An AWESOME Toronto Dining Experience!!!!!
An absolute…read moremasterclass in culinary artistry.
Our dinner at Ficoa was, without a doubt, one of the best restaurant experiences we have ever had in Toronto! From the moment we walked in, and Manager Daniel warmly greeted us, we felt completely embraced. Executive Chef Esau Garcia's beautiful goal is to make his guests feel like family, and every single person we spoke to reflected that warmth.
The 11-course tasting menu, SABORES DE MEMORIA, is an intimate culinary journey that captures childhood memories from across the Latin American region. While the flavours, textures, and masterful spicing hail primarily from Mexico--just like the chef--the reach of this menu is far more powerful, spanning all of Latin America.
The progression of the menu was flawless:
Acto 1. Las Costas y el Mar: We were blown away by La Playa, where the "scared scallop" with "shiitake panca butter" and "tomato foam" tasted exactly like an elevated coastal memory. The presentation was faultless as well. A scallop shell rested on tiny pebbles, and a delicious foam recalled the salty sea.
Acto 2. Cesar. Did you know the first Caesar salad in the world was created in Mexico City in the 1920's! The chef used little gem lettuce, kohlrabi, caesar foam, garlic Parmesan breadcrumbs, creamy quail egg yolks, herring roe. It ranks as one of the best versions of this salad my partner and I have ever eaten!
Acto 3. El Humo de los Hogares: First up was Cameron. A jumbo shrimp, xo salsa matcha, chives, lime, smoked olive oil. The Humita with moqueca sauce, chilli oil, corn salad, and a perfectly cooked lobster tail was deeply comforting and packed with layers of smoke and spice.
Acto 4. La fuerza de la Tierra: was comprised of 3 parts! Discada - picanha, chorizo, bacon, black garlic sauce, umami glaze; Evolucion - sea bass, jalapeño emulsion, chipotle emulsion, salty cod foam; The La Pampa course featured a spectacular veal strip loin with a caramelized cauliflower puree and a rich black garlic and miso sauce, chimichurri sauce that showed incredible technical skill. The flavour was absolutely delicious. We wanted to lick the plate!
Acto 5. El Dulce Final de Memoria: was also composed of 3 parts! El Verano - watermelon granita, huacatay oil, cucumber syrup was heavenly! The dessert La Granja was a brilliant surprise, combining black garlic ice cream with lemon curd and orange yogurt cream, milk, rice paper for a perfect balance of sweet and savory. The finale was Bocado de Cielo! Alfajor, spicy gummy, raspberry bonbon!
The beverage program is just as legendary. Mixologist Specialist Danielle is a true artist and academic. Her Danielle's Choice Pairing matched the drinks flawlessly to each course. We explored eight yummy concoctions! A few standouts were the Mini Martini--topped with Smoked Olive Oil, Chili Oil and Herbed olive Brine--which paired beautifully with the savory courses, and the Corn on Chicha, a clever mix of Chicha Morada and non-dairy Corn Cream. We loved her Golden Hour and Cherry Toronto creations which we won't discuss the ingredients for just to entice you to order them!
Our server, Alejandro, (and his sister!) guided us through this journey with incredible grace, knowledge, and passion. The service was polished yet entirely unpretentious, making us feel completely at home.
This is a definitive five-star experience. Executive Chef Garcia, Daniel and their team have created something truly magical in Toronto. Do not miss it!
Ps
We're coming back in October for the Fall tasting menu launch! Can't wait!