When Mexican chef Richard Sandoval of Maya acclaim opens a new restaurant in a new hotel in new Dubai, Latin American Toro Toro at Grosvenor House’s new tower jumps to the top of FooDiva’s review list. Following two visits to check out its bar scene, and with the restaurant now operational for a month, it was time for a FooDiva review.
Perched over two storeys on the edge of the marina, an eye-catching floor-to-ceiling fireplace (yes only in Dubai) greets us along with two toro (Spanish for bull) sculptures and a plethora of hostesses and hosts mouthing into hands-free walkie talkies. The theatre continues with a central open kitchen flanked by corridors of grand tables with high backed animal-clad furnished chairs – one side smoking and the other non. Our walkie talkie host guides us to a banquette table a deux, but they, the tables that is, are a tad too long making conversation very arduous. Clearly not the case around us though; Toro Toro was abuzz with activity and completely booked up over two seatings on a Thursday night.
We didn’t get off to a good start with our two flutes of pink bubbles served flat, but once alerted, the waiter promptly popped open a new bottle. In typical Latino tradition the menu is designed for sharing family style with zillions of small ‘land’, ‘sea’ and ‘garden’ plates inspired by dishes from Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Colombia, and followed by a small selection of grills. FooDiva’s induction to all things Gaucho proved beneficial with tiraditos, causas, ceviche and empanadas making a grand menu statement. Out of our four starters, the Salt Cod Croquettes and the Picadillo Empanadas (a Latino version of a sambousek stuffed with beef, potato and raisins) were the stars of the show, quite literally bursting with flavour. The Cured Salmon Tiradito (a slimmer sashimi), was a little too tart for mine and my friend’s taste buds – whilst the Causa Limena (a potato cake topped with smoked swordfish tartare) was surprisingly cold, truly from fridge to table. But the accompanying cilantro dip was swiftly devoured.
Continue reading on FooDiva.
We didn’t get off to a good start with our two flutes of pink bubbles served flat, but once alerted, the waiter promptly popped open a new bottle. In typical Latino tradition the menu is designed for sharing family style with zillions of small ‘land’, ‘sea’ and ‘garden’ plates inspired by dishes from Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Colombia, and followed by a small selection of grills. FooDiva’s induction to all things Gaucho proved beneficial with tiraditos, causas, ceviche and empanadas making a grand menu statement. Out of our four starters, the Salt Cod Croquettes and the Picadillo Empanadas (a Latino version of a sambousek stuffed with beef, potato and raisins) were the stars of the show, quite literally bursting with flavour. The Cured Salmon Tiradito (a slimmer sashimi), was a little too tart for mine and my friend’s taste buds – whilst the Causa Limena (a potato cake topped with smoked swordfish tartare) was surprisingly cold, truly from fridge to table. But the accompanying cilantro dip was swiftly devoured.
