Fonda Lola

by Sandi - August 24, 2015

Fonda Lola started their business as a pop-up in 2012, and was one of the popular vendors at the The Stop Night Market. Due to gaining a following, they quickly acquired a spot on Queen St W, and opened a restaurant by 2013. Fonda Lola's space was quite warm as it was designed with rustic materials, painted ceramics, and other Mexican mementos. To this day, Fonda Lola strives to remain an ambassador of the Mexican culture, and have brought the food, tequila and customs to the multiculturalism of Toronto.

For two nights only (August 26 & 27), the Fonda Lola menu is being turned over to the restaurant owner’s mother, Mama Vickie, to create and serve an authentic eight-course Mexican meal featuring her specialties and favorite dishes to feed a crowd. Passed down from generation to generation, these recipes are sure to give you a true taste of Mexican culture and will take your tastebuds through years of home-cooked tradition. At 65 years old, Vickie has had several years of practice to perfect the art of a pinch, dab and dollop to make each dish perfect in its delivery.

If you're interested in this special two nights only event, then book your ticket at http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fonda-lola-mamas-menu-dinner-event-tickets-18234150836

Event dates and times:

Wednesday, August 26 at 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 26 at 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 27 at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 27 at 8:00 p.m.

I had the pleasure of being invited to the media preview at Fonda Lola last week with a few fellow food bloggers, and Instagrammers. We had a taste of four of the dishes that will be on the special 8-course menu that Mama Vickie will be creating. The dinner is $42 per person, and you can book your ticket at http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fonda-lola-mamas-menu-dinner-event-tickets-18234150836. Please note that drinks, taxes, and gratuity are extra.

Mama Vickie’s Special Menu

Guacamole - A national Mexican dish. At Fonda Lola’s, we don’t add any tomatoes or onions to our recipe in order to give you a smoother, creamier, richer texture. Served with crunchy freshly-made tortilla chips. The chips were incredibly crispy, and tasted great with the creamy guacamole.

Shrimp Aguachile - A more piquant version of ceviche, lime and jalapeño concoction. This particular dish hailed from Sinaloa Mexico, and Vickie's take on it was very flavorful. The shrimp was marinated in lime and jalapeño juices giving it with a very zesty flavor. I also thought that the saltiness balanced quite nicely with the citrus making it a refreshing Mexican-style ceviche.

Tostada de Tinga - Pork, beef, Mexican chorizo, onion, tomato, and smoked chipotle along with a healthy dose of mom’s special seasoning. From Puebla, Mexico.

Tacos Gobernador - A creamy tender shrimp taco. We take onions, tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, mix them with chile ancho, and cook for three hours to bring out a full flavour. We add oaxaca cheese and melt it just a bit before serving. From Mazatlan, Mexico. I highly recommend this traditional creamy shrimp taco, as it was just a delightful concoction.

Papas al Chipotle - Our special mix includes olive oil, garlic, chipotle, and mama’s secret blend of seasoning. We boil small white potatoes for 40 minutes in this mix to soak in all of the goodness.

Taco de Rajas Poblanas - Poblano peppers, cream, onion, and cheese.

Carne en su Jugo - Beef, brown beans, bacon, tomatillo. Served with green peppers, cilantro, and onion. From Jalisco, Mexico.

Platanos con Crema - Oh, how sweet this dish is. We deep-fry plantain bananas and serve them golden with sugar and sour cream. This traditional dessert is served all over Mexico, but is particularly popular in south-east Mexico where much of the country’s plantain is produced.

Their cocktails list consists of several Mexican themed drinks for reasonable prices.