Me and my wife randomly found this spanish style restaurant on Lakeshore for the Civic Day long…read moreweekend. No complaints about the foods, excellent. When the bill came along, we were a little suprised. It is not about our affordability or fairness of the foods, but the way the bill was presented to us. After we sat down going through the menu, the server came along and recommended a daily special "Appetizer of the day", we looked at the menu, all appetizers on the menu were around $14, we assumes the "special" won't be much different, and the server did not bother to tell us about the price. We were wrong, the special "Appetizer of the day" we had was priced $35 on the bill, about the same price of a main course. We would be much happier to pay if we had knew the actual price before we ordered.

Food was so good I forgot to take more photos!…read more We visited LaVinia last week for dinner. We ordered the grilled chorizo and ham croquettes tapas. The ham croquettes were delicious and paired with an amazing garlic aioli. The grilled chorizo was also great but the garlic aioli muted the chorizo taste unfortunately. We also had the arugula and pear salad which was topped with Stilton cheese. We really enjoyed it. For our main course, we ordered the seafood paella which was amazing and everything was cooked perfectly. We also enjoyed the mango cheesecake and lemon sorbet for dessert. The restaurant is tightly packed, intimate, and has a great atmosphere for a date night dinner or dinner with friends. The waiters were attentive and very helpful when ordered. The chef also came around near the end of our dinner to ask how our meal was.

First time here! Our group got al pastor tacos, carne asada, fajitas, churros and horchata…read more Portions were generous! Food was legit tasty! Bang for your buck! Highly recommended!

A go-to spot for us in Mississauga. It was a little too cold to stay on the patio today but they…read morehave enough spots on the inside of the restaurant. The wait can often be 30-60 minutes and they don't take reservations so we always try to go early, and it gives us time to walk around Streetsville while waiting for our table. I frequent the baja tacos but I wanted something different today so we got tortas and fajitas. When I tell you I was shook by the portion of fries!!! The photo says it all. The steak and cheese torta filled me up but i wanted to save space for some fries. I was only able to eat maybe a third of my plate, so I have leftovers for my next meal for sure. My friends had the El Mariachi torta and Fajitas and they said they were also tasty, and PLENTY of food for the pricepoint.

If I see Iberico ham on a menu, I'm always tempted. At La Paella, the plato de jamon Iberico ($42)…read moreis cut thicker than usual, making it meatier and chewier than the delicate, thinner versions I've had before. The upside is you really taste the sweet pork. The downside? It's paired with black truffle chips that completely overpower it. Do yourself a favour: eat the ham first, then the chips to wash down your cerveza. Otherwise, you're wasting the ham. The croquetas ($18 for six) change with the season. Ours were studded with bits of ham, finely diced into a creamy, almost mashed potato-like filling. The crisp exterior against the soft interior made for a great bite. I'm glad the server suggested ordering sourdough ($5) alongside the gambas al ajillo ($29), because the garlicky olive oil and sherry sauce was excellent. Specks of guindilla chilies add a subtle but noticeable kick. If I weren't trying to save room for the main, I would have devoured an entire thick slice of that crusty bread. You'll need at least two people to share a paella but a larger table is even better so you can try a couple of versions. Do not miss the paella de langosta ($100 for two-person portion). It's a simple but effective combination of lobster tail, prawns, and scallops, all cooked well despite the risk of overcooking such large pieces. The saffron rice is infused with an aromatic seafood stock and dotted with broad beans and peas for colour. It could be a touch drier - I prefer when the bottom forms a crispy crust - but if you enjoy a creamier, risotto-like consistency, this will suit you. Only while writing this did I realize you can request it done socarrat (the traditional burnt crust), which I'd request next time. As for meat options, the paella matadero ($84 for two-person portion) is not for the faint of heart. You really really need to love pork - chorizo, pork belly, and ribs make it rich, salty, and quite heavy. Without much sauce, the ribs can lean a bit gamey. As a table, we agreed we should've gone with the traditional chicken-based Valenciana instead, as this was simply too much. By the time 8:30pm rolled around the cheesecake was sold out, but who cares as their churros were fantastic! Freshly fried with a light crispy exterior and a soft moist centre, they were coated in cinnamon sugar and served with a chocolate sauce that wasn't overly sweet. Easily one of the best churro orders I've had.

