La Vinia

Paella is one of those dishes that you have to enjoy with someone. To be authentic, it comes in the paellera that it is cooked in and even the smallest one is still too much for one person to finish. I had my eye at a Spanish restaurant in Toronto and I have been saving it for a time where I can enjoy a paella with good company. I finally had a chance to share the moment with two of my good friends, Arsha and Monika. And my, did we indulge with two paellas that dinner in La Vinia.

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La Vinia is actually a trek for me as it on Lakeshore, Mimico neighbourhood of Etobicoke. Seeing that there were a few options around the area, I didn’t take the chance and I called for a reservation. I was so glad I did that as it wasn’t even half an hour after I walked in and the restaurant was more than half full. It was one of those restaurants that were out of the radar for the most part but is very well known through word of mouth. I already liked it when I walked in. The restaurant was small but it has that coziness probably that comes from the red walls that I loved so much. It gave off the warmth in the restaurant, all the more whetting your appetite to try their food.

When my friends Arsha and Monika arrived, they were as elated as me loving the ambience of the restaurant. They know we were there to try paellas but it didn’t stop us from ordering three appetizers. We went for the Calamares a la Plancha (Grilled Calamari with Chilli oil), Jamón & Lomo Ibérico (Spanish ham) and Baked Spinach with Goat Cheese. For our mains, we chose Paella Valenciana (Paella with Chorizo, Chicken and Seafood and Fideuá (Catalonia Style Pasta with Shrimp, Calamari, Scallops and Monkfish).

Being a frequent visitor of Barcelona, I have a weakness for Paella and Fideuá. The appetizers were great but the real show stoppers were the mains. When it arrived, just the aroma made my tummy churn. There is something so comforting about knowing the meal was going to be satisfying and familiar. And I was right about how it matters to share it with good friends. It heightened the pleasure of eating fresh paella and Fideuá as it was shared with affection. I was glad that my two besties loved the dish as much as I did. They were true to the dish and it is as close to Barcelona as I could get.We finished the meal with three desserts, Crema Catalana, Fried Milk and Mango Cheesecake. Those three paired with good coffee and more lively conversation was amazing. To say I was satisfied was an understatement.

I encourage you to go off the beaten path and head west to Etobicoke and try La Vinia. The comfort of good food with impeccable service would make the trip very much worth it.