| El Fogón Peruvian Restaurant |
| This Peruvian spot is the latest in the gradual Latinization of
St. Clair west of Bathurst. Alas, it has all the immediate charm of
a strip mall coffee shop. But all is forgiven with the arrival of a
breadbasket and a saucer of bright green habanero chili– based salsa
for spreading. Appetizers are large-portioned and include a quartet
of calamari ($9.95), grilled just enough to form sweet char marks on
the outside, yet not enough to make them tough. Chicken in escabeche
($9.95) brings a full breast smothered in sautéed onions with a
zingy sauce. Onions reprise their role atop the bistek encebollado
($11.50), a thin portion of underseasoned grilled beef; a pile of
rice absorbs the juices from the beef and, when combined with a
salad, creates a uniquely Andean meat-starch-greens mélange. Tacu
tacu ($8.95) is more properly ordered as a side, though the fried
mix of beans and rice makes an excellent vegetarian choice. A short
selection of beers and juices. Closed Monday. |
| Address: 543 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto, Ontario, M6C 1A3 Tel: 416-850-8041. Contact: [email protected] Chef: Silvia Riojas-Kamiya. |