It's a more intimate space than the photos online make it appear. Like many of the Distillery District restaurants, Madrina Bar y Tapas is set in a historic building — its brick walls and exposed beam ceiling envelope guests in a rustic charm that's accentuated by light wood, swirling brown tiled table tops and an arching, illuminated back bar.
The team behind the restaurant tell tales of travelling through Spain together, squeezing into bars that were stuffed to the brim with standing guests, in search of inspiration at the bottom of a wine glass or a plate of tapas. Back in Toronto, Madrina was born out of these experiences.
Carlos Zamora, executive chef at Madrina Bar Y Tapas
Now, the Spanish tapas restaurant is a Toronto mainstay with recognition from the Michelin Guide, but with a new chef taking the reins, it's continuing to evolve. Coming from only a stone's throw away, chef Carlos Zamora previously led the kitchen at El Catrin, another Distillery Restaurant Corp. property, before joining Madrina as the executive chef.
But Zamora's storied career didn't start there — the Mexico City native brings over 20 years of experience in his home country and beyond. With restaurants like the two-Michelin-starred Pujol in Mexico City and three Michelin-starred Can Fabes in Spain on his resume, it's safe to say that Madrina is in good hands with Zamora.
His new menu honours the restaurant's Spanish roots, while showcasing his own creativity. Crisp-skinned seabass is served over a lentil stew to invoke the fish markets of Spain, breaded mussels are inspired by Galicia's coastal fare and croquetas are made with the internationally acclaimed Jamon Joselito.
A nod to La Coruña's peppers, the shishito peppers sautéed in olive oil and served with saffron aioli are an irresistible bite that I can't stop snacking on, while the whole table fawns over the Green Apple Gazpacho. An unexpected standout, the Broccolini and Smoked Romesco is charred to perfectly crunchy, smoky perfection and served over a pool of romesco sauce. The star of my meal at Madrina is the Ajillo Shrimp, ginormous, juicy prawns slathered in an addictive, buttery, black garlic emulsion. It's the one new dish not to be missed.
To hammer home the authenticity, the whole meal is served with exclusively Spanish wine. They have one of, if not the largest collection in the city, and the bottles come from small, artisanal producers — you'll never find these at the LCBO.
With chef Zamora at the helm, Madrina's new menu is a journey through Spanish flavours and creativity, served alongside the restaurant's classic plates.
