Torta Boyz is more than just tortas

I’m always glad for reader recommendations. The writing schedule can fill up quickly but every once in a while I have a window to visit the restaurants subscribers recommend.

It’s also true that I get a few of these recommendations from people who are either friends or family of the owner. I never fault people for wanting to call attention to their business, but in these instances, I appreciate when they disclose the relationship.

Over the last six months, I’ve heard the name Torta Boyz more than any other. I expect this is not a coincidence when one of my favourite chefs (Sarath Mohan) mentions it as one of his go-to spots. Well, that’s hard to ignore.

The weather called for it, so I ordered a margarita to start. Who hasn’t been disappointed by one of these? Often, a commercial, overly sugared vaguely lime syrup is used. Add to that a low-rent watered-down tequila (we all know the brands) and a bad orange liqueur, and you’ve got a standard example. It’s depressing.

Torta Boyz goes against the grain and pours a stiff margarita. Not only are the flavours fresh, with quality spirits, but you can feel the booze. Nothing watered down here. It may not be in the glass you expect, but you’ll want one of these.

I like to put my prejudices out there because, generally, readers appreciate this sort of disclosure. For example, I've never liked the taste of chipotle. These are smoked jalapeno peppers, usually served as some sort of mayo-based dip. I think it’s one of the worst-tasting things in life.

I’m not right, and if you like the taste of chipotle, you’re not wrong. My feeling however, is that it always tastes synthetic somehow. Perhaps the folks behind Torta Boyz feel the same.

Their chicken wings immediately distinguished themselves as one of the best bites of the spring. The Boyz use a superior smoked morita pepper (what I use at home) to create their absolutely crave-inducing BBQ sauce.

The wing glaze is subtly sweet, savoury and smoky with a creeping heat slowly building at the back end. 

The wings are prepared from a fresh state and made so perfectly that the meat peels off the bone without effort. True to what you expect from an experienced kitchen, while the meat was moist, the skin was crisp, even after that delicious BBQ sauce.

We added fibre to lunch in the form of a Caesar salad. A well-made salad may be one of the most underappreciated dishes to grace a table. Torta Boyz delivers an example that others should take note.

A generously portioned salad for two featuring dill, capers, anchovies, shallots and chili dusted house croutons commanded attention. The flavours, some of which are uncommon for this salad, were just lovely and didn’t miss a step in convincing us that this was a must-order item.

The two forms of beef tacos (Suadero and Barbacoa de Res) were both well-filled and filling. The taste of beef was robust. Unfortunately both were so salted that it was difficult to finish. The barbacoa de res also held large pieces of rendered fat that didn't appeal to me.

The same smoky morita sauce was on the Tinga de Pollo chicken breast torta. The bread resembled a decent ciabatta bun and was drenched in cotija cheese and crema with the crunch and umami coming from the iceberg lettuce and tomato.

There was a good confluence of flavours and textures that needed no further elaboration. A winning sandwich.

Having had a glance at the back bar, I noticed they had my preferred 100% Agave Blanco Tequila – Mi Campo. When it says 100% agave, it means just that. Most tequilas in this price range are mixto, meaning they can have fermented cane or corn sugars in the blend. For under $40, you can’t find a better blanco tequila.

The fellow sitting at the bar heard me and volunteered that he’s married to the sister of the family that makes Mi Campo. There you go, an Ottawa connection. I wasn’t expecting that, but it’s always a joy when interesting facts pop up.

They’ve been around for a while now, and the buzz is well-deserved. They make bold, flavourful dishes, the service at this lunch was knowledgeable and attentive, and they have a quality back bar.

If you’ve not been, Torta Boyz gives you license to visit Little Italy for something you won’t regret trying.