Toro Bravo

Written by mojdeh on March 27, 2014 in I Eat America, I Eat...Out with 0 Comments

(torobravopdx.com) – NE Portland, Oregon

How I heard of this place: While I had recognized the name and certainly remembered the logo, it wasn’t until my older sister’s friend from her undergraduate days at Lewis & Clark College took me there that I realized I was at their sister restaurant on a previous trip to Portland!

Type of cuisine: A Spanish inspired tapas restaurant.

Ambiance: Flamenco in the air, the deep red walls and simple decor with dim lighting truly bring out the ambiance of a Spanish establishment set in the heart of NE Portland. Candles everywhere.

The kitchen open, allowing the staff to see the happiness on the faces of dining patrons, the slightly too loud music and the white noise murmurings of neighboring diners lets you know that you are enjoying a meal among locals who consider Toro Bravo a favorite in Portland eateries.

What I ordered: My dining companion and I shared a handful of selections including two of the Griddled Bacon Wrapped Date with warm honey ($2 each) from the Pinchos menu,

as well as the Octopus a la Plancha “Becerrita” ($9) from the same menu.

From the tapas, we enjoyed the Grilled Raab with calabrian chilies & breadcrumbs ($8),

Griddled Prawns with chilies ($12),

and a small order of the Potatoes Bravas ($5).

With food that good, I simply had to take something home for my hard-working husband, and chose from the Raciones menu, which offered larger portions, including the House Bacon & Manchego Burger with romesco & pickled vegetables ($12).

What I loved: Of the tapas in our mix, it is truly difficult to select one over the other; each providing hearty, tangy, robust flavors that forced one to slowly, diligently savor each morsel. The burger, devoured upon being seen, a perfect mix of thick-cut manchego cheese, melted onto layer after layer of thick-cut, crisped to perfection bacon, and juicy, tender, medium ground beef. Open wide.

Why I loved it: I love learning about local favorites from some of my local favorites, and Toro Bravo is no exception to the tried and true being among the best. From popularity to ambiance, from music to food, they deliver.