Barrio Coreano owner Dave Sidhu first fell in love with Latin American cuisine during his time working in the restaurant industry in New York City and Los Angeles. “Toronto really didn’t have much of a Mexican food scene at the time,” he explains. “So when I moved back, I wanted to bring something authentic to the city.” He launched his first Playa Cabana eatery in May 2011 and has gone on to establish a number of spin-off locations across the city.
“At Playa Cabana Cantina we serve the LA Truck Taco with chipotle marinated kalbi beef and citrus slaw,” Dave explains. “I was always coming down to Koreatown to buy the Asian pears we use to marinate the meat. After spending so much time here, I thought it would be a good idea to open up a new restaurant inspired by the Korean flavours of the neighbourhood.”
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This was my 4th time at Barrio and honestly it was not as good as the previous times. I had relatives from Korea visiting and I wanted to show them a good time. Food was tasty as usual - it was just the service that was lacking. No friendly conversation, no follow up, never checked up to see if we needed anything else. It was only at the end when I was paying that he started to ask about our time and spoke more than 1 sentence to our table. Half the experience is the service. Disappointed.
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If you’re looking for tequila cocktails look no further than Barrio Coreano. From Strawberry Fields to Cadillac Margarita there’s just so much to chose from on the house cocktail menu. These cocktails are well suited for any menu item at Barrio Coreano.
View this Smart ListLatin American and Asian street food come together at this unique Koreatown taqueria from Dave Sidhu of Playa Cabana fame. Barrio Coreano turns out traditional Mexican bocaditos with a uniquely Korean twist. Chow down on bulgogi-style barbecue beef tacos, Korean fried chicken and charred calamari with kimchi. The drink menu also keeps it collaborative with tequila-based cocktails flavoured with Asian pear; be warned, the kimchee sour has a definite kick.
View this Smart ListOpen until 11 p.m. throughout the week and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, this Koreatown fusion restaurant from the wildly successful Playa Cabana family is a great spot for a bite to eat after an evening show. The adventurous and experimental kitchen turns out traditional Mexican dishes prepared with an Asian twist thanks to the addition of regionally inspired ingredients and spices. Tantalize your taste buds with kalbi beef short ribs dressed in cucumber-radish kimchi or chicken kampungko tacos, which are slathered in a chipotle-sesame gochujang salsa for a sweet and spicy finish.
View this Smart List