Advertisement
Food & Drink

Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain

By Megan Leahy
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
(Image: Megan Leahy)

Name: Barrio Coreano Contact Info: 642 Bloor St. W., 416-901-5188, @PlayaCabana
Neighbourhood: The Annex Chef/Owner: Dave Sidhu, the chef and owner of all four Playa Cabana outposts

The Food: Mexican tacos punched up with Korean ingredients like wasabi, daikon and kimchi. The tiny tortillas come loaded with things like bulgogi-style barbecue beef topped with house-pickled pears, or flash-fried ahi tuna with jicama, purple cabbage and yuzu vinaigrette.

The Drinks: Korean spins on classic cocktails, like house sangria spiked with soju. A whiskey sour gets a pungent kick from fermented kimchi juice. Spanish beers are available by the bottle.

The Place: The fourth outpost of the Playa chain is grungier and funkier than its midtown counterparts. Rusting chairs, peeling paint and a pair of curlicued iron gates make the space feel like a bluesy back-alley. So do all the humming neon signs, which bathe the bar in red light.

The Numbers: • 3,000 mile road trip to Hollywood to pick up a flashy neon sign in the shape of a star • 100 chairs salvaged from a cricket stadium in India • 16 bowling alley lanes repurposed as wooden tabletops • 5 Korean-inspired tacos (for five bucks each)

Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain
Introducing: Barrio Coreano, a Korean-inspired addition to the Playa Cabana taco chain

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

The Latest

What’s on the menu at No Vacancy, a swanky new cocktail bar on Ossington from the team behind Ghost Chicken
Food & Drink

What’s on the menu at No Vacancy, a swanky new cocktail bar on Ossington from the team behind Ghost Chicken