Coca Tapas and Wine Bar, Toronto

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  • Coca Tapas and Wine Bar

    Review by John Britton
    By now, Czehoski owner, Brad Denton knows exactly what hip Toronto diners want: gorgeous locales filled with blue-jeaned babes who like a bit of a scene with their dining. With Coca, a gratifying gift basket of a resto-bar, he amps-up the formula, resulting in a generally pleasing, though thoroughly unsurprising spot.

    After firmly establishing Czehoski's Queen West cred, Denton and company hope to expand their success with their latest venture. Housed in Blue Algave's former building, just down the street from home base, Coca is already generating buzz amongst industry folks.

    Narrow and bright, the Spanish-influenced tapas and wine bar is complimented by brick along the west wall and hardwood floors throughout. Cushioned high-backs and high tables occupy the front portion of the bar area while the main counter – a wildly sought-after area - runs down the center of the room, keeping everyone at a comfortable, crotch-free eye level. The lighting - track lighting in the front and hanging lights over the booths - is a good fit for both clandestine, arty diners and business types wanting to woo a potential client.

    At Coca, you can soak up the social scene and the high hipster-quotient over some comfortable fare, but if it’s culinary improvisation and big boy plates that you’re after, go someplace else; Coca specializes in small-bite, Spanish tapas.
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    11 Reader Reviews

    1. Alison's Review :: April 21, 2008
    I thought this place was wonderful! I've been twice with friends and found the food, while pricey, to be well worth it. Extensive wine list and 3oz options make pairing easy and the service was friendly and attentive. The food was, for the most part, fantastic. I suggest the potatos bravas and the salt cod in particular. Serrano ham on toast was also a delicious snack while waiting for friends.

    Alison's Rating: 4 Stars
    2. Derek Houston's Review :: February 6, 2008
    Guys? this is really sad. Coca has officially GONE DOWNHILL. I'd heard it from friends. I heard it here on martiniboys.com. But i just had to go see for myself.

    The food was overly oiled and spiced, but not as usual. This time, (sigh) it was kinda nasty. As for attitude, most of it came from the owners, sitting at the bar.


    Derek Houston's Rating: 2 Stars
    3. Ada's Review :: November 5, 2007
    My date an I had a wonderful time at Coca!!! I had no expecations, as I've read both negative and positive reviews of this restaurant.

    I just want to say, that we really enjoyed the food, service and overall vibe of the place.

    We enjoyed an olive plate (simple yet divine), the carmelized onion coca flatbread (sweet and savory-mmmmm), hotpeppers stuffed with cheese (so spicey and they hurt soooo good), a frutti de mari plate of some kind which arrived in a way too tiny portion but tasted (thankfully) like heaven itself, and a moroccan lamb shoulder dish that melted in our mouths. We even had a delicious Malbec red that was ridiculously well priced.

    The service staff were incredibly sweet and had that relaxed-yet-professional combination that is so difficult to achieve. We were looked after by two servers and both were very thoughtful. Its about the little things no?

    We sat in one of the comfy boothes very close to the open concept kitchen, and even had an opportunity to schmooze a little with one of the chefs.

    We were positively CHARMED by Coca!!! And that's not just the Malbec talking!

    Ada's Rating: 4 Stars
    4. Daisy's Review :: March 19, 2007
    Despite an armada of negative reviews, I was excited to try Coca and as a foodie, who is forgiving when it comes to culinary gaffes, was utterly appalled . This was the worst fare I have eaten in a long time (what a shame since the service and decor is charming). Here's why:
    Prawns were lauded on the menu as arriving with "lots of garlic and virgin oil." Instead, they were shrimps (not badly cooked) but with nada flavour. It tasted like they'd been cooked in lukewarm water with flecks of parsley.
    Next up was the medley of funky olives. I'm adventuous but I literally spit out a few olives in my napkin. Cardamom and fennel with olives? This is yuckful fusion at its worst.
    The bread-tomato salad, usually a luscious vineagary treat elsewhere, was disgusting. Picture arugula, sundried tomatoes, big fat almonds, dry bread, hardboiled eggs and no dressing. What a nightmare. Without a sauce binding everything (and why sundried??) it was disgusting. Almonds with eggs? Yuckville.
    The dessert of fried leche with honeycomb arrived as three oily pucks (that looked like falafel and not enough honey for dipping).
    The organic chicken wings were an embarrassment sided with too-strong cheese dip. Honestly, I know organic meat is not as meaty, but still, it was an oily, fatty mess and the presentation was a shame. All bland and white and unpalatable.
    The kitchen needs a good culinary instructor to come in and whip this very-nice-to-look at restaurant into shape. It's a dreadful mess.

