Toro Standards Stay High

by Brian Horvath

While it certainly isn't new or reinvented, Toro remains one of the best restaurants in the Village. Justin Brinks has taken the helm as Dino finally was able to transfer over to Empire Grille, and he has kept the food quality sound and consistent. Most of my meals at Toro were enjoyed when Paula Danilociz was running the kitchen, and she must have been a great teacher since the Parmesan polenta is just as crispy on the outside and soft on the inside as it was four years ago. Toro is one of the few places that can please both the cocktail crowd and the focused diner alike. On recent visits I found the food just as satisfying as ever.

Take the pan seared scallops over white bean and smoked bacon "cassolette" with Brussels sprout shavings and lemon herb sauce ($15). This dish was possibly one of the best I've had since returning to the rough Buff this past spring. Perfectly cooked scallops worked well with a smoky white bean underpinning that was not overpowered by bacon or salt. The sprout shavings were also kept at just the right proportion so as to not detract from the main ingredient. The sauce, while maybe needing a pinch of acidity, was light yet rich.

Toro offers a special list with dishes like this, but the main menu is nothing to shy away from either. Take the polenta ($9) - an underused ingredient for sure. This prep has polenta twice cooked - first it is softened as per your Joy of Cooking says it should be… then it is let to set up in a sheet pan. Triangles are cut out and sauteed to order, making a caramelized bottom that is addictive and chewy. The polenta is adorned with a brown sauce and mushrooms (in my case roasted Shiitake I believe) and Parmesan shavings. Like I said, same as it ever was, which is key for my weekday working stiff meals out at the local cantina. I’m open to the new, but sometimes need the old standby after a long day.

Toro also offers a great wine list. While it may not change up as much as this lush would like it to, it still offers a thorough by-the-glass list as well as great bottle values. There is something for everyone here and you can tell it's not just a distributor-forced concoction. The Buckley Chardonnay Australia is fresh and not over-oaked ($7 for a glass) making it a sure crowd pleaser. Not that it's an everyday wine, but the Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills ($120) is the best California Pinot I've seen on any list in Buffalo. It's pricey, but it's marked up less than most bottles I inspected on the list - so it can be considered a good value (technically). Maybe the point is that somebody is making an effort to offer more rare wines in the Village (no more Louis Martini if you please).

I know most of us have been there, but I just can't seem to find a reason not to recommend this place. Keep on the lookout for more updates from the perspective of a bar-stool-dining re-pat.

Toro Tapas Bar 492 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo ph. 716 886 9457