XOLA — Restaurant in Toronto

I only have all praises for the food, presentation, and setting.

I have gotten to try the Grasshopper Taco ($14), and they are such a treat. They are not as exotic as it looks to be. It came out crunchy, savoury, and a little bit of sour due to the complementary lime that comes with it. Another dish I have gotten to try was the Pollo en Pipian ($25.50). It was equally delectable, and good for around 6 or 7 individual portions. The order comes with about that much pieces of soft corn tortillas.

The place's decor was properly decked out to properly match the Mexican theming of the restaurant. The lady who hosted us also offered very amiable service. She constantly was checking up on us and was friendly to chat a bit and share some interesting trivias about the food and overall culture of the whole dining experience.

What fell short was that the location was small and they can only seat very few people at a time. They also do not have a waitlist sign sheet nor do they get your phone number and offer to call once a table is ready. Me and my companion had to wait outside in the cold for about 20 minutes before we were seated. We spent the time walking around and exploring The Beaches neighborhood.

Another thing is that the food pricing is on the high-end side. It is good that the food taste, and presentation is equally up to par to match the price tag. I do understand the economics of it all, but it would have been perfect if it was just a little...

What a great little gem in the Beach! My husband, kids (teens) and I went for dinner and had a wonderful authentic Mexican meal. We all had something different. We started off with the traditional guacamole and fresh hot tortilla chips. They lasted mere seconds. Next time, we'll try the sampler plate that offers three different types of guacamole - one of which I believe offers salmon in the mix. We then moved on to the ceviche. It was excellent - melted in our mouths. For my main, I had the best of the four dishes - Taquitos con Calamares - absolutely delicious. Light, lemony with a beautiful tangy coleslaw. My husband had the Taquitos con Adobe (beef brisket) done to perfection. My daughter had the lamb and my son the chicken wings. Both were licking their fingers after finishing their meals! The beverage selection although not vast, was enjoyed by all of us too. With Sol beer, Marques de Riscal white wine and Mexican pop for the kids flavoured with sugar cane, there was something for everyone.

There are so few good restaurants in the Beach that we often find ourselves leaving the area to dine. So happy to finally have a restaurant in the neighbourhood that is worth staying here for rather than having to travel to Leslieville or the Distillery. It's a short walk away.

We'll definitely be returning to experience the rest of the menu the chef has created and the friendly service (gracias Paco!).

Evelyn (Beacher...

(review from a Mexican, also a former graduate from George Brown College, Chef School and over 10 years of experience in the food industry). I meant to write a review two months ago when I first visited this place with 3 good friends, today I was there with my family celebrating my birthday... I'd like to start with the atmosphere, the place is small but cozy, is fresh, is young and vibrant, the graffiti wall art work done by a mexican artist also tattoer is really cool, the music! All Mexican of course but every genre! Rock, pop, popular, pop rock, etc. Atmosphere is easy going and very important for me family friendly. Now the FOOD! The food is delicious, such an authentic flavor, I suggest if you go in a group order to share, you'll have a taco feast of authentic traditional Mexican dishes, you don't know what it is? Order it! and get pleasantly surprised, please try the guacamole with fried crickets, is so good! We tried so far cochinita pibil, cactus tacos, lamb barbacoa, also children love fried chicken tacos (flutes). Trust me authentic and delicious. Is worth every penny. The place is family owned and they are working all as a team, you can tell they love what they do. Is my new favorite place to dine. I'm aiming to try the chicken wings next time, I read the menu and saw some crazy flavors that sound fingerlicking! Cheers Virginia...