    Daisy's Rating: 1 Stars
    5. Ariel's Review :: March 18, 2007
    We were a party of 12 for my birthday and it was amazing! This was our second time eating here - the first time we were just as in love with the food and service. We were seated on the 2nd floor to accomodate our big party - our own little area by the patio - just intimate enough without being cut off from the ambience.
    We trusted our server Sabrina and Chef Nathan Isberg to choose our food and every choice was perfect! Service was impeccable (she even went to buy us some batteries for our digital camera!) and the food was fantastic as usual.
    Will definitely return again and again!

    Ariel's Rating: 4 Stars
    6. D's Review :: January 24, 2007
    Could not wait to try Coca was very excited to go with my friend from out of town. Service was terrible, we were seated for a good 20 min and no menu, hunted down the hostess finally got one. Ordered a nice bottle of red at the waiter's recommendation, was a good 10 degrees under of where it should have been, service was so slow we were only able to order a cheese platter in the 2 1/2 hrs were were there I will never go back, too many restaurants in Toronto, to put up with this. I was soo embarrassed.

    D's Rating: 1 Stars
    7. Minda's Review :: December 24, 2006
    After reading the terrible reviews here (and personally being SICK of everyone's obsession with "authentic" food), I had to write something to defend my beloved Coca.

    My experience at Coca was excellent. The chef's selection of tapas was incredibly delishhhhious, as was the chocolate bread pudding. The space is beautifully rich, service is friendly, and I would return in a heartbeat.

    Minda's Rating: 4 Stars
    8. Beauttie's Review :: December 23, 2006
    Coca is one of those places that you want to check out - in the begining. Then you wonder why you ever set foot in the place to begin with. I won't go through every detail, but there does need to be some improvement if you want to survive on Queen West. Coca is all show. Great looks inside and out. Let's implement that in the food guys.

    Beauttie's Rating: 1 Stars
    9. Maria's Review :: December 19, 2006
    Please, if you want to have some credibility first learn how to write and spell spanish!!! The menu have some unbelievable mistakes. The food is far away from real Spanish, the staff have no idea about Spanish culture they even said that Coca meant tapas in Catalan what a lie! It's really sad to find places that take advantage of the boom of Spanish and Latin culture when they don't really investigate about it.

    Maria's Rating: 1 Stars
    10. Inquisitive's Review :: December 17, 2006
    If I were the owners of Czhoski's, I would keep the fact that Coca is our sister restaurant under wraps.

    I am utterly embarrassed to have recommended this space for a friends b-day. The food was heineous, imagaine this:
    Paper bag fish which was rawer than sashimi - if that's possible. I have never spit out in my napkin before, this was an exception.
    Ceveiche which had no acid, how was the mackarel cured???
    Venison short ribs which were overcooked, since when has venison been overcooked. It was so obvious that it was chared; even more dissapointing that the waiter did not notice.
    Martini's were delicious and were the highlight of the night.
    The service is very slow...you might want to order some bread to tie you over. Make note however, they charge you for the bread.
    I will never recommend this place to anyone

    Inquisitive's Rating: 1 Stars
    Click here to view all 11 reviews
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    Coca Tapas and Wine Bar

    Address

    783 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON

    Phone

    416-703-0783

    Area

    Queen West

    Cuisine

    Tapas

    Venue

    Restaurant, Bar

    Hours

    Mon. to Fri.: 11:30am - 12:00pm
    Sat. & Sun.: 5:00pm - 12:00am

    Price

    $$$ (within reach)

    Payment

    Master Card
    Visa
    American Express
    Restaurant

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