Dinner at Toro Bravo
Last night Justin and I rode our bikes to North Portland for dinner at Toro Bravo, a Tapas restaurant that has won numerous awards, including the Willamette Week’s Best Restaurant 2007. The place had been HIGHLY recommended to us by many of our friends, and reading the Yelp reviews had us salivating before we even left the apartment. We arrived around 5:30 and the place was already packed, so we put our name down, strolled down the street, and grabbed a quick drink while thinking about the tiny plates we’d be savoring later in the evening.
Some of you may know that Justin and I met while we were studying abroad in Valencia, Spain. I was, regrettably, a vegetarian the entire time we were in Spain, and since our return to the States, we’ve both been trying to recreate the magic of Spanish cuisine (especially the meat) to take us back.
We took our seats at the bar, and decided to get a bottle of Bereziartua, a Basque sidra that has a very dry, tart taste to it, that put us right back in the Spanish mindset. We perused the very extensive menu, and decided we’d go for the tasting menu - 7 plates of heaven.
Our first course arrived rather quickly - two bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with an almond, topped with a warm honey glaze. Their flavor profiles were spot-on; the sweetness of the dates and the honey were complimented perfectly by the bacon, and the almond center added a great crunch.
We were barely done with the first course when our Raddichio salad with Green Olive and Anchovy Toast and Manchego Vinagrette came. Personally, I wouldn’t have ordered salad if we went the route of picking a few plates, but we were both pleasantly surprised. The salad had great colors and the vinagrette was tangy and earthy at the same time (obviously the hefty dose of Manchego helped); our favorite part of this dish was the Green Olive Toast - garlicky olive tapenade heaped atop a small piece of crunchy toast.
Our third course was a Duck Liver Mousse Terrine with house made sidra mustard and Sherry Chicken Liver Mousse with house made pickles. This was my first adventure into the world of paté and I wasn’t too fond of the texture - it felt like creamy bologna - but Justin managed to finish the whole thing, no problem.
Next up was a Catalan Fall Vegetable Soup with Bacalao - a nice break from the heavier stuff, this soup was made a bit more interesting with the addition of pieces of salted cod (Bacalao), but not something I’d order again on a return visit.
At this point we ordered a bottle of red from Calatayud that went well with the very meaty courses that were ahead. Right after the wine was poured, our Baked Polenta with roast beef, peppers and onions came, and we dug in. The polenta had a great flavor - we both agreed that the roast beef and veggies complemented the dish very well.
Next up were Oxtail Croquettes with a spice-roasted mayo. Delicious, very meaty and tender, this was (thankfully) the second-to-last course.
Our final course was Bacon-wrapped Drunken Pork with an Heirloom Bean Stew. While I’m a fan of bacon, I think this dish could’ve done without it; the pork was juicy and tender, and the Heirloom beans were a great compliment.
After we finished dinner and paid the check, we rolled our full bellies next door to the Wonder Ballroom to see Built to Spill. The best part of the evening was the bike ride home through the quiet streets of Portland and falling into bed, full and sleepy.
(meg)
