A new Toronto restaurant opening on Palmerston Avenue is the latest project between Grant van Gameren, Hailey Burke and Zach Smith.
Opening on Sept. 24 at 293 Palmerston Ave., Casa Rubia is a full-service restaurant with a cuisine that focuses on Galicia and Spain’s Atlantic coast.
Behind the brand are long-term partners Van Gameren and Burke, who opened Bar Raval, one of Toronto’s favourite spots that’s been consistently ranked among Canada’s best bars.
The duo is teaming up with Smith, who spent his early career in Bar Raval’s kitchen. He later moved to Niagara to become chef and co-owner of the Michelin-recognized Fat Rabbit and opened Bar Les Incompetents. Smith returned this year to become executive chef and co-owner of Bar Raval.
“Spanish food has been a huge part of my career, so Casa Rubia feels like a natural return to it, but with a different perspective,” said Smith. “The opportunity to work with Hailey and Grant, in this room, just felt like the right project at the right time.”
Casa Rubia’s team says the “menu draws from northern Spain but reflects what the team can source and cook here in Toronto.”
Daniel Neuhaus
Opening dishes at the new restaurant will include langoustine and smoked tuna carpaccio, fideo with cockles and bone marrow with grilled scallops and sea urchin, according to the team.
Visitors can also expect larger dishes that include whole roasted turbot, wood-fired suckling pig and cuts of Rubia Gallega beef imported directly from Galicia.
According to the team, the “menu draws from northern Spain but reflects what the team can source and cook here in Toronto.”
As for drinks, the cocktail program revolves around classic like martinis, negronis and traditional digestifs. The wine list will include Spanish and Atlantic wines.
If the address looks familiar, it is because the restaurant is taking up the former Martine’s Wine Bar space, located right behind Bar Raval. The space includes 50 indoor seats, along with a 20-seat front patio.
“I have a feeling Rubia is going to be a very special place,” Van Gameren said.
“The food feels natural and the presentation unique. I think it’s exactly what Toronto needs right now.”
Dining and Cooking