Authentic Tapas at Toro+KO
City Walk is rapidly becoming one of the City's culinary hot spots. Until now, perhaps one of the downsides was the lack of any licensed dining venues but The Square is changing that perception and perhaps the recently opened Toro +KO is leading the charge at this slightly hidden domain.
Toro +KO is the brainchild of High-profile chef duo Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette both of whom have won James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Northeast award which is kind of the Oscars of the culinary world. The original outlet started its life out in Boston and then moved onto New York, then Hong Kong and now after many years in the making - Dubai.
This Catalan inspired tapas bar provides an elegantly executed split level, chic industrial space courtesy of Bishop Design interiors that mixes dark tones with pops of brass and wood to deliver a clean and contemporary feel. While the usual blackened exposed ceiling plumbing is present there are other touches to make the space feel a little more refined than the typical set up. Furniture and lighting plays big role at this venue to achieve this.
There are a variety of seating arrangements from large handcrafted wooden benches to smaller more intimate bar tables and on to the semi formal dining area mixing lovely leather and brass legged chairs with bench seating. The unique and rustic white serving crockery plays brilliantly with the dining area's palette of black and grey providing a nice contrast between the overall clean lines of the venue and also acting as a canvas to showcase the dishes themselves.
There is minimal branding but one piece did catch our eye which was inspired by a very famous artist by the name of Pablo Picasso. The venue's logo is very much a tip of the hat to his seminal piece - Guernica. Nicely done.
Sharing concepts are all the rage these days and sometimes it works and sometimes it simply doesn't. Thankfully Tapas is built around the concept of sharing, so while ostensibly being a snack, tapas have evolved into an entire, sophisticated cuisine which is what Toro +KO is successfully playing to here. The menu promises Barcelona-inspired hot and cold small plates, designed to be served and enjoyed tapas-style and that's exactly what it delivers with a high level of craftsmanship and authenticity. The menu has been designed to cater to local tastes and whilst reasonably extensive, is condensed when compared to the restaurant's counterparts abroad but this by no means makes it a weaker alternative.
The Gambas De Palamos (Prawn Carpaccio 88 AED) started things off brilliantly combining the wonderfully delicate prawns with pistachios and a light romesco sauce to deliver an intriguing and cleverly transformative earthy taste for this mouth watering and umptous seafood dish inspired by the fishing village of Palamos.
The Patatas Bravas (44 AED) arrived again in another unique twist on the traditional style by being hollowed out potatoes filled with garlic sauce and a not so spicy tomato sauce.
If there was ever a dish that quintessentially typifies tapas it would surely be Padrón Peppers, a Galician specialty that has become synonymous with Spanish eating. This version - Pimientos Del Padron Ahumados (42 AED) was absolutely as authentic as they come with a beautifully blistered skin and the expected char you get when done properly. Topped with sea salt - this is the ultimate bar snack day or night.
Moving to slightly larger plates and the Pulpo (Octopus 92 AED) with its deep charred flavors of the onions and potatoes was possibly the highlight of the meal offering incredibly soft, perfectly cooked octopus with a beautiful zest and an unmistakable authentic punch of Pimentón de la Vera. It was deeply satisfying and transports us immediately to the Catalan Coast.
Not to be outdone, the Navajas (Razor Clams 92 AED) are a beautifully presented and perfectly executed sublime mix of tender, fresh Razor Clams that skillfully combines bright, acidic, citrusy flavors with an amazing piquillo pepper salsa to really make this dish sing. This along with the octopus really were standouts and go along way to stamping the credentials of quality to the menu at Toro +KO.
The Calamaras A Mi Manera (Deep Fried Calamari 58 AED) looked quite interesting when it hit table with some large cut rings battered in black, yellow and natural colours which was certainly a unique touch that added visual interest to your typical fried calamari rings. While quite nice, this was probably the least successful of the plates - despite the lovely citrus aioli it just didn't have the punch or wow factor of say the Razor Clams or the Octopus. It wasn't bad, far from it - it just didn't shine like some of the other items. Perhaps the bar had already been set to high for the day!
You may wonder how we missed the Paella - well that's for next time.
In any event, the food was pleasantly presented and totally on point. Backing up the food was the knowledgeable, friendly and outstanding service that went above and beyond the typical service levels in Dubai. Yes they are in opening phase and obviously keen to impress but that doesn't always guarantee excellent service.
Clearly this is a destination that has been well conceived and staff well trained and it showed through and through, which was as welcome as it was refreshing because heaven knows how many newcomers in this city seem to spend the maximum on the style and forget all about the substance.
Ultimately, while not exactly for the budget conscious, Toro +KO at City Walk is a beautiful, contemporary space that has been thoughtfully put together with a very well crafted menu that is expertly executed.
For a truly authentic taste of Barcelona in Dubai, this is the spot.
*Note. The venue has closed down :(
