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| - We went to Bar Isabel last night. Service and food were both impeccable. I've spent time working in Spain and the food is on par, if not better, with the best that Madrid has to offer.
Service:
Service was fantastic. Friendly, enthusiastic and really knowledgeable wait staff. Water was refreshed, coats were whisked away to a cloakroom, food and drink recommendations were always spot on, plates disappeared quickly but without any rush. Excellent all round.
Food:
We ate our way through the starter menu. Raw tuna, chorizo verde, ham, marinated anchovies, Scotch Egg and some other dishes. The only dish we weren't in love with was the squid with crispy tongue - it was weirdly soggy and the spiciness was too raw on the tongue for us. But, a really minor quibble with what was amazing food, well presented.
Additionally there are great, if somewhat expensive, drinks available and a beer menu that is probably the best in Toronto.
Quibbles:
I am not giving five stars for three reasons:
1. The room is excessively noisy, so much that it almost impossible to have a conversation across the table. It really took away from the enjoyment of the evening.
2. It was freezing cold. People sitting with us kept their jackets on, or asked for them back, because of the icy draft coming from the vents.
The temperature might have just been a fluke, but the noise levels are what they are I suspect. The beautifully tiled floor is probably responsible for this. Perhaps some softer surfaces could solve the problem.
3. The room is dark (which is ok) but the type on the menu is small and hard to read. We had to hunt for a beam of light to be able to read what was on offer. Both the table on the left and the right of us ended up using their phones to illuminate their menus.
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