A Spanish food gem in Toronto. Bar Isabel is elegant, charming and contemporary. A small, cozy space perfect for a quick drink or a hearty meal.
The menu looks a little intimidating with lots of hard to pronounce names, but the waitstaff is really good at translating.
Highlights include the cheesy foie gras on baguette croutons, the ceviche served on a fried fish skeleton, the lightly salted self-proclaimed "best ham in the world" and the rich soft cheese sourced from the island of Menorca. The pan con tomate i.e. tomato paste on large sourdough slices is also high on the flavour spectrum with a nice tangy kick.
Everything is tapas style and very finger food-y really enhancing the social side of the meal. Really, there's no surprise this place is very full...all the time.