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CANADA’S IOO BEST RESTAURANTS
58 | CANADAS BEST RESTAURANTS 2015
Bar Isabel
797 COLLEGE STREET, TORONTO, ON M6G 1C7
 416-532-2222
 BARISABEL.COM
Tracking down a decent meal after 10pm in
Toronto has traditionally been a problem.
Or it was, until Max Rimaldi (the restaurateur
who introduced Toronto to Neapolitan pizza), and
celebrated local chef Grant van Gameren got together
and opened Bar Isabel with a pledge to serve quality
food until 2am every night of the week. It has caught
on well enough that a line-up regularly snakes
out onto the sidewalk. The décor speaks of an old
European bistro with a dash of speakeasy. Jazz blasts
loudly over the sound system. With the food, van
Gameron aims to do for Spanish tapas what he did for
offal some years back at the Black Hoof. Fish dishes
are a strong point. Try morcilla (blood sausage) with
side stripe shrimp, escabeche and quail egg pincho.
Or bacalao with egg and chistorra pintxo, or raw
scallops aji Amarillo. Oddly, the bar is a quieter place
to dine than the raucous rear dining room. Cocktails
are excellent, and many good wines are available by
the glass to facilitate you joining the party.
No
8
HOURS
MONDAY TO SUNDAY
6:00PM - 2:00AM
MANAGER
Max Rimaldi
CHEF
GrantvanGameren
JAMON CROQUETAS,
TORTA DE DEHESA, &
SOBRASADA
CROQUETAS
Fold diced Jamón Iberico de Bellota
into warm béchamel. Chill. Shape into
quenelles. Dredge in flour, egg and
panko breadcrumbs. Shallow fry in
vegetable oil until golden brown.
TORTA DE DEHESA SAUCE
Shred some torta de dehesa (a sheep’s
milk cheese from the Ribera Del Duero
region of Spain). Heat double cream,
stir in cheese and a splash of white
wine.
SOBRASADA
Pimentón and cumin cured spreadable
pork sausage thinned out with olive oil.
To assemble the dish, begin by saucing
a warm plate with the cheese sauce.
Add a spoonful of the sobrasada
olive oil mix in the centre. Place the
croquetas around the sobrasada,
nestled in the cheese sauce. Garnish
with nasturtium leaves.