Bar Isabel

Although Bar Isabel is a Toronto institution, I've failed to visit it the last 2 times I have been in Toronto.  Even on this trip, it seemed like another fail since all of my dinners had already been planned.  However, I was able to squeeze it in for lunch on a Saturday at opening.  I know, I know, this is not really the best time to experience all of the libations and tapas, but hey, I was able to take advantage of their lunch special as a result!  For $69.00, you get a meal for 2 that includes enough food to get you full.  Pretty good deal in my books!

This started off with Blistered Shishito Peppers with maldon salt.  Sporting a good amount of large peppers, this was a great way to ease into the meal.  The tanginess and sweetness was appealing and we didn't find any of those pesky outliers that were spicy.  Personally, I would've liked to have seen them more blistered though.  There was enough salt on the outside to added the necessary seasoning to compliment the peppers.

Next, we had the Bar Isabel "Pan Con Tomate" Tomato Bread.  This featured charred bread that was crunchy at the crust and soft in the middle.  The tomatoes on top were mild with some tang and plenty of sweetness.  It had the silkiness and slight bitterness of EVOO that provided another layer of flavour.  Of course the charring of the bread afforded smoky and nutty notes.  If I had to compare, I liked the one at Bar Raval more as the bread was charred even more so.

We had a choice between the Chorizo Iberico and Manchego Cheese for the next course, where we stuck with the chorizo.  The thin slices of sausage were fatty and nutty.  There was the usual saltiness and spiciness accented by the smokiness of the praprika.  Moving from that, we got the Patatas Bravas topped with an inordinate amount of scallions.  Firmly crunchy in little cubes, the potatoes were well-salted and then drizzled with aioli and brava sauce.  Really enjoyed this version as the potatoes stayed crunchy throughout and didn't soften from the sauces.  Nice tanginess and earthiness from the brava sauce.

For the bigger item, we had a choice of Octopus, Pork Jowl or Mushrooms.  We opted from the Maitake & Oyster Mushrooms with Cured Egg Yolk.  This was a large portion of perfectly cooked mushrooms.  There was a nice sear and caramelization with no residual moisture on the bottom of the plate.  Mushrooms were buttery and delicate where the sherry stood out.  The cured egg yolk added intense savouriness to the dish.

Seeing how we like to have a variety of plates, we added the Mediterranean Octopus with lemon garlic dandelion greens.  This was one buttery sauce with a good amount of acidity to go with the aromatics for the garlic.  The bitterness of the dandelion greens help break up the heaviness of the sauce.  As for the quarter piece of octopus, it was crispy on the outside while tender with a chew on the inside.  It was deliciously enveloped by the sauce.

So we didn't stop there as we also ordered the Picanha Steak which was cooked to a perfect medium rare.  This was buttery tender with so much meatiness and flavour.  It was salted enough that it brought out the natural umaminess oft he steak.  It was evenly cooked on all sides and was well-rested.  There was no pool of juice on the plate even after it had been pre-sliced for the plating.  On the side, some caramelized onion provided a sweet condiment to the steak.

Onto dessert, which was also included in the set meal, we were served a Basque Cake with a hot sherry cream sauce poured tableside.  What a nice way to finish this meal!  The slightly dense cake was super buttery and aromatic.  Combined that with sweet sherry cream and it was finished in a flash.  Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at Bar Isabel.  Food was prepared well and tasted great.  Loved the eclectic decor and the vibes.  Probably best to visit it late at night though to get the full experience.

The Good:

- Well-prepared eats

- Good selection of drinks

- Nice service

The Bad:

- Seating is a bit tight, but it would be like that in Spain, so it is the full experience

- Would be hard to get a seat during peak times, best to make a reso

Bar Raval

It's been 7 long years since I was last in TO and it has also been that long that I've wanted to check out Bar Raval.  You might be wondering why I just didn't go back in 2017 right?  Well, with 2 young kids in town, Bar Raval wasn't exactly a kid-friendly option.  This time around, the kids weren't with us and after a Leafs game (I can't believe Viv was cheering for them!), we made our way out to College Street for some late night drinks and eats.

