"0"^^ . . . "1"^^ . "4"^^ . "0"^^ . "The Spot: \nJust west of Trinity Bellwoods on the north side of Queen you will find Carmen - Cocina Espanola. The warmth and inviting atmosphere of authentic spanish cuisine pours out of the open concept kitchen, fills the dining room and bursts right onto the street. Although the restaurant business can be cut throat, competition isn't the motivating force behind this convivial meeting place. The ideals which keep Carmen grounded are humility and honesty. For executive chef Louis Valenzuelar, and the entire family at Carmen, its not about attaining perfection, it's about doing the best you can by being true to who you are. Carmen is a place to get familiar not formal.\n\nWhat's Really Good: \nThe food in a lot of restaurants is put on a pedestal. As foodie culture enters the mainstream, it is not uncommon to see people more concerned with dissecting the gastronomical feats on offer or instagramming untouched plates than enjoying the pleasures of good food with good friends. In case you're unsure of how this 'casual dining' thing is supposed to work, instructions are printed right there on the menu: \"Spain's celebrated rice dish [paella] is meant to be shared in a lighthearted and casual manner.\" This community oriented mentality underscores the entire menu at Carmen, the idea is to use great food as the vehicle for bringing friends together. From the finger food tapas dishes to the salads and entrees each dish begs to to be passed around and shared together. The focus is on the people and the experience, so when the shrimp are served straight off the grill and the paella is topped with an entire lobster, don't let the shells intimidate you, get in there, get your hands dirty and enjoy the moment! (yolo right?)\n\nYou'll Want to Know: \nThere are two distinct, but equally charming sections at Carmen, complete with their own menus. The main dining room is open to the kitchen and is where you really get a sense of the love and camaraderie which goes into every dish. At the front of the restaurant is a chic cocktail bar. This is the perfect area to meet a friend for a drink or stop for a bite off of the Menu Del Bar (aka Late night snack menu, aka greatest words in the english/ spanish language). Even after a full meal we couldn't resist tasting a few items off the Menu Del Bar, the home-canned Sardinas En Tomate were simply delicious and certainly worth stopping in for; who knows, it could be the start of a beautiful relationship."^^ . . "2013-10-25T00:00:00"^^ .