If you know me i’ll never turn down an opportunity to try new food and a cultural experience. I’m always up to try new restaurants and cuisines especially in our very own multicultural hub, Toronto. When I was hearing about the buzz of the Estrella Damm Tapas Journey returning to Toronto and was asked to participate with some of my favourite foodies, no wasn’t even an option in my mind!
The Toronto Tapas journey is a great way to the top restaurants in Toronto at a very affordable price. Estrella Damm has partnered with 38 top restaurants in Toronto for the Tapas Journey which runs from August 12th- August 21st. You can find out which restaurants are participating here and plan your very own tapas journey!
For only $20 you get 3 signature tapas and a cold pint of Estrella Damm lager! Sounds like a deal to me!! Tapas are small plates which are like snacks, quick bites which are either served cold or hot. Don’t be fooled by their size, tapas are no joke, they’re all packed with flavour in small bites!
It’s a great way to taste different restaurants in Toronto like a “restaurant hop”. Instead of ordering a full meal, you order the tapas journey and wash it down with the cold Estrella Damm, then you’re off to your next stop and you can keep going until you’ve peaked your fullness! Overall is a really fun experience and espeically when you’re with people who love to eat as much as you do!
These are the beauties I was lucky to share the night with! From left to right: Grace (@phone.eats.first), Julie (@Julie_miguel), myself (@choperella), Sasa (@sasaeats) and Christine from Branding and Buzzing (@brandingandbuzzing)
Let me walk you through the three restaurants we visited on our #Tapasjourney!
First stop: Bodega
The tapas menu by Chef Paul Biggs was delicious. As our first stop it was a great intro to the tapas journey!
- Crab cakes served with ancho chili mayo
- Sautéed Chorizo Sausage with fig relish
- Mini Tarte Chèvre niçoise prepared with goat cheese and tomato, onion and garlic ragu
The dishes paired well with the Estrella Damm lager and were so equally delicious. No tapas tasted the same, they each had their own characteristics of flavour. Im a sucker for chorizo and I never thought to pair it with figs but it was a delicious pairing!
Second Stop: The Harbord Room
Let me start by saying how beautiful The Harbord Room is! It’s enclosed with pink walls with mirrors and banquets with marble tables (my favourite!) The tapas prepared by Chef Robbie Hojilla were equally as delicious. I’m not a huge seafood fan, but I knew coming into the journey that there would be a lot of seafood. His tapas menu included:
- Smoked Mackerel Conserva with Crème fraiche & Pickled red onion on Toasted sourdough
- Squid & Octopus Escabeche with squid ink aioli and fried potato
- Piquillo Pepper stuffed with chickpeas, olive, almonds and romesco sauce
The menu was plated beautiully on a wooden board and the tapas were the perfect size. As I mentioned i’m not a fan of smoked fish so I shared my mackerel with my fellow foodies who said it was absolutely delicious! If you’re not a fan of meat, The Harbord Room tapas is a great option with two seafood offerings!
Third Stop: Rasa
I’ve been itching to visit Rasa since it opened and had such rave reviews! We were seated at the “chefs table” right in front of the line cooks so we saw all the action first hand (my favourite seat in the house!). The tapas curated by Chef Davin Shearer came out on shared plates and were such a great mix of cultures and flavours. On their tapas menu was:
- XO Potsticker Secreto Steak, Gulf Shrimp, Pickled Ramps, Black garlic and XO sauce
- Tomato Arancini with Pesto, San Marzano Tomato and Grana Padano
- Kipper Toast with Garlic Sourdough, Stracciatella, Charred Jalapeno Salsa, Picked Chilies & Smoked Kipper
Again, smoked fish isn’t my game but the ladies enjoyed the kipper toast! They were all delicious- not what I would traditionally expect for tapas but a nice flare and i’m glad I got a small taste of Rasa- time to go back!
We had this great idea that after we were done our tapas journey we would grab some ice cream for dessert. Thinking that it was small plates that we would have room for dessert, boy were we wrong! We were all so stuffed after the third restaurant which goes to show how filling tapas can be!
The Tapas Journey is all about the culture of tapas and the fun of restaurant hopping! I had a blast trying new restaurants and it’s a great option for date night or a night out with your friends.