Absolutely love the custom-made wood bar and wood paneling throughout.  But we were also here for the food, so we started with their famed Tomato Toast.  As much as it sounded like something that would be mid, it was actually delicious.  The grilled bread was beautifully-charred exhibiting a nutty smokiness and a crunchy texture.  On top, the fresh tomatoes were bright, slightly sweet and mildly-tangy.  There was some basil notes and also flakes of salt on top.

Next up, we had the Jamon Croquettas that were priced by the piece.   These were large and football-shaped.  Beyond the crunchy and nutty exterior, we found a creamy and cheesy filling that was salty but not too salty.  We could get the nutty saltiness of the jamon that was rich and flavourful.  Again, it was just right on the border of salty without crossing it.  These little bites would go really well with beer and in our case, some cocktails.

It was suggested that we try the Grilled Broccolini and it was bang on.  The charred broccolini has some crispy portions that were smoky while the rest was still firm but cooked through.  Once again, they sprinkled this with salt but just enough of it.  Of course, topping it with a generous amount of lemon ricotta didn't hurt either, adding some creaminess and tang.  A layer of nutty crunch was provided by the almond dukkah.  To add some spice, there was also piquillo hot sauce.

Sure, the next dish was rather defaultish, but I love me some Patatas Bravas!  Well, despite protests from Viv, I ordered it and it was great!  The cubes of potato were crispy while being super fluffy inside.  Since they were not over fried, the texture was light.  So easy to eat, that I nearly dusted it off all by myself (Viv begrudgingly had some and liked it...).  The ample amount of zesty brava sauce and aioli kept things tasty.

Went for something a bit more interesting in the Hamburguesa featuring a thin pork patty with cheese & peppers on a potato bun.  They grilled the entire sandwich after they constructed it out of cooked components.  Hence, it was flattened but also sported a crispy exterior while the bun was still soft inside.  The melted cheese added both creaminess and purposeful saltiness.  The banana peppers provided both tang and spiciness.

My favourite dish of the bunch was the Shrimp a la Planxa.  The perfectly cooked Argentinian shrimp were buttery and had a light bounce texture.   They were super sweet and exhibited the classic aromatics associated with Argentinian shrimp (intensely briny and sweet).   These sat in a delish garlic butter and mojo rojo.  The pepper sauce added layers of spice, smokiness, nuttiness and further aromatics.

Last but not least, we had the Grilled Octopus and Chorizo.  Surprisingly, this was our least favourite dish since it was rather salty.  Octopus was tender but maybe a bit too tender.  Chorizo provided some meaty spiciness while smokiness was definitely there with the smoked paprika.  Maybe if we had some bread with this, the dish would've been less salty (or downing this with beer).  I didn't end up getting a beer, but we did get a few cocktails (and some cider).

These included the Tropic of Capricorn and a Pistachio Limoncello.  Both were on the lighter end of the cocktail strength scale.  I found the Tropic to be stronger with Appleton 8 year rum and sherry that was balanced off by the peach liqueur, hibiscus tangerine cordial  and lime juice.  So we had pops of sweetness and some tang.  For the Limoncello, it was pretty straightforward with some pistachio vodka.  It was noticeable, but in the end, the Limoncello and soda water provided the sweet fizziness.  There was also some Benedictine which only added more fruitiness.  Overall, we enjoyed the tapas at Bar Raval.  However, the real draw here is the unique space, lively atmosphere and also the bevvies.  

The Good:

- Solid eats

- Nice space, lively atmosphere

- Good drinks

The Bad:

- Super small, so gets packed and you might have to go into the overflow which is not as nice

Telefèric Barcelona Palo Alto

It isn't often that I do a repeat visit when we are travelling to a place we've been before.  However, I've done that in Fullerton with Mr. BBQ and also Bai Tong Thai in Seattle.  This time around, we hit up the very same location of Telefèric Barcelona in Palo Alto.  Okay, I'm going to make sure everyone understands that I do not believe this place is the best tapas I've ever had, but it is a place we enjoyed the last time we were in the Bay Area.  So that is good enough for us to come back.  Ironically, we sat at almost the same table outside as last time!

