Located on the corner of King & Portland in the busy King West neighborhood lies Portland Variety. Portland Variety operates as both a cafe, and restaurant; as the 2,400-square-foot restaurant features a standing-room cafe at the front during the day, and at night, it transforms into a cocktail bar/restaurant. The restaurant has been a staple on King Street West for the last two and a half years, and continues to offer a great meal.

This past December, Portland Variety launched their new F/W menu filled with classic dishes with elevated flavors. I have been to Portland Variety on several occasions, and have always enjoyed the food.

Many of the dishes are family-styled, and people are encouraged to order several dishes to share. The menu at Portland Variety featured a fusion of Canadian, French, and Spanish cuisine offering shareable plates for both lunch and dinner. Some of their shareable plates include grilled octopus, seafood fideo, salads, and grilled stuffed baby squid. 

 5 oz Silk Oak ($14) and Diet Coke ($3)

The new winter menu consists of several flavor-focused yet simple simple cuisine. Great to compliment the cold weather, where you just want to have some hot meals. Some old favorites remain on the menu like the tasty Patatas Bravas ($9). The hot plate of cubes of potato topped off with a spicy sauce was crispy, and flavorful.

 Wild Yeast Sourdough & Cristal Bread ($4) - with cultured butter

Chef Jo Castrinos has laso decided to increase their bread baking program, and now culture their own butter.

Winter Salad ($16) - angel hair collard greens, brussel sprouts, preserved concord grapes, black sesame seeds, harissa granola

Grilled Cornish Game Hen ($22) - roasted root vegetable farro, piri piri  

Grilled Stuffed Baby Squid ($12) - chorizo, pine nuts, feta

Address: 587 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1M5

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PortlandVariety/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PortlandVariety/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/portlandvariety
Website: http://www.portlandvariety.com/

Disclaimer: The food provided in this post was partially subsidized by Portland Variety.  However, all of the opinions expressed in this review are of my own.

 Located on the corner of King & Portland in the busy King West neighborhood lies Portland Variety. Portland Variety operates as both a cafe, and restaurant; as the 2,400-square-foot restaurant features a standing-room cafe at the front during the day, and at night, it transforms into a cocktail bar/restaurant.

 I had the pleasure of attending a media tasting to welcome back Chef Jo Castrinos to Portland Variety a couple weeks back. He was the original chef of Portland Variety when it first opened in 2014, and he has now returned to helm the kitchen as Executive Chef. The tasting was an intimate gathering with some of my fellow bloggers, and all the dishes that we tried that evening were family-styled.



Watermelon Mojito - dark rum, lime, mint, watermelon



 The menu at Portland Variety featured a fusion of Canadian, French, and Spanish cuisine offering shareable plates for both lunch and dinner. Some of their shareable plates include grilled octopus, fried hen, and braised short ribs.   

 Royal Garden - vodka, lime, basil, cucumber

 

We started the tasting with a selection of Assorted Pintxos.


 

 
The Striped Bass Crudo - citrus, green mango, chive oil, chill, was up next, and it was a favorite among our small group of diners. The bass crudo was well-prepared, and the epitome of freshness. Additionally, the combination of green mango, and chive oil perfectly complemented the briny flavor of the bass.
My spice tolerance is pretty high, so I am capable of tolerating really spicy dishes. Which is why, I enjoyed the Shrimp Pil Pil - chili oil, lemon. The shrimp was super flavorful, and the lemon added a nice contrast to the richness and spiciness of the chili oil.  
I am glad that they kept the Grilled Octopus - smoked tomato, iberico chorizo, fennel pollen, on the menu. The octopus was seared and crispy on the outside, while the interior was tender. It also had a slight smoky flavor, without it tasting unnaturally smoky. 
Lastly, we ended the night off with Beignets - vanilla custard, for dessert. The deep-fried yet airy beignets were lightly dusted with sugar making it a sweet treat. This was a great way to finish off a meal.


Portland Variety is a nice casual place in King West, and perfect for all occasions. They are open for brunch, lunch and dinner. Click here for their hours of operation.

The menu at Portland Variety features a fusion of Canadian, French, and Spanish cuisine offering shareable plates for both lunch and dinner.  I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the food, and there were a few highlights that I would recommend trying. One of the main highlights was the grilled octopus, which was juicy, and well-flavored. The octopus was charred, so there was a nice smokey taste to it. Normally, I find that the flavor of octopus tends to be rather mild, but the addition of the chorizo jam definitely added extra flavor to it. Another dish that I enjoyed was the Piri Piri fried hen flavored with hot honey glaze, which had a nice balance of sweet and spicy. 

Ceviche is a popular seafood dish in South America, and is available on the menu at Portland Variety. It's typically made from fresh raw fish, and marinated in citrus juices, which helps to cure the fish. Chef Matt Cowan's rendition is a beautifully presented and colorful dish. The Nikkei ceviche is filled with chunks of striped bass with a layer of aji de maracuya sauce making it a very refreshing and light main course. Additionally, Portland Variety also offers several small bites on the menu, and I enjoyed them all. However, if I had to choose, I would say that the cassava fries were the tastiest. It is definitely a healthier alternative as it was baked yet it still remains crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. The cauliflower "popcorn" was a crowd favorite, and is such a creative way to prepare cauliflower.

Lastly, the bite sized beignets was the perfect end to a great dinner. The deep-fried choux pastry is lightly powdered with sugar, and filled with sweet vanilla custard. As for drinks - Portland Variety serves up plenty of classic and in-house cocktails. If you're not a cocktail drinker, then there are draught beers, bottled beers, and sangria on the drinks menu. Dinner at Portland Variety was a very nice surprise, and I really enjoyed it as I left satisfied and full. The cafe/restaurant is open 7 days a week, and they have upped their game by offering brunch as well.

Iberico Chorizo Croquettas ($11)

Biscuits

Salted Caramel Old Fashioned ($14) - bulleit bourbon, salted caramel liquor, orange essence,
angostura & a&p bitters

Cassava Fries ($8)

Cauliflower "Popcorn" ($8)

Champagne a la Fouqette ($27) - piper heidsieck champagne, st. remy vsop, eau de tea syrup, yellow chartuese, mint, blackberries

Black Kale ($11) - chevre noir, pickled grapes, hazelnuts, burnt honey dressing

Roasted Heirloom Roots ($15) - burrata, tarragon, walnut pesto, herbs

Whipped House-Made Ricotta ($14) - spice roasted plums, pistachios, grilled sourdough

Nikkei Ceviche ($21) - striped bass, aji de maracuya, persimmons, taro chips

Grilled Octopus ($21) - chorizo jam

Piri Piri Fried Hen ($18) - hot honey glaze

Sticky Lamb Ribs ($23) - harissa & maple glaze, spicy peanut brittle

Braised Shortribs ($32) - truffled semolina polenta, glazed roots

Gnocchi alla Romana ($18) - kabocha & burnt butter puree, pinenuts, sage

Beignets ($7) - bite sized vanilla custard doughnuts

Address: 587 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1M5

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PortlandVariety/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PortlandVariety/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/portlandvariety
Website: http://www.portlandvariety.com/

Disclaimer: The food provided in this post was complimentary. However, all of the opinions expressed in this review are of my own.