by Julie Reitsma

When Coca, baby sister to well-loved Czehoski, opened in 2006, the west-end foodies of Toronto were all a tingle with the tapasibilities. Our first visit last year, in the name of bonne fêterie, was a satisfying experience, with a divine Horse Carpaccio and Mixed Olives the highlights. Sadly, at least to this carnivore, the horses will continue to romp about the fields intact this fall, as Coca’s menu has changed, and will continue to change, with a whole slew of new and fanciful items to check out.  

Perched high next to the windowed garage door, we pondered, and, having made our selections, settled into our glasses of Ilex Macabeo ($10), looking forward to a leisurely Sunday feed. Within minutes we had every single thing we ordered cluttered in front of us, and while this doesn’t necessarily affect the quality of the food, it should be noted that Coca needs to maybe rethink the delivery.  

Aptly described by our dining partner as the mac n’ cheese of couscous, the Israeli Couscous with Spanish and Southern Cheeses ($12)—toasty crust topped and steaming when met with a spoon—was perfect comfort food for our rainy day visit. The wee pearls of cous (‘cause you know that each grain is a singular ‘cous’) pop in your mouth, as the cheeses reveal themselves one at a time—alternately sharp and creamy, layered, complex and delightful. The beautifully presented White Bean Velouté with Duck Serrano, Fennel Pollen and Almond Oil ($11) kept with the comfort theme, though could have been warmer. Curls of duck serrano, bobbing about next to the greenish trickles of oil, were not only pretty, but added a salty meatiness to the white bean purée which, if our buds are correct, was zinged with a warming dash of cumin. 

Having made some room by clearing out the Velouté bowls, we focussed our attention on the Basque Mussels with Peppers, Cava, Tomatoes and Garlic ($15). Generous chunks of bread were the perfect sop-up fit for the broth, which, though not abundant, was delicious. The mussels, despite being on the wee side, were cooked to near-perfection and were complemented beautifully by the cava and always welcome garlic. Fried New Potatoes with Bravas Sauce ($9) were a tad shrivelly, but maintained a soft interior puffiness. The tomato-based sauce, offset with a lemon aioli, eclipsed the spuds, and became the true focus of the dish, with the taters and spare bread from the mussels being used as sauce-to-tum conduits. Grilled Coca with Chorizo, Asiago and Fig Jam ($12) rounded off the savoury side of our meal. Smoky, salty and sweet, this pizza-esque offering smelled amazing and was only marred by oiliness. 

The only real disappointment of the evening should have been the sweetest part of the meal. The Citrus Tart with White Chocolate Mousse ($8), even though shared by two very dessert-friendly dames, was left unfinished. Spot-on kalamansi filling flavours could not make up for what it lacked—the pastry seemed underdone, the mousse was a tad strange, almost bread-like, and we were left, on a whole, not overly impressed. 

The menu at Coca will continue to adapt to the seasons, and as the produce available in our markets changes, so will Executive Chef Nathan Isberg’s dishes. While we had really been looking forward to some thin slices of Mr. Ed, and Coca does need to work out how much change is good change—call us tradicional, but a Mediterranean tapas restaurant without the olives just seems wrong—we appreciate that each time we go to Coca will be a brand new foodventure, even if we aren’t completely addicted quite yet. 

Coca Tapas and Wine Bar
783 Queen Street West
416-703-0783
www.cocatapas.com