To start things off, we had something seemingly simple in the Jamón Ibérico de Bellota or 38 months cured Iberian acorn fed ham.  This was melt-in-my-mouth and silky in texture.  There was so much going on in terms of flavor with a bit of saltiness, nuttiness and almost even fruitiness.  So complex and utterly delicious.  The side of buttery grilled sourdough was a great match for the ham, but we wished there was more of it!  We did ask for more though and they brought it over.

Now for the one item we had to get, the Tuna Tacos!  The kids love this so much, we actually got 2 orders since there were only 3 to a serving.  These featured a crispy and light crispy wonton shell filled with marinated ahi tuna and mashed avocado.  As you can see, they were shy with loading up each taco with the buttery tuna.  Avocado was fresh and creamy while the drops of aioli added creaminess.  Some chives on top provided some brightness.

With a slice of Iberico Ham on top, the Ham Croquetas were a nice little bite.  These one or two-biters were crispy and light on the outside with very little greasiness.  Inside, they were creamy and none too dense.  Seasoning was on point where the croqueta itself was rather mild with some nuttiness and aromatics but the slice of ham on top provided the necessary saltiness.   A dollop of aioli added more creaminess and of course some chives too.

We didn't stop with just he ham croquetas as we also added the Crab Croquetas after the fact.  Although these were similar, they ate remarkably different.  Naturally, with crab nestled in these fried little bites, there was a bit of fluffiness as well as some subtle brininess.  They were crispy on the outside while topped with tuna sashimi and spicy aioli.  Since the tuna was more of a textural thing rather than the saltiness of the ham, the flavours were more mild.  However, the spicy aioli did add a slight creamy kick.

Whenever I go for Spanish tapas, there is no doubt I will order the Patatas Bravas.  Although I would've preferred a more spread out plating, this dish was still good.  Underneath the mess of aioli and brava sauce, we found little cubes of fried potatoes.  Inside, they were creamy while the outside was a bit soggy.  Since all of the sauces were on top, it was a bit awkward to eat.  A larger plate would've allowed for more customizable amounts of sauce for each bite.

Onto our next dish, we had the Pulpo Telefèric or Galician octopus with truffle oil & 'pimentón' potato purée.  This was a composed dish that was nicely plated.  The octopus tentacle itself was tender while still sporting an appealing chew.  It was a bit crispy on the outside with a nutty and light truffle earthiness.  As for the puree underneath, it was creamy, smoky and zesty.  Great for dipping the pieces of octopus!  

 

Attempting to get some veggies into this meal (yes, a pathetic attempt at that...), we had the Cali-Flower consisting of crispy fried cauliflower "pops" with tangy romesco glaze.  The cauliflower florets were still firm but cooked all the way through being tender.  On the outside, there was some crispiness as well as some caramelized nuttiness.  As for the sauce, it was indeed tangy with some sweetness.  Adding more aroma, we found fried garlic chips and some fresh chives.

Adding just a bit more vegetable, we had the Grilled Salmon topped with snow peas and crispy Ibérico ham.  The salmon itself was prepared properly being flaky and barely cooked-through.  It was nicely salted and stood quite well on its own.  However, the ham did add a richer saltiness to the dish.  Crunchy snow peas kept things bright while the cauliflower cream underneath provided a robust sweet creaminess that went well with the salmon.

Of course we were going to get a Paella right?  The one we chose this time was the Ibérico Pork Paella.  This featured an entire acorn-fed bone-in pork chop with pieces of pork belly strewn throughout as well as chicken and mushrooms.  The thin layer of rice was still chewy while a socarrat did form on the bottom.  I would've liked it to be every crispier though.  The rice was delicious, soaking up all the flavors from the pork and chicken.  Nice aroma and background saffron notes.  The pork itself was tender and appealingly fatty.

