Casa Paco

My buddy found this spot on a site that was featuring new restaurant, we decided to give it a try.The place looks like tavern, small and cozy atmosphereOnly two dishes that we didn't like.Gambas(shrimp) nothing special, just shrimp in a garlic oil sauce.Pasticco - I thought it was like a lasagna but it's actually crepe with mushrooms and truffle. The combination of flavour was kind of weirdScallop wass fresh and cooked perfectly in a nice sauceGnocchi duck ragu was very flavorful with melt in your mouth gnocchiOctopus squid ink rice was rich in seafood taste and octopus was very tender.Beef short rib was very tender with a nice charred crustThe coffee cheesecake is like one of the best desserts that I ever had and I don't even like cheesecakeOverall food was pretty good 8.5/10 and service was amazing.

Went on Sunday and they had a paella special. I didn’t know I liked paella that much until I had it here! So good!

Great new restaurant in the area. Good vibes and music selection, amazing staff that really cares, and a great cocktail selection. They even make their own Amaro. Definitely going to be one of my go-to places in the city. Sundays are their special paella day.

Wow! We had one of the best meals ever in Toronto. The food was so tasty, fresh, wonderful and delicious. Service was brilliant. I loved the Dahlia cocktail. The porchetta was divine!

Casa Paco is beaming with charming atmosphere and hospitality. Come in with an appetite to try as many tasty food and drinks as you can.The lovely folks at this restaurant are professional, courteous, and passionate about what they do.Thank you Ailbhe, Caroline, Tommy and Rob for a fabulous dining experience. Casa Paco is the best in the bizz!

When I see jamon iberico on the menu, it gets ordered. The thin slices of prized Spanish cured ham are all at once sweet, smoky, and savoury. Casa Paco points out that they serve the “pata negra” ($38) variety of the ham, which indicates it’s produced with pure-bred Iberian pigs. Pedigree aside, it’s tasty and the plate contains plenty of slices to go around.The duck ragû gnocchi ($26) showed promise with its sizeable portion – a lot heftier than my friend’s tendril of octopus – and intoxicating aroma. And while the sauce was hearty and delicious (the shredded duck tender and flavourful), the actual gnocchi was overcooked and bordered on mushy. Perhaps its because the pasta was boiled and then also cooked in the sauce. If so, the chef either needs to boil the gnocchi less or consider pan frying it to form a crust, prior to finishing it within the ragû.A dessert is a must, and the coffee cardamom cheesecake ($15) is highly recommended. Prepared crustless, the outer edges of the sweet takes on a Basque cheesecake quality so it’s caramelized and dense. Yet, at the centre there’s a lovely coffee cardamom sauce that gives it a lovely hit of cool sweetness that’s almost like a cold molten lava cake. A unique dessert indeed.I preferred the cheesecake to the brûléed lemon flan ($11) where the sugar was overly toasted and started emitting a bitter taste. The sugar slight slip aside, the dollop of cool cream against the slightly warm flan was a nice touch.It wasn’t until after the dinner that I came across a Toronto Life article about Casa Paco. What makes it particularly unique is their four owners - Rob Bragagnolo, Caroline Chinery, Tommy Conrad, Ailbhe McMahon – are also the restaurant’s only staff, giving the establishment a mom and pop feel as customers will continually encounter the same faces.Maybe that’s why we found dining there so relaxing. We felt taken care of and loved hearing McMahon mention that several of the flora scattered throughout the restaurant was saved from a local resident who had too many at their home and forced by their landlord to dispose of them. If only I lived in Little Italy, I too would become a familiar face amongst Casa Paco.

Food is delicious. Though portion for each dish is not big so each person may need to order more than one main dish.

We were just walking by on our way to find a place for dinner in College and luckily noticed this new restaurant had opened up after being under construction for the last couple months. Turns out it was their opening night. Everything was delicious. We tried the tomato bread, zucchini salad, oxtail ragu and seafood rice meloso (this was our favourite). Cocktail was also great! I’d recommend for a date or for a wonderful dinner with friends.

Incredible service, delicious food, the vibe is just right. Cozy and wonderful, this gem serves the most incredible food. Perfect for any scenario - eating with friends, date night, or drink before the next stop. So glad Rob is back and cooking in the Toronto scene.