Another extraordinary evening at LaVinia! Hosts Jaime Garcia and his father, chef Fernando welcomed us like old friends and treated us to an evening of delectable treats. We started with a fresh chilled gazpacho drizzled with extra virgin olive oil: perfection. The first spoonful and you're back in Spain--the real thing. Tapas were excellent as usual: boquerones drizzled with olive oil and paper-thin flakes of Manchego, melt-in-your-mouth Croquetas con Jamon Iberico with a fresh-made aioli dip, Gambas al ajillo sizzling in olive oil and chunks of roasting garlic, cooked to perfection, and in a moment of excess, we ordered the special tapa of the day, a platter of delicately sautéed chorizo, shrimp, mushrooms in a mouth-watering warm dressing. The entrees we settled on, after agonizing over the choices: medallions of veal, and for myself, a veal chop in a Rioja wine sauce. Sublime. Both served rare, and both melt-in-your-mouth tender. Imagine my shock and surprise when the entrees were delivered: my veal chop was 16 ounces, not the 6 ounces I had heard incorrectly. Needless to say, my reaction elicited lots of jokes from our fellow diners. It was however, cooked to perfection, and a slice dipped in the Rioja sauce was a feast for the mouth, an arabesque of flavours. My dinner companion fought the good fight and devoured both of his medallions, I could not finish mine and have a delicious take-home treat for later. We completed our meal with a perfect flan. Perfect.
My dinner companion, Steve, is one of my oldest and treasured friends, since we met in high school in Madrid decades ago. Because of our schedules and international travels, and raising families, the oddest coincidence is that the only time we seem to meet face-to-face is in Toronto, and over dinner at LaVinia. It has become a destination, a haven, an oasis, as much for the always stellar food, as for the genuine care and friendliness of Jaime and his father Fernando, and conversing in Castillian Spanish. Jaime, Steve and I are alumni of the American School of Madrid, and we share the same tastes, languages and joy of fine Spanish food that brings us back together each time. What sets LaVinia apart from other restaurants is the genuine care and attention Jaime and Fernando and staff bring to each and every guest. No matter where he is on the floor, Jaime is there to greet you at the door, and escort you out at the end of your evening. The chef makes a point of visiting all the tables, meeting new diners, and renewing acquaintances with visiting regulars. The tables are set with crisp white linen, perfectly set with gleaming silver and glassware, inviting us to the table for an evening of excellence. The staff is solicitous, alert and never unctuous or aloof as can happen in other establishments. Not only with us, but with all the guests, Jaime and Fernando treat everyone as if this evening's experience is everything they had hoped for dining at LaVinia--honest genuine care and concern that this was indeed an evening of fine dining, that their every desire has been fulfilled. In fact, Jaime followed a dinner party onto the sidewalk with a tray of bussed glasses in one hand, the other handing over their forgotten doggie-bag!
If you haven't discovered LaVinia, put it on your list. Make a reservation, Tuesdays are the easier day to book as the rest of the week tends to fill quickly. It is true Spanish food, prepared under the rigorous and talented eye of master chef Fernando Garcia. And LaVinia gives you a true taste of the generosity of spirit and joy of Spain. Our meal lasted over three and a half-hours of conversation, laughs, chatting with Jaime and Fernando. It's a dining experience, and as Fernando reminded us: "in the world, most people live to work. In Spain, we work to live!" Treat yourself to an evening at LaVinia, and live. read more