We not only added another order of croquetas to your meal, but also the Burrata Bowl.  So as you can see, it was actually a plate, not a bowl.  However, it was full of plump tomatoes and sweet strawberries.  The creamy burrata was topped with basil pesto and chopped pistachios.  Lots of things going on here despite the appearance of simplicity.  We had nuttiness with herbaceousness along with the sweetness of the strawberries.  Tang was provided by the juicy tomatoes.

Dessert was the usual in the Churros con Nutella.  As its description said, these were deep fried sticks of dough filled with Nutella and coated with cinnamon sugar on the outside.  Pretty standard stuff here with the crunch from the outside giving way to melty and sweet hazenut-chocolate spread.  This was quite sweet, but that is the point of it all!  Overall, Telefèric Barcelona delivered once again.  Tapas were appealing and presented in fairly good portions. 

The Good:

- Solid tapas

- Good service

- Lively atmosphere

The Bad:

- Once again, the potatoes could've been crispier

Stock & Supply

One of the most hidden restaurants in Downtown is Stock & Supply within the Delta Hotel Vancouver.  It doesn't get much fanfare despite being open since 2020.  Maybe opening just before the pandemic wasn't the best timing, but I've always heard good things about the place.  They are known for their Stock Boards where one can choose 3 items from a selection of 12 for $40.00.  All boards include sourdough, soft truffle butter (which was awesome with the bread!), house pickles and peppers.  Jackie and I were invited to try those stock boards as well as a few other menu items.

Located right in the lobby of hotel, Stock & Supply features a fully-stocked bar that is a great place to hang out and meet some new friends.  We ordered a few drinks that included the Basil Zen, She's a Feisty Mango and Classic Summer Spritz.  The showstopper was the basil zen since the bubble contained a good amount of smoke.  It helped create an aroma around the drink while complimenting brightness of the fresh cucumber and gin.  Naturally, the mango cocktail was fruity with some spice, tang and plenty of tequila vibes.  The spritz was refreshing and a great drink for the summer, as expected.

Onto the Stock Boards, we ended up with 2 of them with 5 items each (so we could try nearly all of the options).  The first board consisted of  Whipped Jalapeno & Feta Tirokafteri, Beet Hummus, Crusted Halloumi Cheese and Sticky Bourbon BBQ Pork Belly.  On the side (since it didn't fit onto the board, we had the Poutine Croquettes.  Beyond the appealing creaminess of the whipped feta and hummus, the grilled pita was excellent.  Nice grilled smokiness and the texture was a bit crispy and plenty soft in the middle.  Loved the spice with the feta.  The crusted halloumi was super crunchy with melty cheese in the middle.  Presented in large slabs, the pork belly was tender and meaty with a sweet glaze.  I found the croquettes to be also quite crunchy and the potato, gravy and cheese in the middle was very poutine-like.

The second board included Summer Strawberry & Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Signature Chorizo Scotch Egg, Grilled Artisanal Truffle Sausage, Smoked Island Brie and Blistered Brussel Sprouts.  For me, this board was all about the scotch egg as it was perfect with a runny yolk and juicy spicy chorizo encasing it.  Nicely crispy on the outside too!  I found the strawberry & goat cheese bruschetta something completely different.  What brought this altogether was the balsamic as it tied the sweetness of the strawberries to the creamy and gamy cheese with tang and more sweetness.  Baked brie was smoky and of course was complimented well by the side of grilled sourdough.  Sausage was pretty good, but I found it a touch dry.  Had great earthy flavours though.  Brussels sprouts sported crispy leaves on the outside but was tender yet firm on the inside.

Onto some mains, we tried the garlic & ginger brined Fried Chicken with spicy glaze atop slaw with pickled fresno, scallion and crispy garlic.  The big pieces of chicken featured a crispy batter than was thin and not heavy.  I could really get the brine with plenty of gingeriness coming through.  The chicken itself was on the drier side though.  However, when combined with the creamy slaw, that wasn't an issue.

