February 13, 2014

Toro Toro Miami at the InterContinental Hotel

It only took two words to draw me in: bottomless brunch. When I was invited to experience such a thing at Toro Toro at the Intercontinental Hotel, I was instantly intrigued. For $38 you get unlimited small plates and mimosas. The only catch? You have a two hour time limit, but in my opinion, that gives you more than enough time to get your moneys worth.

It’s not too often I am blown away by service in Miami, but on this particular Sunday morning, the servers at Toro Toro were on point. Never once did I have to ask for a refill on my mimosa, our table was never without a plate of food, and our waitress constantly came to check on us and explain each and every dish.

With one look at the menu, my head was spinning. So many tempting options with a clear Pan Latin influence that appealed to my taste buds. I suggest doing what we did and let them make the choices for you. That way you get a taste of what the chef considers his specialties and can relax and enjoy your company and the thrill of the surprise as new dishes are brought to you one after another. For us, highlights included the smoked swordfish dip with plantain chips, fresh hamachi tiradito, picadillo empanadas, ham croquettes and chilaquiles verdes con pollo. They mix classic brunch dishes with Central and South American flavors to make combinations like a short rib arepa benedict, beef barbacoa grilled cheese and even bacon and egg fried rice. The plates are small so you can try lots before calling it quits.

We made it through about half the menu before we had to tell them we could not take another bite. Of course, we had to end on a sweet note and they wouldn’t let us leave without a bite of their Mexican chocolate waffle with refreshing crema fresca ice cream.

While the idea about having to go out of your way and into a hotel to grab brunch might not appeal to you, don’t miss out on this one. Just don’t make any big plans for after, this kind of meal sends you straight into a food coma that only a nap can resolve.