Toro Bravo: tapas vegeterianos?

A couple weeks ago we reviewed Olympic Provisions.  At the time i was thinking about this fair city's top restaurants and how meat heavy they have become.  Some say this is a backlash against years pasts' vegetarian, and lactose-intolerance waves.  With the popularity of food and chef-stardom comes better food, and i think in some cases the classics are meat heavy or use meat ingredients.  These restaurants have their place in our culinary landscape.   Others attempt to cater to a wider variety of patrons and cook what some would call more challenging dishes.

manchego fritters

Toro Bravo has a good selection of meatless plates.  I went in thinking we should just order every veg. plate, but left thinking that not only did we lack room on the table, but we would have been stuffed to the gills.  In their nut mix they've had to do away with the crunchy chickpeas because people sued after breaking teeth on them.  Seriously, who sues a restaurant for serving crunchy things? The chickpeas were the best part, according to Jen.

We started, as per usual, with apps and drinks at the standing bar by the door.  Come early as there are no reservations, usually, and there is almost always a wait.   This wait, as they say, is worth it.  I had their version of the old fashioned, and Jen had the sangria.  The sangria is a must, it's so good, not that my drink didn't refresh and delight.   We used our drinks to wash down the manchego fritters.  Topped with a light, fresh tomato salsa, these are amazing.  The only thing i can compare them to, is deep-fried balls of Cheez-It® dough, but much more refined.   I can still taste them. Oh baby.

At our table quickly, we were ready and willing to order. Grilled corn w/ cilantro pesto: as it was still late summer, the corn was sweet, slightly charred, and the smothering of clarified butter certainly didn't hurt.

potatoes bravas

The Potatoes Bravas should be on everyones' table, including the omnivores amongst us.  They are like a combination of hot wings and steak-fries with an amazing house-made aioli, but done so perfectly that you really just don't want to share them.  Take heed, however, further courses may be even tastier and one needs room!  We took a quick greens break with the Sautéed spinach with pine nuts and golden raisins.   I love pine nuts, and i really don't like raisins, but this was fantastic.  Balancing the toasted seeds with the slightly tart greens with the subtle sweetness of the raisins is pure genius, despite the humble ingredients.

zucchini & sheep cheese bake

There are several salads on the menu that change with produce availability.  Ours was a butter-lettuce salad with lots of red onion and a creamy dressing with just a hint of fennel.  Finally the star, in my opinion, of the meal was the zucchini and sheeps' cheese casserole.  It's not always on the menu, but try to find something like it.  I dare say this is the best dish i've had in a month.  Jen said i was dancing in my chair with my fork like a little boy eating ice cream for the first time.

Toro Bravo (0 to **** (stars), higher=better):

• Food Quality: * * * * (4 stars, amazing food all around.  I've never had anything less than great here)
• Vegetarian menu: * * (plenty of great options with an ever-changing menu) 
• Vegan menu: * (far fewer options, but some conversions available)
• Service: * * (friendly, very fast considering how busy, non-pretentious)
• Atmosphere * * (some cafeteria style shared tables, rustic, open kitchen, can be crowded, loud, great cocktail bar upstairs)
• Green: * * (+: lots of local ingredients, - lots of meat and cured meat)
• price: $$ (moderate)
• overall: * * * (if they had more vegetarian options it could be a 4, one of my favorites in town along with Farm Cafe.)