Next up was the Suite Burger with 7oz CAB chuck patty, sharp cheddar, butter lettuce, dill pickled, tomato, onion and S&S sauce on brioche.  Due to the large patty, the burger was rather robust and filling.  I found the patty to be tender but a little on the leaner side.  The ample amount of sauce and produce did make things more juicy though.  There was a nice sear on the patty which added nice aroma and caramelization.  

We also went for the Fennel Sausage Rigatoni with mascarpone cream, whipped harissa puree, spring peas and butter brioche crumble.  This was a large portion of pasta that would be fit for even the biggest of appetites.  There was an abundance of fennel sausage that was pretty tasty.  Those little nuggets were juicy and well-seared with hits of fennel.  The rigatoni was al dente and soaked up the cream well.  I think there could've been more cream as the pasta ate a bit dry.  Flavours were good though and the harissa came through.

Lastly, we had the 7oz AAA NY Steak & Egg atop a duck fat rosti with chili honey carrots and horseradish cream.  We asked for the steak to be prepared medium-rare and it was exactly that.  I found the steak to be meaty while being tender on the inside.  Loved the crispy sunny side free-range egg.  Lots of texture, but still runny yolk.

Onto dessert, we had the Yuzu Cheesecake and Triple Layer Key Lime Pie.  We enjoyed both desserts as they were not overly heavy despite appearing to be.  The cheesecake had the classic rich cheesiness, but also was not dense.  It was mildly sweet with the brightness of yuzu and the berry compote.  The key lime pie was also not heavy, but it was definitely creamy, sweet and tangy.  Really enjoyed the firm buttery crust.  Overall, the meal at Stock & Supply was fun, interactive and delicious.  Those stock boards are the real draw here and are perfect for a social gathering to share.  The mains were a bit hit and miss though.  Loved the space and the cocktails.  Great place to hang out.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Wonderful stock boards with many different and delicious bites to choose from

- Great space to hang out, especially at the bar.  Maybe meet new friends!

- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:

- Some of the mains need some work

The Greek Broadway

A long time ago, I dined at Anatoli's in North Van and came away enjoying a delicious and authentic Greek meal.  Well fast forward to the present and the next generation have opened up several locations of The Greek (by Anatoli) within Vancouver.  One of the newest is The Greek Broadway where Heritage Eatery used to be located.  Yes, they are right along the Skytrain construction zone and hence the angled picture of their storefront.  I was invited recently to give the place a try with a few other foodies.

We began with the Dip Taster featuring homous, tzatziki and taramosalata.  First off, the dips were excellent, but more importantly, the grilled pita was the perfect vessel for the dips.  They were fluffy and light with a smoky and crispy char on the outside.  Of the three dips, my favourite was the briny and tangy taramosalata.  So much umaminess in this one as well as the thick creaminess.  Their homous was also very good being smooth, a bit nutty, garlicky and tangy.

Presented in super big rings, the Calamari was not only great to look at, it was one of the better versions I've had of late.  The batter was light and crispy while properly seasoned.  It stayed adhered to each piece and wasn't greasy.  As for the squid itself, the rings were tender despite being in large pieces.  They still retained an appealingly chewiness that gave good mouth-feel.  The side of tzatziki was bright, garlicky and tangy.  I could've eaten this whole dish myself!

Possibly my favourite small share dish was the Vegan Calamari with fried crispy oyster mushrooms served with tahini soy dip.  As evidenced in the picture, the breading on these was aggressively crunchy.  Hence, there was much enjoyment with each bite.  Beyond the breading, the mushrooms were tender and juicy with natural umaminess.  Yes, these were tasty on their own, but the dip provided the necessary nutty saltiness that made an impact.

