Beso by Patria - Spanish Restaurant Toronto — Restaurant in Toronto

A couple of days ago, we celebrated my daughter’s birthday at Patria and overall it was not a good experience. Patria is considered an Spanish restaurant. Unfortunately, even though it’s a nice decor, it does not reflect the “Spanish gusto” that one would expect. The line of knives hanging from the wall and behind the patrons chairs, is creepy and of poor taste regardless if the knives are real or not.

We had a reservation for 5 and when we got there, they had to add a seating to a table right by the front door. Very disorganized. Basically, people walking in right behind us. Never seen anything like it in any other restaurant. After saying we were leaving unless we could get a proper table, we were asked to wait. About 10 minutes later, they had a proper table ready for us.

Let’s talk about the food. Number one WELL OVERPRICED. We had a Patria Paella for two… What a great disappointment. If anybody is familiar with a Paella, one would know it’s a bed of very well seasoned rice that includes saffron and a great assortment of spices that gives every bite the amazing burst of flavours that explodes in your mouth. And a great display of different types of meats such as fish, chicken, beef, sausages, lamb, pork. Well at Patria, the Patria Paella doesn’t have any of that. They brought us a large iron pan with a 1/3 of an inch thin layer of burnt and stuck to the pan rice, 6-8 shrimps, some mostly empty muscles and a piece of cod. The sausage was about 3-4 tablespoons of meat sausage, not a real piece of sausage, no chicken, no pork, no lamb. You get the picture. I inquired about the “non paella” served to us and was told that’s how they make it. Pretty sure the chef has never had a real paella as this is not how it is PROPERLY made. He should spend some time in Spain, with Spanish people and learn how to cook Spanish dishes. This restaurant is also clearly not owned by any Spaniard or a person with any Hispanic background. This was confirmed when we asked when told the owner is a white Toronto restaurateur, presumably he’s never even been to Spain.

We also ordered the stuffed bone marrow. Nothing to brag about it. A few pieces of shredded meat, burn onions and mushroom and a few slices of bread. The empanadas, had a distinct curry and coriander flavour part of a Merguez empanada and filled with some unidentified meat. The truffle manchego queso with quince appetizer, was a joke. A very thin slice of truffle manchego cheese, 2 smaller than a dice sized cubes of quince and four thick slices of bread. The morcilla appetizer was about 10-12 paper thin slices of morcilla. The croquettes de seta flavour wise were a 5 out of 10. The red and white wine sangrias were very watered down. I understand they don’t want customers to get drunk. Fair enough. But a glass filled with ice, it’s a bit too much. The pink Sherry was ok… A 6 out of 10.

On a happy note, our waitress Caitlin was super nice and really worked very hard throughout the evening. Kudos to Caitlin!

The so called Flamenco show, it’s an embarrassment for any Pura Sangre Spaniard… The dance, the singing, the outfit, the music. A big minus 10. If you want to call this a Spanish restaurant with a Flamenco show, please make sure, that’s what the customer is getting. Real Spanish food and a truly spectacular Flamenco show. I was a Flamenco dancer and nothing on that show was Flamenco even inspired.

The churros, the tres leches cake, the dátiles and the patatas bravas were our night’s savers! Very tasteful! After an almost $500 bill for a table of five, Patria was a great disappointment. None of us left the place feeling like we just finished having a $500 dinner.

The good company and the great celebration of my beautiful daughter’s birthday was memorable and we were able to overlook the food and show’s disappointment.

In closing, in my opinion this is a restaurant for people who are unfamiliar with Spanish culture and have never tried real Spanish food. As a Spaniard, I’m truly offended this is promoted as a Spanish restaurant with a...

Our second visit to Patria after not going for 7 years.

We dined here on Saturday February 3rd, 2024.

Venturing into Patria felt at first like a peculiar odyssey, starting with an awkward shuffle through somewhat morose, dark curtains. Once through the perturbing curtains (designed I supposed, to keep the winter cold out), the interior was impressive upon entry – boasting an ambiance that’s both visually and aromatically alluring. With its lofty ceilings and cozy seating, the place whispers of promise and sophistication.

Once seated, the cocktail roster served as the evening’s opening act, with the Spanish Manhattan stealing the spotlight – a concoction so divinely mixed, it could very well have been the nectar of the gods, blending bourbon with agar bitters and Pedro Ximenez with a master’s touch. The Negroni Español, too, was a hit, balancing Campari and vermouth in harmony that left us nodding in approval.

