I was anxious to check out Toro on my Boston travels, for its modern take on Spanish Tapas – and luckily it was conveniently located not far from my South End hotel. I knew that Toro was popular and trending – and didn’t take reservations. So strategically, I aimed for a mid-week lunch and to arrive when they opened.
In the meantime, fresh off my red-eye flight I was on a mission to stay awake before my Toro gastronomic adventure, and had a few hours to kill. I hit my hotel around 9am and dropped off my luggage, the anticipation of Toro as my first Boston meal keeping me awake. That and some nice strong coffee.
Urban Hiking in the South End
GPS in hand, I headed in the direction of Washington Street where Toro is situated, to get my bearings on my new short-term ‘hood.
Google maps apparently knows me well, and led me to lovely Shawmut Ave in the South End, lined with gorgeous brownstones and accessorized in stunning, intricate wrought iron. But what makes this charming tree-lined street special is its punctuation of cute shops and cafes, sprinkled among the row-house residences.
A Leisurely Respite at The Buttery
I was still mesmerized by the neighborhood, when an adorable cafe suddenly appeared to address my caffeine needs.
The Buttery called my name with its appealing sidewalk patio. Peeking inside I could see this was my kind of place, filled with decadent pastries and lively atmosphere. Even at 10am on a Wednesday, it was packed and buzzy. At the counter I ordered a moist, tasty Orange-Chocolate Scone and Cappuccino, and grabbed an auspicious window seat to wake-up and take in the neighborhood scene. The South End is at once peaceful and vibrant.
Revitalized, I roamed the charming South End streets, absorbed in striking architecture, stunning community gardens, and hidden parks – wending my way toward my noontime Toro destination.
Destination: Toro
I found Toro easily on the main South End drag of Washington Street, and entered the tapas joint past its alfresco dining option. At noon, it was only me and a couple of other patrons seeking lunchtime tables. Toro has a modern, industrial feel that is warmed by its exposed brick and welcoming hospitality. I chose a seat at the bar, which I prefer as an advantageous perch for behind-the-scene views and chatter with the bartender.
Toro’s menu firmly has its roots in traditional Spanish tapas, but with a creative modern spin. Perusing the menu, I was immediately disappointed that I had no one with whom to share this amazing-sounding tapas. It was going to be difficult to narrow my first Toro visit to just a couple of tapas items. I resolved that I was going to have to suck it up and over-order.
Toro’s menu is composed of warm and cold tapas dishes, and I wanted to sample a bit of each. Christopher, the bartender, was friendly and extremely helpful in guiding me through the menu to home-in on just the right choices.
My order began with one of Toro’s signature cocktails. Given that I was merely trying to stay awake, alcohol was definitely not on my mind when I arrived at Toro. But their inventive menu of cocktails is so compelling, I just couldn’t pass-up the stunning Verdad Y Amor. And, hey, I was on vacation. Toro infuses white tequila with hibiscus, adds some lime for acidity, and rims the glass with a mind-blowing ginger salt. Christopher gave me a little taste of the hibiscus-steeped tequila so that I could appreciate the underlying hibiscus flavor and the smoothness of the hundred-proof tequila. Toro clearly takes great pride in the smallest details in conceiving its cocktails. And the Verdad Y Amor proved to be a perfect accompaniment for my meal to come.
The Gambas a la Plancha arrived first, drenched in a luscious lobster sauce of deep, complex flavors. The shrimp was tender and perfectly cooked but that lobster sauce was to-die-for, and I requested bread to mop up every last drop. I would scheme to have this shrimp dish again – and not share!
I can never pass-up Patatas Bravas, and consider myself a bit of a connoisseur. Toro’s are probably the best I’ve ever had. Upon first glance, the potatoes were very unassuming featuring three simple dollops of creamy off-white aioli. I quickly realized these crispy spuds were hiding a rich tangy tomato sauce at the bottom of their bowl. The perfectly fried potatoes were crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The rich whipped aioli was perfection, cut nicely by the zingy tomato sauce. And when the two sauces mixed – heaven.
Padron Peppers are another Spanish tapas dish that I can never pass-up, hence I’ve got a broad base of comparison. Toro’s Padron Peppers were just the way a like them: charred and salty.
I rounded out my lunch with a cold Escalivada Catalana pincho of smokey pâtéed eggplant, onions, peppers, and tomatoes with sherry vinegar and olive oil – complex and delicious.
The thing about Toro is that the food and ambience is both down-to-earth and complex. Everything here is finessed with great attention to detail, even with something as simple as sprinkling dishes with parsley that is sliced into delicate green ribbons. Sitting at the bar, the service was attentive in just the right degree – knowledgeable with a passion for the food that was infectious.
Toro’s menu is quite robust and Paella is also a specialty. My only regrets about Toro are that I had no place to take all my left-overs that could have easily fed three other people …and that I only got to visit Toro once on this trip.
