In Spain, the legend of how tapas became the signature drinking food is rooted in royalty. They say that King Alfoso X of Castille ordered taverns to serve small snacks with wine — these were called tapas, Spanish for “coverings”. Back then it served as an alibi for drinking colossal amounts of alcohol, and now it is a tradition Spaniards indulge in on a nightly basis. Following closely the King’s advice, Cava on Yonge and St. Clair serves delicious contemporary tapas that stick to the traditional Spanish flavors as well as fusing some South American and Mexican ingredients.
Once again I went with my boyfriend and my friend Cristina, and again on a Tuesday night. My South-American and Spanish heritage- combine with my food blogging addiction-lead me to the discovery of this restaurant. I was very excited. I had talked about it for weeks on end, seen the menu online so many times that when presented in front of me it seemed to me as familiar as my own I.D. I knew exactly what I wanted and was aware of the three tapas per person suggestion (which seem like a lot, but who cares?). I still took my time and listened to the specials and noted the decor of the dining room. Clean, sophisticated with even a modernist flare, Cava is not presented as the traditional tapas restaurant of Madrid. The hanging cured hams were the only reassurance we were not in a trendy euro-bistro down on King Street West but in a Spanish finger food restaurant.
After debating, writing and listing our choices we finally settled on eight plates. The Papas Fritas- of course- although categorized as a fast food cliché are a savory side dish for almost anything. I love them and so does everyone that has ever tried a good batch. Crispy and delicious, there are very few times you can go wrong with them. At Cava my beloved fried potato sticks came in a paper cone, just like they do in the streets of Belgium (where they are proudly called the national dish). Seasoned with rosemary and sea salt perfectly crisp and golden. Since this was one of my uninspiring choices, I had to step up my game to something more adventurous and creative. My next two choices had such alluring titles that I felt like a dog in Pavlov’s lab. Pinchos of Avocado and Salmon Machaca and the Sardines Two Ways. The pinchos were good, not great yet not terrible, a let down for my wild foodie imagination. The salmon machaca although rich in flavor, had a consistency that belong in a Molecular gastronomy restaurant and not in a hardy spanish tapas bar. The Sardines were very good, one fried and salty and the other in a fresh tomato sauce that worked perfectly with the strong taste of the fish.
George asked for recommendations from the waitress, who took no time in selling with awe the Charcuteria. Smoked and cured meats are one of Spain’s most beloved culinary traditions and Cava claims to smoke their own stock. This was without a doubt the best choice of the night. Four small samples: liver souffle, cured lomo, smoked chorizo and a chicken and fois gras mousse — simply exquisite. Along with that he ordered the Jamon Iberico, only released to the North American market in 2007 and by far the most exclusive of all hams. It comes from the acorn-fed rumps of Iberian black pigs, it is expensive and rich and probably everything you want in a cured ham. The last of his choices was the Quail and Pork Belly A la Plancha with Calabacitas. A mouthful of a name, this dish closed the dinner with a bang. Masterfully cooked. Chef Chris McDonald proves that he knows how to make a mean tapa.
The remaining two dishes were the selection of my friend Cristina. After traveling in Spain she wanted nothing but octopus. The Octopus Anticucho with Lentils and Romesco was not the traditional dish she was expecting but it certainly was excellent. Grilled to perfection, it was not chewy or hard but on the contrary felt soft and meaty- a quite an achievement for such a difficult meat. She also chose the delicious Eggplant with Queso Fresco, Honey and Tomatillo, a second runner-up after the charcuteria. Everything was superb about this dish, the flavors worked together to make this vegetarian tapa a competition for any meat.
After spending three hours eating and drinking the not-so-strong North American version of sangria, we concluded that Cava is a great restaurant to go for tapas in Toronto. Don’t build your expectations so high that you reconsider that spring break trip to Barcelona, but for a city on the shore of Lake Ontario, far from the breeze of the Mediterranean, Cava does Spanish tapas well for around 50$ a head including service and drinks.
