The St Andrews student social calendar can seem very daunting at times. How do you choose between events?
To help you plan which events are the best to go to this semester, I thought a review of one of my favorite foodie events is a great way to start.
Toro Tapas was St. Andrews first ever pop-up Tapas restaurant. On Friday the 15th of April, Joshua Foo, Felix Arris and Isidora Grgur converted into an authentic Tapas bar.
The menu was split into tapas and paella. I was lucky enough to have tried every item on the menu (thank you Josh). What'd I think? Read on and see for yourself.
Layout
The layout of Bibi's was very much the same as what it was during a typical brunch meal, with a small difference in ambience. Tea lights, a good music mix, and Toros Tapas instead of Bibi's menus certainly set the mood.
Details
From 5 pm to 11 pm, we were whisked away from St Andrews to Spain for a short while. While people came and went throughout the evening, the laid back atmosphere invited those without plans to stay and linger. Of course, there were certainly busier times with significantly more people in the restaurant than tables and seats available (typical Bibi's). Perhaps an advanced booking system would serve the Toro Tapas crew well next time.
Thoughts
My mum is Spanish, so I went into the night with super high expectations regarding the food authenticity and flavors. Joshua's food blew my mind, and for a group of undergraduates to come up with such an innovative and flavorful menu? Attendee Cassie Legg commented the menu was "very impressive coming from a group of first year [students]." I'm inclined to agree.
To find out more about the Toro Tapas crew check out their Facebook page.
The Toro Tapas menu was creative and simple at the same time.
Spanish Omelette: I had seriously high expectations. I was brought up on this stuff and I highly doubted that Josh could cook to my Mum's standards, but I've gotta say - he did a great job.
This Spanish comfort food is what I have been brought up on so I had very high expectation and highly doubted that Josh could cook up to my Mums standards, but I have to say that he did a good job. Spanish Omelette is potatoes and onions slow cooked with eggs. Delicious.
Eggs with Chorizo: The 62 degree Celsius eggs were one of the last dishes that I tried, and the combination of the sweet yolk with the salty and crunch chorizo was egg-cellent.
Baked Camembert: This was the crowd favorite. The Camembert was infused with sweet Moscato wine and herbs, and served alongside crunchy French bread. Also, considering the portion size, it was seriously affordable.
Sous Vide Beef: "Pulled beef tastes like home" said fresher Liv Burnett. This statement from the night perfectly sums up the sweet richness of the beef, which was cooked to perfection.
Thai Pork Sausage: This dish was served at meatballs, or I should call them pork-balls. These pork balls were juicy and fresh, and portions of these bad boys could not come out of the kitchen quick enough to keep up with the crowd's yells for "more balls!" "Josh's meatballs were juicy" commented fellow diner Alex Hunter.
Beetroot Cured Salmon: The presentation of this dish was simplistic, but the care and effort that had gone into the preparation of this dish shone through. The salmon was so buttery.
Chicken Paella: Cooking paella for hundreds of people is not an easy feat. The idea to pre cook the rice and place them in individual portions was a great idea. The chicken was succulent and this was another item that flew off the counter.
Seafood Paella: The selection of seafood was impressive and very tasty. The rice was a bit too hard for my personal liking, but the people I ate with loved it.
The next Toro Tapas event is on this Friday, the 23rd of September, so be sure to head on over to their Facebook event to secure tickets. In the words of Tomaso Daytona, it's the most "fun, fast, and filling event of the academic year."
The team at Toro Tapas assures me that this event will be a little different to the opening event with new items being added to menu, and a few surprises in store. It's definitely not to be missed.