Walked in on a Sunday with no reso for 2. No wait…read more I'd say it's something like a 4.3 realistically. Would come back. Food: Paella: ordered the crispy pork belly and rib paella. Was honestly really good. Looking at all the other reviews here it seems like a mixed bag. But this one was great. Maybe the others aren't always good? The paella is made to order and is cooked in front of you though so maybe they don't have their QA locked in. Our experience was great. Super flavorful. Only thing is that there wasn't really any socarrat (which is the best part!). Purists will say this is required for a paella to be good but I enjoyed myself anyway. Gambas: incredible. I could come back here for just this. The sauce was unreal and so flavorful. No notes. Bread: we got up sold on the bread. Went great wiping up the gambas sauce but the bread itself wasn't that great as far as bread goes. Service: Service was not bad. Pretty prompt and didn't wait long for anything. Ambiance: Pretty cute. Decor is colorful and very Spanish.

Weekend brunch here is a pretty good deal, including Spanish roast pig & roast beef for just $49…read more(the price has stayed the same since at least 2020 though they've lost the oyster bar & maybe other things). They get 4.5 stars. Most food items were pretty good. House seafood & chicken paella was decent (mushroom truffle paella was better). Chicken & duck stew were quite overcooked & did not have much flavour though. There were also a few brunch staples, so it's not just Spanish food. They like truffle oil here & a few dishes have it, but it's subtle. The 3 dips were very good, even if they were more Middle Eastern.3 cheese selection & charcuterie were good, The bread (both in the pinxtos & loose) was a bit stale & dry. The bread basket had a demi baguette with no cutting implement or place to cut it. Desserts were the weakest part of the meal. Churros were very hard: fried to a crisp, though they tasted ok. Carrot cake was very dry & red velvet cupcakes were quite dry. Alfajores were decent & cherry cheesecake & date squares were good.

Came here over the weekend to celebrate my mother's birthday. Guests were 4 adults and 3 kids…read more Place was surprisingly not that busy especially on a Saturday night when that parking lot always gets so full. Place was nicely decorated and clean. Kids liked the little led lamps on the table. They really help with reading in the dim lit place (for the ambiance). But yes not that many tables taken and restaurant is fairly big. Could be the price point which is a bit on the higher side. But let's talk about the food. Had a really great meal here. For the items I remember the price will include. Let's get to it. Started with some bread ($8). It's a bit bigger than a muffin but splits into 4. Comes with some whipped truffle butter. Was small so we had to order 2. We ordered 2 plates of potatoes ($12?). Which kind of resembles the breakfast potatoes (home fries) you get at breakfast spots but elevated , seasoned well and a nice red sauce base and a white sauce top. We ordered some mussels. This dish was a bit confusing. Taste wise it was good, and the server did warn us. So they take the mussel on a half shell, remove the mussel mix it with some stuff and put it back on the shell, then batter and fry it. By the time it's fried you don't know which side the shell is on so you need to bite into it slowly . We ordered the chick which is pretty small portion wise (2 small thighs) and will run you about $30. Delicious sauce and very juicy. We ordered a pork chop ($48) , not sure if the pink would scare you , but it was delicious and was quite tasty I found. The mushrooms $18)was a real winner for me. Beautifully presented and an amazing burst of flavour. Served with a raw egg in the middle for dipping and seasoned well. I could have just ate the mushrooms so delicious. Next came the seafood platter. Shrimp, squid rings and octopus. Char on the octopus was amazing. The kids surprisingly kept asking for more. Shrimps were a good size and quite tasty. Then of course the seafood paella $95) came. We ordered a large and it is quite filling. There is a smaller one I think around $50. Flavor was good, portion of seafood was very good. It was a work of art. The rice was nicely seasoned and everything tasted really good. We ordered some Churros for dessert (2 PC's for $12). It comes with a chocolate sauce that the kids wanted to drink, it was tasty and dipping the churro in it was great. We asked the server if they do anything for birthdays. She told me they have cheese cake so we shared a piece of that too... Delicious.. not sure if it was a problem or miscommunication, but thought it was going to be complimentary for birthdays, or what I was less to believe. Could have been miscommunication but it was $18. It's fine though, we enjoyed our meal. I would go back for special occasions, 4 adults 3 kids meal (no alcohol) and a diet coke after tax and tip was around $450. Food was tasty , but you will drink a ton of water from all that sodium.

My birthday dinner at Beso by Patria was nothing short of exceptional- it turned out to be the most…read morememorable dining experiences we've had in Toronto. Every dish was beautifully prepared: bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. What truly set Beso apart, however, was the hospitality. Despite the restaurant being incredibly busy, Bryan, our mixologist and bartender, and Krisztina, the general manager and sommelier, took the time to chat with us throughout the evening. They shared their knowledge of the menu and wines helping us with our choices. They both transformed a fantastic meal into a truly memorable experience. The evening ended with a personalized birthday dessert! It's rare to find a restaurant that combines outstanding food with such authentic, heartfelt hospitality. Even on a packed night, the team made us feel like we were their only guests. We can't wait to return!

