I have been meaning to attend Barsa Taberna for quite some
time now. Their social media photos of
exotic flavourful tapas European atmosphere in downtown Toronto constantly
luring me. My schedule finally freed up
and I needed some one-on-one time with my teenager so yesterday was the lucky
day.
I am as most Torontonians, familiar with the neighbourhood,
located just next to St. Lawrence market off Esplanade in old Toronto. Originally
founded in the late seventeen hundreds it lends perfectly to the design of the
restaurant that acclimatizes you to the culture and atmosphere of Barcelona.
The interior is very contemporary while the feeling is warm,
the original stonework and wooden beams have been reverted back to the original
time period and fused with Spanish design of the same age. The décor is suggestive of Picasso, spectacular
and authentic to the Spanish concept.
Essentially you are stepping into Spain for the evening and visiting a
luxury Tapas bar without having to leave the city, these escapes are something
I look for all of the time, mini-vacations from the day-to-day routine help me to
be creative.
Now on-to the food, I started out with Market ceviche a
beautiful plate painted with charred eggplant topped with Nikkei Tigers Milk,
Piquillo slaw and crunchy puffed Wild rice.
The flavours and textures are perfect, there were also house made
pickled pearl onions that might have been the best savoury pickle I have ever
tried. The portion is very generous,
enough for a light lunch or for two or three guests.
Next up we had the Pan Con Tomate, a beautiful platter
featuring black garlic, avocado mousse and vine ripened tomatoes along with a
variety of tasty chips including Thuet, sourdough and delicious “Barsa Chips”
which are light and crispy spice infused sensations.
Very interesting up next was the Brassicas Salad presenting
their 62 degree egg adorned with old-fashioned mustard, kimchi, cabbage slaw
and broccoli puree. It’s like Spanish luxury
version of the ever popular Korean Bim bo bap with a beautiful modern
presentation. Upon contact, the egg oozes out delicious goodness and creamy
succulence over the accompaniments elevating the flavour profile and soothing
your palate.
While I enjoyed the salad, the crispy bass arrived and my
daughters eyes brightened she loved the burnt cucumber aioli although I said it
was cream sauce (side note: all parents should try to relate menu items to ones
that are familiar to their kids! Works every time!) I was able to grab a bite
with the carrot slaw and the fish was sweet, moist and tender while the Banyuls
vinegar highlighted the delicate flavours. Unfortunately it disappeared to quickly for me to photograph so you will have to attend yourself ;)
From the hot menu we tried the BBQ Ribs, the plate started
with a light salsa verde beneath a crispy house made corn and bean pupusa
topped with soft juicy ribs and a mandarin miso glaze balanced with acidic
house made sauerkraut . Also delicious
and totally authentic! Accompanied by the super flavourful Patates Bravas,
crispy and savoury flavour packed nuggets of potatoes drizzled with chorizo
aioli and bravas sauce. Just these
potatoes alone will have me coming back over and over again!
We had a sharing platter for dessert, the sweet Tapas for
two. Which not only featured my daughter’s
favorite brown sugar squares but also the best mango sherbet I have ever tried!
Barsa Taberna is a gem in downtown
Toronto, an innovative step out of the metropolis and into the laid back
European lifestyle we all envy. For
those who crave flavour, spice and the exotic, Barsa Taberna is most certainly
a must try!
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| Fabulous Faith at Barsa Tabera |
**Special thank you to Aras for the invitation