The hits kept on coming with their version of Spanakopita.  These were larger ones cut into smaller pieces.  Hence, the amount of filling was significant.  You can see in the picture that they were stuffed full of tender spinach and feta cheese.  So much so, it was hard to keep it in with every bite.  Hey I wasn't complaining though as it went well with the super crispy phyllo pastry.  They were extra tasty when dipped into the side of tzatziki.

Now we had the calamari already, but the Grilled Humboldt Squid was equally delicious.  The dish consisted of super tender pieces that were lightly kissed by the grill.  I liked how the squid was easily chewable but still had a slight bite at the end.  As much as the squid was seasoned, the combination of lemon and olive oil added the necessary acidity and adhesion.  To top it all off, literally and figuratively, we found a bright sharpness from the salsa and herbaceousness from the cilantro.

Okay, one of the more under-appreciated dishes in my mind is Saganaki.  For those who don't know, it is a seared piece of mountain sheep cheese that that is pan-fried and finished with some lemon juice.  Typically it is served with bread.  For this one, it was lightly breaded and yes, as you can see, it was stringy with nicely seared edges.  The cheesiness and aromatics of this dish as through the roof.  Of course the lemon helped cut through the heaviness.

Another under-the-radar item we had was the Avgolemono Soup with chicken, rice, kale, carrot, celery, egg and lemon.  Oh wow, this was so hearty, comforting and addictive!  The broth was like a warm blanket giving us a loving hug.  It was sweet, meaty and tangy.  This ensured that it had plenty of depth without being heavy.  The shredded chicken was both plentiful and moist while the rest of the ingredients added their natural sweetness.

Yep, we also had some salads including the Greek Salad and Lentil Salad.  Sure, Greek salads aren't complex, but this one was really good due to the large pieces of fresh cucumber, tomato, onions and peppers.  Beyond, that, the side of feta was much better than it being on the salad in my opinion.  For bonus points, they also have an option for vegan coconut feta.  It was really smooth and creamy!  As for the lentil salad, it was comprised of stewed green lentils, arugula, cherry tomatoes, crispy chickpeas, green onion, feta and lemon soy dressing.   Yeah, this was quite the loaded salad and in many ways, it didn't eat as such.  I thought due to the lentils and chickpeas, it was much more of a meal due to the robust textures and heaviness of the ingredients.  Loved the dressing as it was tangy and salty.

Onto some large meat items, we had a selection of Souvlaki consisting of Chicken Thigh and Tiger Prawn.  Due to the use of dark meat, the chicken was juicy and tender.  Naturally, they had to nail the execution too for that to happen and yep they did!  They were also marinated enough so that there was inherent flavour in addition to the smoky char and natural meatiness.  As for the prawns, they were pretty large and cooked just enough that there was a buttery snap texture.

Before we got to dessert, we ended off the savoury portion of the meal with the Pidakia Platter consisting of 5 flame-grilled lamb chops atop rice with lemon potatoes and seasonal veggies.  This was oh-so-good with beautifully charred lamb chops that were marinated and also cooked to medium.  Succulent and delicious!  Rice was tender with a chew while the potatoes were soft but browned with a good hit of lemon.  Roasted veggies were cooked perfectly.

With dessert, we had the Baklava, Chocolate Mousse and Ekmek.  As much as baklava can be sickingly sweet, this one was fairly balanced.  Loved the many defined layers of phyllo with nuts and sticky sweetness.  My favourite of the 3 was the chocolate mousse as it was super rich and extremely chocolatey.  I would say it trended towards a dark chocolate bitterness rather than being overly sweet.  Lastly, the ekmek was presented in a ramekin rather than looking like a piece of cake.  It turned out to be very creamy and light as opposed to the heavier versions I've had.  It was sweet, but not overly so.  Overall, this meal at The Greek was very impressive on many points.  First of all, the food was almost flawless in execution and it was just damn tasty.  Great share dishes in a modern comfortable dining space.

 

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

 

The Good:

- Authentic Greek eats that are modernized

- Food was executed expertly

- Nice trendy spot

 

The Bad:

- Well, not their fault, the Skytrain construction makes it a bit difficult to see and find parking