We had high hopes for this spot, especially since the ambience was beautiful--perfect for a lovely…read moredate night. We ended up ordering quite a few items from the menu. Our favourites were the oxtail pintxo, bravas, wagyu, churros, and flan--each of these really stood out and delivered on flavour. That said, I was especially excited for the paella, and it unfortunately fell short. I've had better paella from a food truck, and for much cheaper. Between the chicken and striploin, we preferred the chicken as it had a more cohesive flavour. The striploin was cooked closer to rare when we asked for medium rare, making it tough to eat, and the rice itself was quite bland. On a positive note, the service was lovely--attentive, warm, and accommodating throughout the night. Our server checked in often without being intrusive and made the experience feel polished and welcoming. Overall, while the ambience and service made for a great evening, the food didn't quite justify the price for me. Not sure I'd return, but still a nice spot if you're looking for a good atmosphere.

Checked out the store to see if they have any product with real truffle mushroom. Store looked…read moresmall and was not able to find anything I was looking for. However once I asked for help, they showed me a bunch of related products. Besides buying real truffle in a jar, I tried their excellent empanadas as well. By looking at it, empanada looked very flat and different than other empanadas I have tried but it was filled with much more stuffings than I thought. Nice cute gourmet neighborhood store that worth checking out if you love cooking.

The owner of the shop is a sweet and lovely woman who always gives service with a smile. Upon…read morewalking in, you'll see some ready-to-eat goods such as empanadas, tamales, and different packaged homemade desserts. I've stopped by this shop on multiple occasions, but waited until I tried their paella to post a review. Their paella menu consists of seafood, meat, mixed, veggie, or squid ink options and requires a 2h notice beforehand. I had the Valenciana (meat) which is advertised to feed 2-3 people. The price is affordable for paella, but lacked some of the signature smokey flavour that comes with the dish often served fresh. The rice was on the al dente side and more salty than I would have liked. However, the cakes were superb: the dulce de leches cake was heavenly - soft and pillowy, but soaked in sweet milk, and the crema catalana cake, I was told, is a specialty in Spain which was rich and dense. In the past I've picked up frozen tamales to steam at home - quite a good size for the price, just wish the ratio of filling was higher. Their frozen churros are a favourite to heat up at home as well, paired with cinnamon sugar. Their empanadas were yummy, although I wish they were a little bigger. Nonetheless, if you wish to try some Spanish staples or feel transported to a little grocer in Spain filled with cheese, charcuterie, and canned goods, drop on by and check them out!

I came here a while ago, so the menu items may not be current, but I believe some may still be…read morethere. I came here solo, and the staff was absolutely lovely. My waitress was so kind and helpful, and she was the perfect amount of attentive. The birria was good, but not the best I've had. It just lacked a little depth of flavor. The chicken skewers were well-seasoned but somewhat dry, but still enjoyable. For me the real star of the show was the popsicle dessert. It was floral, but in a pleasant way. This day was nice and warm, so the refreshing dessert was a perfect ending. A cute stop for a girls night out or a date night.

Spain might be out of reach to the most of us, but not when you're going to Bar Chica. Situated…read morealong the hip stretch of Portland street. Chica is nothing but concentrated flavor. The server, Kerima, was absolutely amazing. My wine glass seemed to fill itself. The food was equal parts star with the croquettes and crispy eggplant leading the way. The imberico ham was melt in your mouth and the Beef Picanha was a nice way to round out the meal. The vibe is great with on point decor and a DJ spinning great tunes. In the game of life there are throwaway meals and memorable ones. Let Chica be the canvas for one of the good ones.

Nice quiet spot for some Spanish tapas. Food was good although it may not seem like it at first…read more Owner was very nice and cooked with a lot of love. Atmosphere was nice but on the quieter side

Staff was lovely and we were greeted and sat quickly. Was…read morehoping it'd be great but we were disappointed. We ordered one of the pre selected tapas menus, as the variety was huge. Food, was ok. Portion size was what you'd expect for tapas but far too greasy and underwhelming.

My first time in a Portuguese Restaurant. Came here for Winterlicious. I ordered all seafood from…read moreappetizers (grilled sardines) and main (grilled squid). Taste good and it's filling. I feel full until the following day. Intimate place. Good for romantic dates. Staff very friendly. Will Love to come back.

Really tasty food on the saltier side. Got the prix-fixe menu which came with an appetizer and…read moremain: - Salted Cod Quenelles: Really creamy interior, nice crispy exterior. Would have liked a bit of a stronger cod taste, but this was good. - Pan Roasted Herb Crusted Salmon: Good heft to the salmon, not overly crusted, strong herb flavour, perfect pan roast. Side veggies complemented the main well. Service is helpful and attentive. Kitchen is efficient. Prices are what prices are these days. Place is well spaced and tastefully decorated. A good dining option, especially if you love seafood.