Carmen is added to my list of Toronto restaurants that are overpriced, sub par, yet given tremendous hype for some bizarre reason.
We shared the shihto peppers, braised octopus, fried green tomatoes, and patatas bravas.
Nothing was memorable (in a positive light) whatsoever. The octopus had a mushy, pasty consistency. It was acidic, and the flavours were actually bad. The shishto to peppers were ok, really nothing special. The green tomatoes were so unbelievably sweet, and the flavours were so unbalanced. And the patatas bravas had minimal flavour. The service was way too fast. It was clear that the wait staff were in the business of flipping tables.
We didn't even bother complaining about the food. It is obvious that the kitchen staff have fundamental issues. I would not recommend carmen to anyone.