Introducing: Cocina Economica, Corktown’s piece of the Playa Cabana empire
Introducing: Cocina Economica, Corktown’s piece of the Playa Cabana empire
Name: Cocina Economica
Neighbourhood: Corktown
Contact: 141 Berkeley St., 647-748-4777, playacabana.ca
Previously: Berkeley Café
Owner: Dave Sidhu
Chef: David Sidhu and Samantha Valdivia (Cancun City)
The Food: Homestyle cooking inspired by Mexico’s cocina economicas, family-run kitchens that serve inexpensive dishes to neighbourhood residents. Bocaditos (small bites) like guacamole and chips, ceviché and quesadillas start things off. Slow-cooked meats (lamb, pork, chicken and beef) are sold by the pound (or half-pound) and served with tortillas, beans, rice and various fixings. Vegetarians can even get in on the pay-by-the-pound fun with soy chorizo, which in this case is not just Spanish for “I am chorizo,” but a meatless version of the spicy sausage.
The Drinks: Tequila- and mezcal-laced cocktails, bottled Mexican beers (also available four to a bucket), wine by the glass or bottle and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages including horchata, tamarind juice, Jarritos and Mexican Coke. Also: mezcal, straight-up.
The Place: Berkeley Café regulars won’t recognize the space, now decked out in patterned tiles, sheet metal and repurposed doors. Shelves are lined with clay pots and antiques imported from Mexico, and colourful woven textiles cover tables. Right now the restaurant seats 34 people inside and 20 on the front patio, but a second floor and upstairs patio are scheduled to open later this summer.
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- Oven-baked and fried tostadas are served with salsas roja and verde as a complimentary pre-meal snack.
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- Carne asada tacos: top sirloin is sliced thinly and cooked on a flat-top with salt before being topped with sautéed nopales (that's cactus), arbol chilies, onions and cilantro ($10 for two).
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- Costillas de cochinita: bone-in pork side ribs cooked in achiote, chipotle, guajillo and banana leaves. It's all served with tortillas, rice, beans and pickled onions ($16 for a half-pound, $32 for a pound).
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- Lamb barbacoa: slow-cooked bone-in lamb in ancho adobo, served with tortillas, rice, beans, and caldos (that's soup) ($18 for a half-pound, $28 for a pound).
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- Dave's Margarita: Agave Tromba Blanco, Cointreau, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice ($12).
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- Horchata Margarita: rice milk, Casamigos tequila blanco, shaved cinnamon sticks, allspice ($12).
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- Tres leches (top), milk-soaked cake with fresh whipped cream ($8) and alfajores (bottom), homemade cornflour cookies stuffed with hand-churned dulce de leche ($11 for three).
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- Those clay pots are full of potent potables: house-made margarita, mezcalina made with O.J. and the house sangria.
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![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-cocina-economica-corktowns-piece-playa-cabana-empire/&title=Introducing: Cocina Economica, Corktown’s piece of the Playa Cabana empire&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-cocina-economica-lead.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_314779" align="aligncenter" width="656"] (Image: Gabby Frank)[/caption]
Name: Cocina Economica
Neighbourhood: Corktown
Contact: 141 Berkeley St., 647-748-4777, playacabana.ca
Previously: Berkeley Café
Owner: Dave Sidhu
Chef: David Sidhu and Samantha Valdivia (Cancun City)
The Food: Homestyle cooking inspired by Mexico's cocina economicas, family-run kitchens that serve inexpensive dishes to neighbourhood residents. Bocaditos (small bites) like guacamole and chips, ceviché and quesadillas start things off. Slow-cooked meats (lamb, pork, chicken and beef) are sold by the pound (or half-pound) and served with tortillas, beans, rice and various fixings. Vegetarians can even get in on the pay-by-the-pound fun with soy chorizo, which in this case is not just Spanish for "I am chorizo," but a meatless version of the spicy sausage.
The Drinks: Tequila- and mezcal-laced cocktails, bottled Mexican beers (also available four to a bucket), wine by the glass or bottle and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages including horchata, tamarind juice, Jarritos and Mexican Coke. Also: mezcal, straight-up.
The Place: Berkeley Café regulars won't recognize the space, now decked out in patterned tiles, sheet metal and repurposed doors. Shelves are lined with clay pots and antiques imported from Mexico, and colourful woven textiles cover tables. Right now the restaurant seats 34 people inside and 20 on the front patio, but a second floor and upstairs patio are scheduled to open later this summer.
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East – Who cares
West – Who cares
C.M. – Who cares
Yup.
We’ve been there twice now and enjoyed it. It’s really tasty straight-up Mexican food, not all heavy and deep-fried like some other new Mexican places around town. The staff is friendly and there are lots of other locals there who are excited about having this spot in our neighbourhood. It’s not dirt cheap like its name would imply, but the prices are more than reasonable for the quantities and quality. The barbacoa lamb is particularly fantastic, that will probably be my default order, but the specials have been good as well. It’s great for Corktown and Queen East to have this place open.
West: 89
East: 6
Then why do you even bring it up? Oh yeah, I forgot. You’re an attention hore but with nothing to say. It’s funny for all the griping you do about someone else’s posts, when he doesn’t do it, you still pipe up. Poser.
I forgot. You’re that guy in the internet who brags about how well spoken you are. And the great education you have. And that really high paying job you have. The phrase ‘dime-a-dozen’ comes to mind with guys like you on the internet.
ha ha. i 2nd the poser thing. we’re talking about that profile pic, right?
Note to self: never move to the east end. It clearly sucks.
Yeah, Greektown, Distillery District, Original (and best) Burger’s Priest, The Beaches, Hogtown Smoke, Underground Comedy Club, Aprile Bambina, Brooklyn Tavern, Gio Rana, Eddie Levesque… Nothing to see or enjoy in the East. OR, maybe you’re missing the point. The East tends to have places with more staying power whereas the West is all about short term and Toronto Life doesn’t stray from their bubble, focusing on what hipsters are into. But yeah… stay in the West. We’ll be okay without you.
For someone who says “who cares”, C.M. seems obsessed with Darren’s tally.
Right?
this is a niceee restaurant, my boyfriend Mienk loved it
Children… behave