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| - First off, some of the reviews here cement my belief that the reason Toronto is generally a food wasteland -- at least for a city of 6 million -- is because Torontonians are mostly uncultured ex-suburbanites. (Seriously, is there anyone over the age of 25 who grew up south of St. Clair?) Valdez is not Spanish food, and it's not Mexican food. Don't compare it to Patria or Grand Electric just because the menus are all in the same language.
Anyways, as I am wont to do with restaurants on my home turf of King West, I had low expectations for Valdez. The reviews have been quite mixed and it felt like the recent opening of the restaurant was trying to cash in on the "street food" trend. We ordered the four-course tasting menu, which really ended up being a five-course menu with a ridiculous amount of food for $57. Regardless of what you think of the food, you definitely will get your money's worth here. I'm confused by all the reviews claiming it is overpriced.
Things started off slow with a decent chips and guac (the guac has a nice texture and citrus acidity but is otherwise a little bland) and a plate of four oysters with some sort of watermelon mignonette which I absolutely hated, as it covered up any hint of briny oyster goodness. Next up was a sampler of three ceviches; I didn't care for the tuna-and-watermelon one (tasteless) or the shrimp one (too chewy), but the mixto, with mussels/octopus/squid, was fantastic.
The chef came out ahead of our next course and cryptically apologized "for the slow start." I'm not sure if he was reading our lips or if he knew those dishes weren't in the kitchen's wheelhouse, but he was right that things would only get better from there. Next up was a "street party" platter of beef skewers, chorizo, rice and beans, arepas and some sort of fried tortilla topped with guac and smoked tuna. This was a meal in itself, no bite-sized tasting menu portions here. Everything was fantastic except for the beef skewers which I found a little tough and undersalted.
From there we had the whole steamed branzino for two, and ended with a dessert sampler with a fruit ice pop, rice pudding and a mini chocolate souffle. The fish was perfectly cooked and served with a fantastically creamy potato salad, but is a pretty subtle dish compared to the rest of the food. The desserts were all good, with the souffle a particular standout.
Our waiter was very friendly and we were never left unattended for more than a few minutes. The complete lack of pretension was very refreshing for King West. One of the better service experiences I've had in the city. Drinks were pretty good and fairly priced.
Overall I am giving this three stars because of how weak the first half of the meal was -- Valdez would otherwise be a four-star place. That said, I'll definitely be back for more of the cooked dishes and will see what happens then.
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