A Spanish Feast At Carmen

If you love tapas, pintxos or Spanish cuisine in general, you need to head over to Carmen ASAP. I’ve been a huge fan of Chef Luis Valenzuela’s bold flavours since I discovered Torito in Kensington Market a few years ago, so you can imagine how excited I was when he teamed up with his business partner – Veronica Carmen Laudes – to bring his tantalizing small plates to Queen West last year. Yup, I am now walking distance from some of the best tapas in town – woot! I recently had a chance to stroll over with my photog to feast on some of their original menu creations along with a few newbies. Here are the highlights…

Tomate Verde frito Con Queso Feta, Maíz y Pimientos ($10) – If you can only order one tapas at Carmen, this should be it. The crispy green tomatoes are layered with sweet corn chutney, creamy feta and roasted red peppers. All of the ingredients are deliberate and come together in a beautifully-balanced dish that left me wanting more.

Gambas Al Ajillo “Estilo Carmen” ($14) – I have a soft spot for seafood and the shrimp at Carmen did not disappoint. Fresh, grilled to perfection and drizzled with Serrano chili oil, they whisked me right back to Spain.

Ensalada Tomatina ($11) – Without a doubt, the star ingredient in this salad are the organic tomatoes. Picked from Carmen’s own backyard, they are plump, flavourful and juicy: reason alone to order the dish. And to kick things up a notch, the tomatoes are topped with fava beans, queso fresco (a light, fresh cheese) and roasted corn. Yum!

Pintxo De Pulpo ($4 or $10 for a trio) – Do not leave Carmen without trying this pintxo. The octopus is tenderized beautifully, the confit potatoes are perfectly seasoned and the chorizo adds just the right amount of kick. Oh and the bread and fresh tomato spread bring it all together for a fiesta in your mouth. Your taste buds will rejoice.

Lomo Adobado Con Pimento De Piquillo Y Manchego ($12) – Yup, under all that manchego cheese lies delicious, marinated pork tenderloin. Juicy, well-seasoned and served up with piquillo jam. And while most of Carmen’s dishes are meant to be shared, this one is on the small side so you’ll likely want to devour it all by yourself. Your friends will forgive you.

Paella del Norte ($50) – Ah, the pièce de résistance. And in my opinion, one of the most difficult Spanish dishes to master. It’s all about the rice when it comes to paella: as the absorber of all the flavours, the correct grain, cook and seasoning are instrumental. I’m happy to report that Carmen’s Paella del Norte is one of the best paellas I’ve had in the city. With a thin layer of rice, golden socarrat (caramelized rice crust) and the perfect number and balance of ingredients (clams, mussels and a stellar Branzino) it had me smiling from ear-to-ear. Make sure you order the dish upon arrival since it takes about 45 min to prepare. Oh, and it’s large and hearty enough to share among 3-4 people so your friends will like you again.

Oh, and you can’t leave without dessert. Mmm cheesecake…

Ready for your own tapas fiesta with friends? Carmen has tons of space and can accommodate large groups (a little birdie told me they will be expanding again soon). The resto is all about sharesies so grab your besties and head over for a feast! And in true Spanish style: the more people the merrier. Salud!

Special thanks to Carmen for hosting us. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own.