RED TOMATO

RED TOMATO

Location:
321 King Street
Toronto ON
M5V1J5

Ratings:
Service: 3 / 4
Ambiance: 2.75 / 4
Food: 2.75 /4
Price: $

The other night I met up with my friend DF for a mid-week early dinner. We decided to go to the Red Tomato to take advantage of their weekday deal where all their menu items and beers are just five dollars at the bar. The bar had a nice set up intimate and dark which bordered on tacky. During the day, I could imagine it to be a bit of an eye sore. The bartender slash server was really friendly and attentive, without hovering too much over us as we ate. Since everything was only five bucks, we decided to get a few things and share them. Be warned: although the prices are small, the portions are quite sizeable. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs; we ordered five dishes for the two of us and could not finish.

First out of the gate was the ROASTED BABY BACK RIBS with cumin-chipotle-honey-BBQ sauce. The ribs were served with a black bean salsa and cabbage slaw.The meat was juicy, sticky and tasty, but we both agreed that the slaw and the salsa stole the show.

As recommended by the bartender we went with the CHIPOTLE SHRIMP TACOS. The tacos were filled with a large portion of shrimp and house made tangy tomato salsa, fresh guacamole and a chipotle aioli. The taco shells were warm, soft and thin which allowed the fillings to really shine.

We weren't sure how big the portions were going to be, so we added a pasta dish to our order. We decided to go with the LINGUINE WITH JUMP FRIED SHRIMP. The pasta was nicely cooked and tossed in their famous jalapeño tomato cream sauce. The dish was very rich and quite large, so we were happy to be sharing it.

The highlight of the night was when the BLACKENED SALMON arrived. The salmon was well cooked with the skin still on, which added a nice crispy texture to the soft flaky salmon. We were happy to see a side of the black bean salsa and sweet corn on this dish too, for we really enjoyed it with the ribs and were ready for more. Although, if we had only ordered those two dishes we would have been disappointed to have the same side on both plates - not too creative.

Last but not least, we had the COCONUT SHRIMP. The large jumbo shrimp were covered in shredded coconut and deep fired. The shrimp were still juicy, we could tell they were made fresh in-house, which was nice.

Would we go back? If we were in the area and wanted some drinks and a snack, then yes.

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:

The Blackened Salmon