizzled on top. This heat was unexpected as the taco’s description made it sound earthy tasting, from the smoked mushroom base, with a hearty finish, thanks to the white bean puree. In reality, aside from the spice, it's rather fresh with plenty of herbs sprinkled over top and very tasty, despite all the water you’ll have afterwards.


On the other hand, the healthy sprinkling of cotija cheese on the rajas ($5) makes the roasted poblano peppers taco richer than you'd expect. Additionally, the peppers aren’t spicy at all, instead having a deep earthiness. With little bits of corn added for bite, this was another tasty taco.


Campechano’s dining room is small and cozy, so try to make a reservation. Regardless, there seems to be plenty of walk-ins and on our weekday dinner visit, the wait wasn’t long… their service is friendly and efficient so most tables turn over quickly.

Becoming a flexitarian has been a breeze with restaurants like Campechano. Their vegetarian tacos are so delicious that I definitely don’t miss the meat. 

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 504 Adelaide Street West

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:



Campechano Taqueria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Quetzal (Toronto)


Quetzal certainly looks and feels different compared to other Mexican restaurants. The dining room is white and sleek and there’s no images of skulls or Frida Kahlo anywhere, they’re bringing an upscale flair to Mexican cuisine.

Things haven’t gone so smoothly since its opening on August 2018. The restaurant had to temporarily close down in January when two of their chefs and co-owners quit, citing they felt overworked.  Chef Grant van Gameren stepped in and after adjusting the menu (so long, nine types of salsa) things are simpler but still relies heavily on the 26-foot wood-fired grill. They also stopped serving bugs and grubs (you heard right), with the exception of crickets found in their dessert (more on that later).

While some establishments serve complimentary salsa and chips, at Quetzal their amuse bouche is a tostada adorned with spiced salmon and guacamole. It gives you a taste of things to come - fresh neutral ingredients combined together to provide flavour, but nothing tastes overly harsh (any use of lime and cilantro is restrained).


The kanpachi tiradito ($21) is absolutely delicious. The fish is first grilled so the skin has a slight crispiness and a mellow smokiness that hangs in the distance. Yet, the flesh remains raw and after sitting in the light acid sauce starts to break up so it’s even tenderer than typical sushi.


Nonetheless, it’s a dish I’m torn about. Sure, it tastes great but when you’re visiting to experience bright Mexican flavours, you can’t help but feel a bit disappointed with something that tastes like tataki. Perhaps it’s where this dish sits on the menu, under ceviche, when this is noticeably not ceviche. The flavours are rather neutral sitting in a liquid that’s not overly tangy and merely adorned with chili oil and micro greens. Delicious, but not Mexican.

Luckily, the memelas ($16) that followed has the traditional tastes. Blue corn masa tortillas are freshly pressed and toasted so they emit such a lovely aroma when mixed with the cheese and morels. It is dishes like this that reaffirms why I love sitting at the Chef’s table … the aroma, at its peak strength, may only last a minute so you want to be sitting close by.


Covered onto the masa are asiento (a thin layer of pork lard) and plenty of quesillo cheese so they form an almost squeaky cheese curd layer. It sounds like it’d be heavy, but with the plump morels and dollops of refreshing salsa cruda everything works nicely together. Just don’t bother eating it with a knife and fork – it’s difficult to cut through – hand-to-mouth is definitely the way to go.


Almost all the mains are cooked on the wood-fire grill. The whole grilled sea bream ($58) was an excellent suggestion from the chef near our seats (consequently, he’s also the one preparing it so we had an excellent view of our meal being created). Our waiter’s suggestion of adding on an order of tortillas ($2.75 for six pieces) was another smart suggestion as it helped make tasty fish tacos.


The sea bream is butterflied, deboned, marinated with salsa roja (a slightly spicy red sauce), and then grilled over the fire so the skin get crispy and the meat retains a lovely smokiness. On arrival, the fish is moist and tender, but because the plate is heated, starts to become overcooked halfway through the dish. Indeed, the heated plate helps ensure the fish stays warm until it’s served, but perhaps provide bigger sharing plates and suggest to customers that they move it onto these dishes, if they’d like the fish less done.

Having had the fish by itself and sandwiched inside warm soft tortillas, both work and taste delicious. However, since the tortillas are rather plain, I had to really layer on the salsa verde to give it flavour, so an extra dish of the condiment is required if customers pair the sea bream with tortillas. In fact, I wish there was the option to purchase an order of pico de gallo to add to the experience.


Quetzal’s dessert menu is sparse: with only two options, I almost wanted to call it quits and find something elsewhere. However, the helado de hoja de aguacate ($11) sounded so interesting that we had to taste it once.

You really need to dig straight through to the bottom to get a bit of the avocado leaf ice cream, chamomile and tropical fruit espuma, cocao nibs, and of course one of the candied crickets. It’s a dessert that reminded me of a margarita – there’s sweet citrus flavours that ends with a salty finish. As a person who only occasionally enjoys salty and sweet combinations, it really wasn’t something I warmed to.


And the candied crickets? If you don’t think about it, they’re really just crunchy bits in the ice cream. As soon as I saw a leg, my stomach turned and I could only manage it get down two of them. My previous statement that eating bugs should be left to Fear Factor contestants remains.

Quetzal’s service really excels compared to Grant van Gameren’s other restaurants. We were appropriately brought to an ideal spot at the Chef’s table: closest to the centre of the restaurant so I could still see what’s happening elsewhere and right by the fire but not under the drafty venting system. The experience was much better than the terrible encounter at Bar Isabel. Moreover, the Chef manning the fish and meat station immediately started speaking to us – offering suggestions on what to order, so there wasn’t that period of awkwardness when I wondered if I should ask questions.

For those who are really stuck on what to order, you can even ask the waiter to put together a customized tasting menu. In retrospect, that may have been a smart idea as he would have likely steered me towards a more traditional ceviche and away from the crickets.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 419 College Street

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:



Quetzal Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato