In the core of Boston's South End, Toro sits proudly, just like the prized Spanish bulls after which it was named. Heralded as the vanguard Spanish culinary destination in Boston, Toro doles out award−winning tapas seven days a week.
Toro is owned by renowned chef Ken Oringer, Boston's foremost culinary celebrity, who boasts ownership of other gourmet endeavors including Clio, Coppa and La Verdad. Nevertheless, Toro may be Oringer's most chic and eclectic eatery, due to its varied menu and intimate ambiance. With a small, rustic space, an open kitchen and a casual bar area, Toro does not occupy enough area to accept dinner reservations. Because of this, the restaurant often sports a multiple−hour wait, and rightfully so. The food is well worth the delay.
Served in the traditional Barcelonian style, the majority of Oringer and co−chef Jamie Bissonnette's unique dishes run between $3 and $16, offering small samplings of pinchos (bar food) and hot and cold tapas. For diners looking for a heartier meal, Toro also provides two paella variations, but most patrons opt to order tapas, anywhere from two to four per person, in order to experience a broad confluence and range of flavors in one sitting.
House Favorites include the gambas al ajillo — succulent shrimp grilled in a creamy garlic sauce — and costilla a la cazadora, a thick, braised short rib cooked with sherry, onions, tomato and maitake mushrooms. Both plates are cooked to perfection. The shrimp are crispy and sweet, and the tender short rib melts on the palate.
For vegetarian guests, the maizasado con alioli y quesocotija is sure to satisfy and delight. Branded the "especialidad de la casa," or "house specialty," this corn dish is Oringer's take on Mexican street food. Halved ears of corn are grilled in a house−madealioli, rubbed with lime juice and espelette pepper and topped with shredded, aged cheese. Even for strict carnivores, Toro's maiz is a welcome accompaniment to any meal. Additionally, anyone can make his mother happy with an order of coles de Bruselas a la plancha — griddled Brussels sprouts doused in olive oil and sea salt.
Many dishes at Toro are not for the faint of heart … literally. Corazon, for example, is a small helping of smoked buffalo heart, thinly sliced and neatly adorned atop a piece of soft bread with romesco sauce. The romesco sauce, a condiment made from almonds, pine nuts, roasted garlic, olive oil and peppers, is quite tasty, but it does little to counterbalance the distinctive iron and mineral flavors of the smoked heart.
Adventurous eaters might prefer the asado de huesos — roasted, gelatinous bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade — or the unibocadillo. This bocadillo, a common Spanish sandwich, features uncommon ingredients. Borrowing influences from Uni, Oringer's sashimi bar in the Eliot Hotel, this bocadillo brims with sliced uni (sea urchin) topped with miso butter and pickled mustard seeds.
To accompany an exceptional dining experience with a plethora of diverse tastes, one needs the perfect drink. Toro offers an extensive wine list, compromised purely of Spanish wines and sherries that tickle the fancy. Not to mention, Toro has a fine selection of creative cocktails such as verdad y amor, a refreshing mixture of hibiscus tea−infusedMilagro tequila, ginger simple syrup and fresh lime juice.
For dessert, Toro only offers one option: churros con chocolate. This classic Spanish treat is composed of fried dough sticks enveloped in cinnamon sugar served with a molten chocolate dipping sauce. Though saccharinely sweet, this simple dessert is worth saving some room for.
The cozy atmosphere coupled with the assorted menu of stylishly crafted and utterly delectable samplings makes Toro a must−try. Oringer and Bissonnette flaunt their adaptability and flair with this authentic tapas eatery, cementing their title as two of the best and brightest chefs in a city that is becoming increasingly popular among intrepid gastronomes.
