Tocador is a neighbourhood cocktail bar and restaurant inspired by the vibrance and energy of Cuba. The flavours of Cuba are infused into all their dishes and they incorporate local products as much as possible. They have an extensive liquour menu as well as a happy hour (and late night happy hour) menu!
Tocador is the passion project of two industry veterans and the level of quality in the food and drink that they present is very evident.
The restaurant space itself is beautifully appointed with loud vibrant colours tempered with accents of wood.
I went with the Guava Spritz which is their take on an Aperol Spritz. This cocktail was light, refreshing and fruity. The guava flavour wasn’t very prominent, but overall a lovely summer drink.
The fish was fresh and the cilantro lime oil added a bright punch of flavour. The dish looks simple, but it is packed full of flavour.
I’ve never had Bison Tongue, but it is similar in taste and texture to ox tongue. The curry had a very prominent coriander taste which I loved. The bison tongue was very tender.
This was my favourite dish of the night, and one of my favourite dishes of 2019. The eggplant was soft and and smokey and went perfectly with the creamy dressing. The shishito peppers had a mellow spice to it, and that contrasted nicely with the nuttiness of the dressing. The egg was perfectly cooked, and when cut into revealed a lovely golden yellow yolk interior.
These are some of the biggest scallops I’ve ever seen. They were perfectly seared with a lovely crust. The sauce had a spicy kick to it, and tasted really good with the scallops. The vegetable was crunchy and contrasted nicely with the soft scallops.
My experience with Cuban food is very limited – the only other restaurant I’ve been to with similar fare is Havana. But, based on this experience, I will definitely be seeking out more restaurants that are serving up this delicious cuisine!
It’s not often that I try and restaurant and fall in love at first taste. Tocador absolutely blew my mind with its fantastic food and cocktails. I absolutely cannot wait to be back!
