Barrio, on Queen St. E at Logan
Cushioned benches line the walls of this cozy local tapas restaurant. Very friendly service that puts up with screeches and giggles, and plays along with martini-related spanking innuendos. The menu has a wide variety of interesting choices, all small-portioned and meant for sharing nibbles. Good frites, but boring chili mayo accompaniment. A tasting plate of spring rolls provided some flavour adventures - the 'fish and chips' spring roll was a deep-fried delight, pork and peas was delicately flavourful, and the taco spring roll was interesting, if not necessarily something I'd eat again. The roasted plum-tomato salad was a delicious combination of fresh tastes, with a nice hot-cold contrast. Chicken dumplings dunked in goat-cheese fondant were a real treat. Herb-crusted sole on asparagus and citrus slaw was forgettable, the fish not particularly nice. A standard cheese platter was slightly elevated by warm cinnamon-raisin toasts. The winner of the evening was a braised pork belly in a smoky maple sauce. Not one fatty scrap of it was left, although the garnishing fried quail egg left everyone cold. Deserts disappoint. Bland creme brulee had a texture more akin to Jello pudding. Flourless chocolate cake was good, but predictable. Points for arriving warm, points taken away for the boring white ice cream that 'a la mode'-ed it. The huge chocolate mousse was the best bet, being yummy although the accompanying biscuits were not.
Not great value for money. Nice atmosphere. The restaurant started to fill up with Leslieville locals around eight o'clock, and it got quite lively. Enjoyable, but I would try somewhere new rather than go back.
rating: * * (I ate it, but wouldn't recommend it to friends)
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