TORONTO: Girls’ night out

UPDATE: Coca is now closed as of spring 2009.

I met my friend Natalie in Grade 8, waiting outside our social studies class. We were drawn to each other in that shy, awkward bond familiar to anyone who’s just transferred to a new school. We shared years of tedious classes, ridiculous bathroom pranks and stalking various members of the Vancouver Canucks.

So catching up in Toronto called for an old-fashioned girls’ night out. We met on the freshly painted rooftop patio at Coca on a warm evening. It focuses on Spanish tapas – small plates designed to share – and perfect for leisurely conversation.

We started with a bottle of Beronia Crianza ($45), a great blend of tempranillo-grenache, and a small plate of olives, cheese and flat bread ($5).

Two grilled pequilos peppers stuffed with house-made chorizo ($5) were fantastic. The chorizo was full of spice and tasted quite lean.

The only danger with tapas is wanting to try everything. Coca had lots of intriguing plates, like venison sausage and air-cured horse, and its namesake coca – Calatan flatbread pizzas with toppings like confit duck and roasted pear.

But we tried to restrain ourselves and continued on with the trout poached in olive oil with a hazelnut crust, carrots and lemon balm ($14). I’m always skeptical about seafood in central Canada, but this was moist and full of flavour.

Slow-braised beef cheeks ($14) with sauteed fava greens was good, suitably tender, but not mind-blowing. I’m not sure what fava greens are but I thought they tasted like spinach.

We quite enjoyed the roasted quail stuffed with bread and figs ($14) but I’ve concluded there is no way to take an attractive photo of the bird.

The bottle of wine gone, our plates polished, we moved across the street to Coca’s sister (brother?) establishment, Czehoski. It used to be a butcher shop/deli and the owners kept the name when they opened the restaurant.

We had a few more drinks, a few more laughs and suddenly we needed a snack. Czehoski’s platter of salami, pate, pickles and fresh pumpernickel (I think) bread came in handy. I think it was good. Honestly I can’t really remember. But I do remember a great night with a great friend. And isn’t that what matters?

Coca, 783 Queen St. West, Toronto, (416) 703-0783. Open Mon-Fri 11:30 am to midnight, Sat & Sun 6 pm to midnight.
Czehoski, 678 Queen St. West, Toronto, (416) 366-6787. Open daily til 2 am. More info here.