On to the appetizers, where Patria played with a symphony of flavors. The Monkfish was a revelation – tender flesh encased in a delightfully crisp skin, arriving on a sizzling plate that belied freshness and care. The Seabream, dressed in a ceviche-inspired ensemble of capers, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, and vinaigrette, was a refreshing melody of tastes and textures. And who knew charred cabbage could evoke such enthusiasm from us? A novel twist on an otherwise mundane vegetable, rendering it a vegetarian delight — and we’re not even vegetarians!

Yet, not all dishes sang in harmony. The Roasted Bone Marrow was a misguided attempt at innovation, its natural richness lost beneath an overly sweet “beef cheek” muddle, with salt desperately trying to bridge the gap. The dish was a far cry from the marrow’s potential glory, leaving much to be desired. Equally lackluster were the chickpeas – a dish so devoid of creativity, it was as if the kitchen had simply given up, presenting a bland ensemble of chickpeas, tomatoes, and spices.

The bone-in rib eye, priced at a steep $135, was the evening’s greatest letdown. Promised as medium rare but served with an inconsistency and thwarted by patches of near-rawness, it was basic at best. Accompanied by an unhelpful ornament of whole roasted garlic still in its husk, the dish failed to justify its premium price tag, embodying disappointment in both presentation and palate.

Patria, with its seasoned tenure in the Toronto food scene, should indeed know better. This menu relaunch, while it had its moments of brilliance, also had missteps that were hard to overlook. For a place that prides itself on an upscale dining experience, the expectation is not just for good food but for culinary savvy every step of the way.

Let’s hope Patria rediscovers its culinary consistency soon, because no matter how beautiful the setting, it can’t overshadow the core of what makes dining truly fine: the universal deliciousness of the cuisine. As well, since this was our second visit after a number of years we were hoping for greatness.

We gave you another try Patria, and we just can’t anymore.

——— First review:

We went once in the winter of 2014 and remember the food as being just OK, not exceptional. Something about the ambiance was not conducive to lounging. I think it was too cold inside and inhospitable. It was in direct contrast to a tapas place like Bar Raval, which feels cozy. I may give it another try if @chowhoundgta...

I absolutely love Patria, which recently rebranded to Beso. I have been frequenting this restaurant since 2017 and it is my favourite Spanish restaurant in the city. I have visited many other places looking for an authentic paella, and so far this is the closest one I have tried as compared to Spain. I have invited all my family and friends here, and they all love it as well. My boyfriend and I now have a tradition to celebrate Valentine’s day here every year. The decor of the restaurant is gorgeous, perfect for a special occasion.

Our favourite dishes that we order every time are the Seafood Paella and Spanish Octopus. I generally do not eat octopus, but here it tastes really good and it doesn’t have a rubbery texture. My boyfriend loves the octopus, and the first time he tried it he said is the best one he ever had. We then order different dishes to try. The food never disappoints, and the flavours are mouth-watering. My favourite one from this visit was the Short Rib Skewer.

All the three desserts were also delicious. I was very close to not ordering the churros because I could order them anywhere else, but I am glad I did. The churros were the best ones we have ever had, tasted just like the ones from Spain and Latin America.

Not pictured is the Blue Huracán Mocktail that you can see in other reviews. It is amazing, sweet but not overly sweet. I initially didn’t get one myself, but after trying my boyfriend’s I had to get one as well.

This place is wheelchair accessible. The dining tables were good height and I felt comfortable eating. The guest washroom is in the second floor, but my server Alex was extremely kind to guide me towards the staff washroom located in the first floor.

Every time we have come we have had a wonderful experience with the servers. They are all extremely friendly and kind, and try to be as accommodating as they can. In this visit, Alex was very attentive and helpful, going as far as offering to push me in my wheelchair towards the washroom.

I am very happy that with the rebranding, most of the food remained unchanged and it is still just as good. Most changes seem to focus on making the atmosphere more welcoming by having DJs and artists perform in the restaurant, which I think is a great initiative. In this visit, the DJ played a variety of songs, in different genres and languages, that did not quite fit the atmosphere and took away from the experience. My suggestion is that the DJ should play Spanish music, whether it is classic or popular, to immerse us more in the Spanish culture, as if we were dining in Spain.

Overall, I can’t recommend this place enough. I will continue inviting everybody I know here and celebrate special occasions. I look forward to see how the rebranding will make this place...