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Name: Los Colibris
Contact Info: 220 King St. W. (2nd Floor), 416-979-7717, loscolibris.ca, @loscolibris220
Neighbourhood: Entertainment District
Owner: Andreas Antoniou, who also owns Estiatorio Volos, Little Anthony’s and sister-restaurant El Caballito
Chef: Elia Herrera, also the executive chef at El Caballito
The Food: Los Colibris (Spanish for “hummingbirds”) is not your standard taqueria—in fact, the menu is entirely devoid of tostadas, cinnamon-dusted churros and all the other Latin snacks we’ve come to associate with Mexican cuisine (head downstairs to El Caballito for those). Instead, it serves refined Mexican dishes, some of which were passed down to chef Herrera from her mother and grandmother. Expect made-to-order tortillas, ceviches and complicated adobo sauces, plus big shareable entrées, like a whole roasted sea bass or a 22-ounce rib eye.
The Drinks: Cocktails include the namesake Colibri, a tequila-based Negroni made with Tromba Blanco, Campari and sweet vermouth. The wine list focuses on Canadian, Californian and Spanish bottles, including a 10-year-old Sara Sotta Tempranillo.
The Place: Los Colibris was designed to look like trendy restaurants in Mexico City’s fashionable Condesa district. It’s big (3,500 square feet, to be exact), modern and dotted with flamboyant details, like lemon-yellow dining chairs and a multicoloured bar decorated with an elaborate floral pattern.
277279 <strong>Los Colibris</strong> is housed above <strong>El Caballito</strong> at 220 King Street West, across from David Pecaut Square (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-01/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277280 The 3,500-square-foot space is divided into a casual lounge, a main dining area and two semi-private dining rooms (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-02/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277281 18 premium tequilas and mezcals are available behind the bar (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-03/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277285 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-07/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277282 The casual lounge area (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-04/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277283 The restaurant was designed by <strong>Douglas Design Studio.</strong> It's supposed to resemble some of the trendy restaurants in Mexico City's fashionable Condesa district (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-05/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277284 Among the flamboyant details: the elaborate floral tile work on the bar (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-06/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277286 The hummingbirds dangling above the table were hand-carved in Mexico. ("Los Colibris" is Spanish for "hummingbirds") (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-08/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277287 Shrimp ceviche with coconut, Serrano chili and ginger ($13) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-09/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277288 Scallop ceviche with jalapeño, avocado and tamarind ($15) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-10/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277289 Chicken stew with masa dumplings ($21 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-11/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277290 Flat-iron steak with black beans, chorizo and pico de gallo ($26) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-12/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277291 Tres Leches cake with pineapple, hibiscus and soursop sorbet ($11) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-13/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277292 Chocolate flan with guajillo-orange confit and burnt-milk ice cream ($11) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-14/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277293 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-15/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
277296 Executive chef <strong>Elia Herrera</strong> with general manager and sommelier <strong>Marissa Kelly</strong> (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Los Colibris https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-18.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/los-colibris-toronto-restaurants/slide/los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-18/ los-colibris-toronto-restaurant-18 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
Maizal, just off of King st west, near dufferin, (i forget the exact street) is just as, or perhaps more, amazing.