La Bella Managua
872 Bloor St. West
416-913-4227
labellamanagua.com
Hours: Tues 12 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Wed, Thurs & Sun 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Fri 12 p.m. – – 11 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Rating: *****
Price range: $1.25 – $13.95
Walking along Bloor Street, I was thrilled to discover La Bella Managua, the only restaurant in Toronto serving authentic Nicaraguan cuisine — a fascinating array of flavours and textures, thanks to Spanish and Creole influences.
Satiate your appetite with Mixed Ceviches ($8) — firm snapper and shrimp marinated and “cooked” in lime juice with minced bell peppers, red onions and cilantro. Served with sliced avocado and warm, baked plantain chips, it’s surprisingly filling. But that won’t stop you from finishing it.
Vigoròn ($11.99) is yucca and deep-fried crispy pork, topped with a heaping serving of cabbage salad. The yucca offer soothing comfort, while the pork bits are the crunchiest tasty things I’ve ever eaten. The thinly sliced cabbage, dotted with diced tomato and tossed with vinegar, provides a refreshing palate cleanser right in your meal.
