What’s on the menu for Toronto’s third-annual citywide tapas fest

What’s on the menu for Toronto’s third-annual citywide tapas fest

The third annual Estrella Damm Tapas Journey starts August 11, with 36 Toronto restaurants taking part. For 10 days, tapas lovers can restaurant-hop across the city, snacking on things like Mongolian lamb hoagies (Jackpot Chicken Rice), grilled lamb kebabs (Copetín) and crispy baby sardines with spicy habanero mayo (Leña). Each stop will offer three small plates and an Estrella Damm lager for $20. We checked out what 10 of the participating spots will be serving.

Baro

485 King St. W., 416-363-8388, barotoronto.com

Nuevo Latino street snacks
Empanada with cornmeal beef, potaoes and aji.

 

Spanish blood sausage with salsa verde on an arepa.

 

Chorizo with fried plantain chip and chimichurri.

 


 
 

Bosk

188 University Ave. E., 647-788-8294, shangri-la.com

Modern Continental
Heirloom tomatoes and basil on crostini.

 

Chorizo with saffron and bechamel sauce.

 

Clams with ramps, chives and onions.

 


 
 

Carmen

922 Queen St. W., 416-535-0404, carmensayz.com

Spanish
Steak tartare with quail egg yolk and sea salt.

 

Blue cheese and apricot marmalade braised with cava.

 

Braised octopus with potato confit, olives, peppers, paprika and sea salt.

 


 
 

Copetín

107 King St. E., 416-603-8009, copetin.ca

Modern Continental
Ricotta tostada with beets and cashew mole.

 

Garlic shrimp and guindilla pepper with tomato on grilled bread.

 

Grilled lamb kebab with smoked eggplant and yogurt.

 


 
 

DaiLo

503 College St., 647-341-8882, dailoto.com

Chinese-French
Hakka shrimp-and-pork wontons with XO chili sauce and a nut crumble.

 

KFC tofu with green curry slaw and Asian barbecue sauce.

 

Vietnamese sausage pogo with banana ketchup and yellow mustard.

 


 
 

La Palma

849 Dundas St. W., 416-368-4567, lapalma.ca

Italian
Giant green olives stuffed with house-made pork-and-beef sausage.

 

Chicken liver crostini with cipolline onion agrodolce and aged balsamic.

 

Coriander-crusted albacore tuna with compressed watermelon and sumac.

 


 
 

Leña

176 Yonge St., 416-507-3378, lenarestaurante.com

South American
Crispy baby sardines served with “nasty” (spicy habanero) mayo.

 

Poached and chilled mussels with roasted red pepper and shoestring potatoes.

 

Salted baby potatoes and chorizo migas with sherry aïoli and olive oil.

 


 
 

Los Colibris

220 King St. W., 416-979-7717, loscolibris.ca

Mexican
Tortilla with refried beans and cochinita pibil in achiote seed.

 

Empanada with huitlacoche, jalapeno, cotija cheese and salsa roja.

 

Refried beans and octopus in árbol and guajillo pepper adobo.

 


 
 

Patria

478 King St. W., 416-367-0505, patriatoronto.com

Spanish
Salt cod croqueta and a piquillo pepper.

 

Smoked eel croqueta.

 

Calamari bocadillo with guindilla pepper, squid ink and aïoli.

 


 
 

Scaramouche Pasta Bar and Grill

1 Benvenuto Pl., 416-961-8011, scaramoucherestaurant.com

Bistro-style
Salt cod croquetas with saffron sweet onions.

 

Spanish sausage served with romesco sauce and a roasted black olive crumble.

 

Grilled shrimp served with gazpacho relish.