Tucked in an alley beside Weslodge, Patria (Twitter: @PatriaTO, Facebook: PatriaTO) is the newest venture by Hanif Harij and Ink Entertainment's Charles Khabouth (they also opened Weslodge earlier this summer). While Weslodge is a "modern saloon" with a contemporary American menu, Patria is all about Spanish cuisine. From small and large tapas, mains, to a large, cooked-to-order paella for the table, Patria's concept is authentic and rustic Spanish food with the integration of products and wine imported from Spain.
Taken from the second level.
Meat cleavers on the wall. They spell out "full stomach, happy heart" in Spanish (only the "happy heart" part here).
I went to Patria twice since it opened two weeks ago (lunch and dinner). This post combines both meals. Here's a short VLOG of my dinner with Nicki from View The Vibe (@ViewTheVibe):
MOJITO
MOJITO
RED SANGRIA - red wine, brandy, port, sweet vermouth, spiced poached pear reduction, orange juice and pear nectar
WHITE SANGRIA - white wine, brandy, lillet, mixed apple cider & poached apple, lemongrass reduction
CAVA NUEVO - bombay gin, lemon, simple syrup, cava, floral bouquet, crisp citrus & subtle sweetness
PAN CON TOMATE - House Baked Bread + Fresh Tomato + Olive Oil ($5)
JAMON IBERICO DE BELLOTA - 36 Month Acorn-Fed Black-Hoof Iberico Pig ($30)
D.O. CABRALES - Artisanal-made Cow, Goat, Sheep's Milk Cheese Aged in Lime Stone Caves ($8)
CROQUETAS DE MANCHEGO - Leek + Manchego Croquettes + Aioli ($7)
PULPO A LA GALLEGA - Spanish Octopus + Potato + Paprika + Olive Oil ($15)
ENSALADA DE AGUACATE CON QUESO DE CABRA Y MEMBRILLO - Butter Lettuce + Avocado + Goat Cheese + Quince Dressing + Marcona Almonds ($12)
QUESO DE CABRA FRITO AL HIGO CON MIEL - Goat Cheese + Orange Blossom Honey + Walnut + Fig ($15)
COCA BOQUERONES Y MOJO PICON CON QUESO MANCHEGO - White Anchovy + Mojo Picon + Piquillo Pepper + Manchego ($12)
SECRETO IBERICO CON PIMIENTOS DEL PIQUILLIO Y MERMELADA - Iberico Flank Steak + Piquillo Pepper Jam ($28)
LECHE FRITA CON HELADO DE AZAFRAN - Fried Milk + Saffron Ice Cream + Honey ($6)
CHURROS CON DULCE DE LECHE - Spanish Doughnuts + Cinnamon Sugar + Dulce de Leche ($6)
HELADO DE CAFE CON CREMA DE LECHE, ESPECIAS Y MERMELADA DE ACEITUNAS - Coffee Ice Cream + Black Olive Marmalade + Spiced Cream + Nut Wafer ($6)
CHOCOLATE CON ACEITE Y SAL - Chocolate Pudding + Olive Oil + Sea Salt ($6)
Brilliant service, food and vibe at Patria (their cocktails were also divine). I think the only item that I wasn't too keen on was the house made bread & tomato...a pretty minor thing in the grand scheme of things. Other than that, I savoured every single plate.
Highlights for me were the 36 month acorn-fed black-hoof iberico; hand-sliced to almost paper thin, it had an exceptionally smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The octopus was tender and not at all chewy. It was a simple dish yet a very memorable one. The salad with goat cheese, walnut and fig was a hit. I thought the sweetness of the orange blossom honey dressing complemented the tartness of the goat cheese really well. I also loved how the anchovies were "showcased" on top of the flat bread (as opposed to being chopped up and "hidden" with other ingredients). A must-order if you love anchovies. As for the Iberico flank steak, lets just say I enjoyed it so much that I insisted on ordering it again on my second visit. Ever so delicate pieces of tender Iberico on top of a bed of sweet, slightly spicy, piquillo pepper jam. Really, really good.
Speaking of ordering the same thing twice, I also ordered the fried milk dessert twice. While I enjoyed both the fried milk and the saffron ice cream, my friends didn't really like the fried milk and much preferred the saffron ice cream on its own. The churros get a big "YES" from me as well. Although not my favourite, my friend really liked the coffee ice cream and black olive marmalade dessert as it was unique and relatively more "savoury" (he normally doesn't like dessert).
Service was stellar. The staff was very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable Very impressive considering the restaurant opened merely two weeks ago. Great vibe and buzzing with energy, I must go back to Patria and try their paella ;)
