I was back in Toronto for a wedding this week and, true to form, I had only one real food request: Mexican. My former roommate really followed through by suggesting – and accompanying me – to El Catrin, in the Distillery District. I ended up going back before the week was out.
Now part of this may be the fact that, here in Paris, I’m fairly starved for good Mexican options. Sure, there are a few, including Candelaria and El Nopal, but it’s hard to compete with El Catrin.
For one, the space is absolutely gorgeous. The extensive outdoor patio boasts heating lamps and even an open fireplace, allowing you to sit outside for far longer than Mother Nature ever intended Torontonians to do.
The dining room is covered in a beautiful mural, and the giant lamps diffuse the light just enough to give it a trendy vibe while still allowing you to see your food.
And oh, what food.
El Catrin follows the current trend of shared small plates, starting with a guacamole that’s made fresh to order tableside. One of my friends found it so delicious he immediately opened the menu to see if there was an added ingredient making it pop, but it turns out, it’s just thanks to excellent avocados.
You can get this guacamole with tortilla chips or crickets (we took the safe route and opted for the former), as well as plain or al fuego. We tried the spice mix that is added to the latter on the side and found it delicious and deep in flavor, but the intensity of the spice makes it better served alongside, rather than mixed into, the guacamole.
I can never turn down an al pastor taco; the ones at El Catrin were rich and flavorful with tons of fresh pineapple and cilantro.
And of course, we couldn’t ignore the extensive cocktail list. In keeping with my habits, I went for cocktails that were more savory than sweet, trying three: the tamarind margarita (excellent, but not depicted due to shaky camera skills); the Pepino Blanco (above) with muddled cucumber, serrano peppers, agave nectar, citrus, and a Tajin rim; and, the best of all, IMHO, El Gringo.
El Gringo is everything I ever want in a cocktail. It’s not too sweet, despite featuring a mango juice base, and is flavored with cilantro, cucumber, and serrano peppers. The reposado tequila gives it a richer depth of flavor for a perfectly balanced drink.
Being a spicehead, I would have liked the same Tajin rim on this cocktail as I enjoyed on both the margarita and the Pepino Blanco, but as it stands, it’s excellent.
Folks who plan to go to El Catrin (do it. Seriously.) would do well to make a reservation; on the Saturday we went, there was a two-hour wait for a table; luckily, we were more than happy to be seated at the bar, though as the weather gets nicer, the views over the Distillery District make that patio a real no-brainer.
El Catrin -Â 18 Tank House Lane, Toronto