My Name Isabel

Not having eaten dinner yet, I was famished after Autorickshaw's great concert. But despite the strong restaurant culture, Toronto's eateries don't open much past 10 except for pizza take-outs and a few restaurants in Chinatown. Newly opened Bar Isabel aims to change that with the kitchen staying open until 2 am.

This trendy and well-reviewed spot sits on the edge of Little Italy at College and Shaw, replacing venerable Grappa. When I stopped by at 11:30 pm on Friday night, the lights were dim, the music was loud, and the booze was flowing. Looking over the menu, there was not a chicken wing or taco platter in sight.

First up was a Swiss chard with raisins and anchovies ($6). I liked the sweetness of the raisins but thought the vinaigrette was too tangy. I would have preferred more bitterness in the salad or that the dish plays up the saltiness of the anchovies. The small plate of scallops ($18) was a bit of a sticker shock when it came out. But this was a perfectly balanced dish: tiny spears of wild asparagus, earthy mushroom, tender scallops, and a great textured finish from the Spanish blood sausage. What a wonderful dish.
You can't go wrong with roasted bone marrow ($9). The soft, gelatinous and very fatty marrow went great with the toasted sourdough and a verde sauce. Finally, I had the Basque cake ($8.50) for dessert. Made with pastry cream, it was moist with a crunchy outer shell. The warm sherry cream was poured on top of the cake when it is delivered at your table. Amazingly, it wasn't overly sweet though you might feel a twinge of guilt indulging at such a late hour. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!